ProRodeo Sports News - July 7, 2023

XTREME BULLS CODY, WYO.

Hot Streak

Cravens cashes in with Greeley & Cody wins

BY BRADY RENCK Special to ProRodeo Sports News A competitor walked by, offering congratulations. It was a warm June night, and the cowboy packing his rig didn’t need a flashlight or the moonlight to be seen. His smile gave him away. His next event was 90 minutes away, but Cannon Cravens allowed himself a few blinks to savor the past 24 hours. His first season in the PRCA received a rocket-fueled boost with wins at the Greeley (Colo.) Stampede and the Cody (Wyo.) Stampede Xtreme Bulls. “It’s been amazing,” Cravens said. Cravens triumphed on two-head in Greeley, scoring 174.5 points. He followed it with an 88-point roller coaster ride on Frontier Rodeo’s Jester in Wyoming. The 23-year old admitted these victories left an imprint.

Presented by 505 Southwestern Green Chile PRCA XTREME BULLS

2023 TOUR STANDINGS

(Unofficial as of July 5) 1. Sage Kimzey, Salado, Texas................. .................$62,784 2. Jestyn Woodward, Custer, S.D............... ..............50,149 3. Trevor Reiste, Linden, Iowa................... ...................37,166 4. Stetson Wright, Milford, Utah................ ................36,006 5. Cody Teel, Kountze, Texas..................... .....................35,073 6. Cullen Telfer, Plant City, Fla................... ..................33,649 7. Tristen Hutchings, Monteview, Idaho.....30,106 8. Kase Hitt, Ardmore, Okla....................... ......................28,336 9. Trey Holston, Fort Scott, Kan................. ................27,602 10. Lukasey Morris, Union City, Okla......... ........24,491 11. T. Parker, Winnie, Texas...................... . .....................24,219 12. Trey Kimzey, Strong City, Okla............. ............22,444 13. Jeff Askey, Athens, Texas.................... ....................21,279 14. JC Mortensen, Paulden, Ariz................ ...............21,099 15. Josh Frost, Randlett, Utah................... ...................20,948

“Oh man, after I won in Greeley, it gave me a lot of confidence going to Cody. I was hoping to build off that,” Cravens said. “These X-bull events are awesome. You arrive and you know you must stay on, and you are going against the best riders in the world. It is such a great experience.” There are moments in seasons when a berth in the National Finals Rodeo begins to crystallize. You can’t shake it like a Polaroid picture and expect it to develop. But you know it when it happens. Such was the case in Greeley. Cravens waited for his final ride. He was in position to win after his 86-point trip on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Bracket Buster in the first go. Just then, he heard someone trying to provide a lift, and it played a role in what happened next. “JB Mauney was standing behind me on the bucking chutes. He hollered out, telling me to give it everything I had. He said, ‘You’ve got to bear down.’ It put a fire under me,” Cravens said. “There was no way I was going down on that ride. I don’t know if my style is anything like his, but I model it after (Mauney). If I become half as good as him, that would be something.” The stakes in Cody were higher. The X-Bull events are accompanied by a sense of urgency. You get one shot. And, for Cravens, that was on Jester. “He stepped out and went away from my hand. He was a really good bull,” Cravens said. “I was able to finish.” He delivered an 88-point score. Two nights. Two wins. This is the kind of success cowboys never take for granted. Cravens turned pro at 18. But this is his first season in the PRCA, with Cravens admitting, “I wish I had come over here sooner. It just feels more cowboy.” Cravens, who hails from Oklahoma, grew up around the sport. His grandfather rode bucking horses. His dad got on bulls “here and there.” At 23, this is Cravens’ career. And he’s starting to see how special it could possibly be. “Man, I love it. It’s definitely a dream come true, traveling up and down the road with your buddies. There’s nothing like it,” Cravens said. “Man, it is hard to explain what it’s like getting on bulls. You really have to try it for yourself. It gets my motor running, that’s for sure. They are crazy. But now, every time I have gotten on a bull the last few months, I have tried to visualize standing behind those yellow chutes (at the NFR in Las Vegas).” Complete results/Page 89

Hailey Rae photo

Cannon Cravens capped a lucrative 24-hour stretch by winning the Cody (Wyo.) Stampede Xtreme Bulls with an 88-point ride on Frontier Rodeo’s Jester.

ProRodeo Sports News 7/7/2023

ProRodeo Sports News 7/7/2023

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