ProRodeo Sports News - July 23, 2021

ProRodeo records are being broken at stunning pace A New Normal PRORODEO RECORDS

BY TANNER BARTH T he old saying is ‘records are meant to be broken’ and that sure seems like the case in ProRodeo since the 2021 season began Oct. 1. Rodeo records are going down right and left nearly every night, that doesn’t include the three ProRodeo world records that were tied in just this season alone. “It definitely seems like it’s gotten faster, not just in team roping, but every rodeo event is pumping out records,” said two-time PRCA Team Roping Header World Champion Clay Smith, 30. “It’s evolved just like every other sport in the last decade.” Rodeo stock contractors and producers across the nation have a lot to do with that. According to the cowboys the animals are becoming faster, stronger, and

Lisa Duty photo Tim O’Connell goes for a world record tying 94-point ride on Frontier Rodeo’s Gun Fire at the Riggin’ Rally in Weatherford, Texas..

tougher to ride every year. In turn, that leads to the opportunity for records to be shattered.

Some think it’s the transition from the traditional cowboy to a professional athlete. “There’s not a whole lot of cowboys out here anymore, there’s a bunch of rodeo athletes out here,” said three-time PRCAWorld Champion Bareback Rider TimO’Connell. “That makes a huge difference because our horses have evolved over the last few years. Stock contractors are figuring out how to make the horses the very best they possibility can. We all have had to evolve with it.” O’Connell is one of those record holding athletes. In the past two seasons the Zwingle, Iowa native, has had two 94-point rides which tied the all-time ProRodeo world record. O’Connell’s first 94-point ride came in 2020 aboard Northcott

“I think the deeper we get into the genetics of our animals, the better off we are as stock contractors,” said Sammy Andrews, owner of Andrews Rodeo Company. “I think it’s only just going to get better from here on out.” But it’s not just the animals who are improving according to those in the industry. “The guys who are coming into our rodeos are riding better and in the best shape of their lives,” said Keith Marrington of the Calgary Stampede. “Some of them had part of last year off from the sport due to the short schedule. So, they’re hungry and coming back stronger than ever.”

ProRodeo Sports News 7/23/2021

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