ProRodeo Sports News - July 27, 2018

Sterling Smith breaks Cheyenne record Tie-down roper Sterling Smith broke a 21-year-old Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days record by half a second July 23. “It’s a pretty good feeling,” the 34-year-old Arizonan said after making the run. “It didn’t sink in at first, and now it’s sinking in.” Smith’s 9.4-second run shattered the previous record of 9.9 seconds, which was shared by Chad Johnson (1997), Cade Swor (2014) and Scott Kormos (2017). “I owe a lot to my horse, that’s for sure, that and Dan Mundorf – he had the calves the last two years (at Cheyenne) and he’s done a really good job,” Smith said. Smith was riding Pepto, the same horse he’s

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ridden since winning the RAM Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo in January. Pepto, a 10-year-old American Quarter Horse, is owned by Smith’s girlfriend, Cassidy Boggs. “Pepto is just a really honest horse, scores really good, gives me a shot every time and is really easy to rope on,” Smith said. “He did really good today. It’s a really long score here, and he went in there and gave me the best shot I could have.” Smith didn’t know a lot about how his calf would run, but he knew she would be easy to tie down. “I just had a really good calf that wanted to participate,” Smith said. “That’s a big thing at Cheyenne, having a calf that’s fresh.” Smith is ranked 13th in the PRCA | RAM World Standings for tie-down roping with $53,793 and 27th in the PRCA | Wrangler ProRodeo Tour Standings with 215 points. Cheyenne is among the 22 rodeos in the Tour. The Top 24 competitors in the Tour standings in each event will earn a spot at the Justin Finale in Puyallup, Wash., Sept. 6-9. Smith is a mere five points away from breaking into the Top 24 in the Tour standings, which could give him the boost he needs for his third qualification to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Smith qualified for the Wrangler NFR in 2013 and 2015. “I’m feeling pretty confident,” Smith said. “My horse gives me a lot of confidence because he is really easy to rope on.”

Nevada museum exhibit will honor 100 years of Reno Rodeo The Nevada Historical Society in Reno is planning a months-long exhibition in 2019 in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the Reno Rodeo. Longtime Nevada journalist Guy Clifton, who covered the Reno Rodeo for more than two decades and authored the book, “Reno Rodeo: A History – The First 80 years,” in 2000, will be curating the exhibit along with staff from the Historical Society. It is expected to be unveiled in April or May 2019 and remain in place for several months. Clifton is a public relations specialist with the Nevada Division of Tourism and serves as the public information officer for the Nevada Division of Museums and History, which includes the Nevada Historical Society, the state’s oldest cultural institution. The exhibition is still in the planning stages, but will include artifacts from the collections of the Reno Rodeo Association, Nevada Historical Society, Nevada State Museum, and from rodeo participants including competing cowboys and cowgirls, stock contractors, contract personnel, rodeo queens and committee members. “With 100 years of history to sift through, the challenge will be choosing the correct artifacts to tell the story of the ‘Wildest, Richest Rodeo in the West,’” Clifton said. “I know we will have rarely to never-seen historic photographs, original artwork, programs from the earliest years of the rodeo, custom saddles, chaps, trophies and, of course, the iconic silver spurs that are presented to all Reno Rodeo champions.” A “Wall of Champions” component will pay tribute to many of the Reno Rodeo’s past champions, including ProRodeo Hall of Famers like Casey Tibbs, who won 10 titles in Reno, Harry Tompkins, Joe Marvel and Ty Murray; along with active competitors, including Trevor Brazile, Kaycee Feild and Jade Corkill. Anyone interested in gifting or loaning Reno Rodeo memorabilia for possible inclusion in the exhibition can contact Clifton at gclifton@travelnevada.com or 775.687.0646.

Wrangler helps raise $27 million for breast cancer awareness Since 2006, Wrangler has helped raise more than $27 million for breast cancer awareness and treatment through Tough Enough to Wear Pink (TETWP). Gunnison Cattlemen’s Days TETWP is responsible for more than $2.7 million since Wrangler first contributed in 2006. Its most recent fundraiser, which took place July 12-14, raised about $360,000 to generate money for services, medical equipment and support, continuing the community’s strong momentum toward making Gunnison Valley Health the No. 1 rural hospital for breast cancer care in the United States.

$25,828,527 MONEYWON BY PRCA COWBOYS SO FAR IN 2018

ProRodeo Sports News 7/27/2018

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