ProRodeo Sports News - July 23, 2021

BY TANNER BARTH AND KEVIN CARMODY

Solomon gets 3rd Calgary victory Most cowboys never get a chance to even reach the final round of the famed Calgary Stampede, let alone win the whole thing. Then there’s veteran tie- down roper Cory Solomon. The 31-year-old cowboy took home his third Calgary Stampede bronze after closing the showdown round with a 7.3-second run, overtaking traveling partner Marcos Costa, who had set the standard not long before after stopping the clock in 7.9 seconds. “I don’t know why, but I’ve

Billie-Jean Duff photo

Cory Solomon won his third tie-down roping title at the Calgary Stampede.

always done well in Calgary,” said Solomon, a seven-time Wrangler NFR qualifier from Prairie View, Texas. “Walking back to my horse when you know it’s over, it’s like all the pressure is off your shoulders.” Solomon, who won titles in Calgary in 2012 and 2017, had doubts he’d be able to compete at the 2021 event. “I had passport problems; I got it done a couple of months ago but was still waiting on it,” Solomon said. “Marcos crossed over and I stayed on a ranch in Great Falls (Mont.), then I found out if I got my birth certificate then I’d be good to go. When I finally got there, I knew God wanted me

there for a reason.” Once he got there, he cashed in three of the four preliminary rounds, then won the 10-man semifinal round with a scorching, 6.6-second run, tied for second fastest of the event with Hunter Herrin. Since late June, the more than $51,000 earned has bumped Solomon from ninth to third in the PRCA | RAMWorld Standings. “I just want to give myself a chance to get close enough to have a real shot at a world championship,” Solomon said.

Cress delivers historic ride Finally reaching the final day of the Calgary Stampede marked uncharted territory for saddle bronc rider Brody Cress. But thanks to plenty of pressure-packed situations during his eight-year career, the Hillsdale, Wyo., cowboy had the composure and poise to finish what he started, riding Calgary Stampede’s Special Delivery for a whopping 94.5 points – tied for the second- highest scored ride in ProRodeo history – to take the $50,000 check in the showdown round and move from fifth to third in the PRCA |RAMWorld Standings. “I’ve won Cheyenne (Frontier Days) three times in a row, the average at the NFR twice, won Pendleton (Ore.) and Salinas (Calif.), so I’ve been blessed to be familiar with situations like this and to be able to handle them,” Cress said. That chaos nearly didn’t happen as Cress reached the pay window only twice during his first four pool rides, narrowly missing an automatic semifinals berth. His 88-point ride aboard Calgary Stampede’s Birch Bubbles in the wild-card round guaranteed his first showdown berth. Then, a matchup with another Calgary Stampede horse produced quite the ride. “He jumped out and had an amazing day,” Cress said about Special Delivery. “He gave me the opportunity to be able to win. It worked out pretty well. I had been on that horse before, and it was awesome to have the opportunity to get on him again. It’s awesome to have this happen in a situation like this, when it’s worth so much. There are only a few of those that pay off a bunch, and it’s good to be able to capitalize at them and get that into the world standings.”

Billie-Jean Duff photo

Brody Cress continued his strong season with a 94.5-point ride on Special Delivery at Calgary.

ProRodeo Sports News 7/23/2021

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