ProRodeo Sports News July 13, 2018

Roundup

Red Lodge, Mont. No one was hurt in the accident, Viers said. “We had to hitch rides all the way fromCody (Wyo.) to Park Rapids (Minn.),” he said. Earlier this season, Viers broke his leg, initially sustaining the injury when he was stepped on by a bull in Stephenville, Texas. It got worse at the RAM Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo in Minot, N.D., in October. “I was warming up before I got on in the first round and stepped wrong and snapped it,” said Viers, who rode all four rounds at the circuit finals anyways, winning a round. He didn’t return to competition until April. Winning Belle Fourche was a perfect pick-me-up. “It’s a huge confidence booster,” he said. “The last couple weeks have been rough. I haven’t been drawing the best and I haven’t been riding the best. Now I feel good, I feel confident. I’m charged and ready to go for the next one.” – Scott Kaniewski Hester takes bareback title at Rooftop Rodeo Only two years into his PRCA career, bareback rider J.C. Hester won the Rooftop Rodeo in Estes Park, Colo., July 10. “It’s awesome, I’m just really blessed, and it couldn’t have come at a better time,” Hester said. “It’s a cool rodeo, and I just hope to keep the momentum going and keep making it count when they give you a chance to get into the

Top 15.” The Mississippi-born-turned-Missouri resident won Estes Park with an 86.5-point ride on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s DreamMachine. That half- point added up to a $6,021 payday. “That’s a really nice horse from the Cervis,” Hester said. “She had a good day and I did too. I knew she was a really nice horse, and some guys had been in the mid-80s before. I was excited to have her.” Hester, who turned 25 years old June 28, started his PRCA career in December 2016 and placed fifth in the 2017 PRCA | Resistol Rookie Standings with $9,886. Now, he’s sitting 55th in the 2018 PRCA | RAMWorld Standings with $10,271. “Rodeo is how I make a living, and I’ll pluck away at it and see where the chips fall,” Hester said. “The Top 15 is a longshot. If we get that blessed this year, that would be amazing.” Following Estes Park, Hester and his traveling partner Blade Elliott hit the road for the Ute Stampede in Nephi, Utah; the SheridanWYO Rodeo; Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo in Colorado Springs, Colo.; Laramie (Wyo.) Jubilee Days; and California Rodeo Salinas. “We’ve entered the bigger rodeos,” Hester said. “We’ll see how it works out.” –Matt Naber

Greg Westfall photo Bareback rider J.C. Hester rode Cervi Championship Rodeo’s DreamMachine for 86.5 points on July 8 to win the Rooftop Rodeo in Estes Park, Colo .

ProRodeo Sports News 7/13/2018

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