ProRodeo Sports News - August 2, 2019

Bareback rider Laye sets pair of records at Salinas

BY TRACY RENCK E verything that could go right for bareback rider Clint Laye at the 109th California Rodeo Salinas did. The Cadogan, Alberta, cowboy won the average with a rodeo-record score of 174 points on two head. The previous two-head average record was 173.5 points set by reigning three-time Bareback Riding World Champion Tim O’Connell in 2018. “It was really good,” said Laye, who won California Rodeo Salinas for the first time. “I couldn’t have been happier.” And that wasn’t the only place Laye wrote his name in the California Rodeo Salinas record book. On July 21, he established a bareback riding rodeo record with his 89.5-point ride on Corey & Lange Rodeo’s TripWire in the finals, besting the previous mark held since 2002 by Cody DeMers by half a point. “I knew with having that horse (TripWire), it could go either way,” said Laye, 25. “But I knew if I put it on

horse had the exact same tracks as last time, and I was able to bear down, and I had a better mark out.” Laye departed Salinas after earning $10,993. That performance boosted him to 11th in the July 30 PRCA | RAMWorld Standings with $62,421. He moved up three spots since the July 16 standings. “That was a boost for me, and it will help me get down the road the rest of the summer so I can keep going at it,” Laye said. Laye has qualified once for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo – in 2015. He finished 10th in the world standings with $142,346. “My No. 1 goal is to make the NFR and get back there,” said Laye, who was 17th in the 2018 world standings. When I didn’t make it to the NFR at the end of (2018), and I was so close, it sunk in pretty hard. I came back more aggressive and wanted to get after it a little bit more this year. I just need to keep being consistent and focus on what I have to do and make good, solid rides and see where that puts me at the end of the year.”

Clark

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steer wrestler Josh Clark, 36, had competed at California Rodeo Sali- nas before this year. All the Belgrade, Mont., cowboy did in his inau- gural appear- ance at the storied rodeo was win the average with a 21.5-second time on three head. Clark earned $ 7,505 for his perfor- mance. $ 453K The payout for 2019 California Ro- deo Salinas, which was a rodeo record. The previous top payout was $ 408,473 in 2013.

him, I was going to get a big score, and it was great to get that record. When I saw my score, that was a big moment. I’ve had a pretty good past with that horse, and I finally got him conquered. It was a happy day.” In the first round at the ProRodeo Tour stop, Laye tied for first with an 84.5-point ride on Four Star Rodeo’s Cc Valley. “I had that horse the last time I was in Salinas in 2015 and I missed it out,” Laye said. “That

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IN BRIEF

RYDER MAKES IT BACK-TO-BACK California Rodeo Salinas has been extremely good to saddle bronc rider Ryder Wright. Wright won the rodeo for the second year in a row with his 168.5-point score in the two-head average. In 2018, Wright won Salinas with 172 points on two head. In Wright’s last two trips to California Rodeo Salinas, he’s earned $19,523 – $9,936 in 2018 and $9,587 in 2019. Wright is atop the July 30 PRCA | RAM World Standings with $184,880. He won the 2017 saddle bronc riding world championship and was fifth in the world standings last year.

DOUCH MAKING PUSH FOR VEGAS John Douch is turning heads this season. Back on May 5, the tie-down roper won Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days with a 27.9-second time on three head to capture the biggest win of his career, earning $5,047. That’s no longer his top career win. Douch won California Rodeo Salinas with a 35.7-second time in the three- head average. He earned $8,831 for his performance. The Salinas payday helped move Douch to 25th in the July 30 PRCA | RAM World Standings. Douch’s rodeo career has been nurtured under the tutelage of ProRodeo Hall of Famer Joe Beaver.

ProRodeo Sports News 8/2/2019

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