ProRodeo Sports News July 13, 2018

Cody Stampede

guys dream about their whole lives, and he comes out and does it right now. It’s wild. I have no words for it, it’s freaking awesome. I’m happy too because it gives us a drive to go win everything.” Winning Cody launched DeRose from 89th in the PRCA | RAMWorld Standings with $2,145 to 39th with $15,518 as of July 12. “I don’t even really know how to put it into words, it makes a guy want to go harder and makes you realize you can roll with the big dogs,” DeRose said. “It’s a pretty cool feeling to be up there with those names and guys you watched and admired. To go and beat themmakes you want to keep going.” Solberg shared DeRose’s enthusiasm. “Confidence is really high in the rig right now,” Solberg said. “We haven’t even hit Nampa (Idaho) and Cheyenne (Wyo.) yet, and those are big rodeos a guy can win a bunch of money at. Then there’s some big circuit rodeos too, so if we draw good the world is our oyster right now.” LATE BLOOMER Although DeRose grew up in Kamloops, B.C., and didn’t have horses, his parents had rodeo backgrounds in bareback riding and barrel racing. DeRose got on his first bronc in ninth grade and went on to compete in the Canadian Rodeo Association. “Between life and everything else, I worked, and there were four or five years that I didn’t rodeo in my 20s,” DeRose said. “I didn’t have the drive, but the last couple years I went hard in Canada and last year I figured I may as well try. I’m not getting any younger, so give it a run and see what I can do.” Solberg told DeRose to start competing in the U.S. with the PRCA. “Guys get stuck on Canadian rodeo and what they are used to and don’t step out of the box,” Solberg said. “I tried to instill it in him that there was more to rodeo than just hanging out in Canada.” DeRose is far from

more in Canada, but now he’s shifting his focus to rodeos in the U.S. “With a big win like this I will enter as much as I can to rodeo more south of the (Canadian) border and take a shot at Vegas or get my name out there for the bigger rodeos,” DeRose said. DeRose’s dad, Denny DeRose, was a pickup man and offered suggestions to improve his bronc riding. DeRose also had help with entering while traveling with Solberg and Dantan Bertsch and help with his rigging from Clint Laye. “I’m a late bloomer, but better late than never, I guess,” DeRose said. DeRose has nearly a decade of experience on other first-year, PRCA bareback riders, so he’s keeping in shape mentally and physically. “I’ve been working out more and exercising and reading sports psych books to get my mind right and surround myself with good travel partners,” DeRose said. “My go-to is ‘Mind Gym,’ it never gets too far from the van and helps get things back on track.” Cody was his first win, but not his first check. DeRose won $811 for placing second at the PRCA Last Stand Rodeo in Coulee City, Wash., May 27, with a 78-point ride. DeRose was ranked sixth in the Columbia River Circuit Standings with $1,920. Before the season ends, he hopes to make the RAM Columbia River Circuit Finals and to qualify for the Canadian Finals Rodeo. Solberg has been through it before and is hoping to impart his wisdom on DeRose. “I wasn’t really going anywhere, and then I switched who I traveled with and it jumped up my game,” Solberg said. “That’s what he needed to do, step out of the box and do something different, and like you saw at Cody, it worked. It’s the little things of encouragement that can really step up a guy’s game.”

being a rookie in the Great White North, having competed in the CPRA since he was 19 years old. DeRose joined the PRCA in December and entered some of the biggest rodeos of the season, such as Denver, Fort Worth, Texas, and Tucson, Ariz., but didn’t place. “I was just kind of trying to get to the bigger ones and see what they’re all about and get a feel for the bigger rodeos,” DeRose said. Before winning Cody, DeRose was planning to compete

BULL RIDING 1. J.W. Harris ................................ 92 pts. 2. (tie) Cole Melancon ...................... 89.5 Jeff Askey ..................................... 89.5 4. Brennon Eldred ................................ 88 Complete results on Page 75

SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Rusty Wright ............................ 89 pts. 2. Brody Cress .................................. 88.5 3. Ryder Wright ................................... 88 4. Clay Elliott ....................................... 87

TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Cooper Martin ........................ 7.6 sec. 2. Ryle Smith ...................................... 8.0 3. Caddo Lewallen .............................. 8.1 4. John Douch .................................... 8.3

BARREL RACING 1. Taci Bettis ........................... 16.90 sec. 2. Tammy Fischer ........................... 16.93 3. Ivy Conrado ................................ 16.99 4. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi ................. 17.01

ProRodeo Sports News 7/13/2018

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