ProRodeo Sports News - July 7, 2023

WORLD’S OLDEST RODEO

PRESCOTT, ARIZ.

Finally on Top

Reiner earns first victory at Prescott BY ALEX RILEY, Special to ProRodeo Sports News B efore the Fourth of July, Cole Reiner was having a season that proved someone doesn’t need to win a rodeo to be successful. But winning certainly makes things a lot more fun. The Buffalo, Wyo., bareback rider came into the holiday weekend with enough money earned on the season to be among the top 10 in the PRCA | RAM World Standings. Yet, he didn’t have a first place finish to his credit until holding off the field to capture the World’s Oldest Rodeo title in Prescott, Ariz. “It’s easy to get wrapped up in a lot of the headlines of some guys winning some really big rodeos,” Reiner said. “My focus has been on not getting carried away, not letting too much thought go into not getting some of the big wins that would have been nice, but just building off what you have. Being comfortable not being at the very top this early in the season is important, and it’s something you definitely learn the more you rodeo.” A little familiarity with the competition didn’t hurt as Reiner jumped on the back of Championship Pro Rodeo’s Pass the Hat in Prescott. It’s not the first time Reiner has faced the 18-year-old horse, including during a practice event before his Wrangler National Finals Rodeo appearance last year. That test-run ride last winter was a good confidence booster before heading to Las Vegas. History repeated itself in Prescott, as Reiner’s June 29 ride for 88.5 points outlasted every competitor for the next five days to claim the title and nearly $7,000 in prize money. “I think the practice ride (before the NFR) was about the same as the one in Prescott to be completely honest with you, so it was pretty awesome,” Reiner said. “I thought I had a really good chance at a check – I didn’t know I had the one to win first place on, but when they’re rider friendly and let you show off, it’s always fun and that worked out great.” Reiner was able to parlay his success in Prescott into a confidence boosting holiday weekend. He picked up additional checks in North Dakota at the Mandan Rodeo Days and the Killdeer Mountain Roundup, along with his second victory of the year to bookend the week. The three-time NFR qualifier rode Sankey Pro Rodeo’s Mustard for 88 points at the St. Paul (Ore.) Rodeo to win his second event in less than seven days and claim more than $12,000. Thanks to the Fourth of July stretch, Reiner has climbed into the top five of the PRCA | RAM World Standings, sitting fourth with more than $81,500 in earnings this year. With some bigger rodeos like the Calgary Stampede, Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days Rodeo and others looming, Reiner knows the importance of staying focused. Earning a check is the most important thing a cowboy can do this time of year. But picking up a win or two certainly doesn’t hurt either – and Prescott was a good place to start. “I’ve had a good year, it just hasn’t come together at the end of the week at some of these rodeos,” he said. “Prescott started off the Fourth of July weekend definitely the way I wanted to, and it took some of the pressure off as far as winning a check over the Fourth of July. I was able to stay pretty consistent through the week, so it was a pretty good week.”

TOP SCORES

Corkill

Snow

TOP MONEY EARNER Jade Corkill/Cody Snow ($9,177, team roping) BAREBACK RIDING

1. Cole Reiner ......................... 88.5 pts. 2. Tanner Aus ................................ 87.5 3. Clayton Biglow ............................. 87 (Tie) Richmond Champion ........... 87 STEER WRESTLING 1. Tyler Waguespack ........ 9.4 sec. on 2 2. Wyatt Lindsay ............................ 10.7 3. Tristan Martin ............................ 10.9 TEAM ROPING 1. C. Snow/J. Corkill ....... 12.8 sec. on 2 2. C. Francis/C. Passig ................... 13.1 3. K. Driggers/J. Nogueira ............. 13.3 SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Brody Cress ........................... 88 pts. 2. Stu Wright ................................. 86.5 3. Brandon Lansford ...................... 85.5 TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Cory Solomon ............ 18.3 sec. on 2 2. Macon Murphy .......................... 18.8 3. Hayden Ford .............................. 18.9 STEER ROPING 1. Chet Herren ................ 39.0 sec. on 3 (Tie) Coleman Proctor ................... 39 3. Taylor Santos ............................. 39.4 BULL RIDING 1. T Parker .............................. 90.5 pts. 2. Justin Rickard ............................ 88.5 3. Tristen Hutchings ......................... 84

COWBOY CHRISTMAS Bareback rider Cole Reiner has had a solid 2023 season and it got even better when he won the the World’s Oldest Rodeo title in Prescott, Ariz. Reiner claimed the title with an 88.5-point ride on Champion Pro Rodeo’s Pass the Hat. Complete results/Page 88

Robert Rosales photo

ProRodeo Sports News 7/7/2023

ProRodeo Sports News 7/7/2023

ProRodeo.com

ProRodeo.com

46

47