ProRodeo Sports News - July 8, 2022

ROUGHSTOCK TOP WINNER

BY TANNER BARTH A ll it took was one weekend of rodeo for bull rider Lonnie West to change his outlook on the 2022 ProRodeo season. That weekend just happened to come during Cowboy Christmas, one of the most lucrative stretches of rodeo during the PRCA season. The Canadian bull rider competed in only two rodeos over the 10 day stretch but made then count and then some. He took the Ponoka (Alberta) Stampede by storm earning a rodeo best $23,308 after winning every round of competition and the average. He said it really was a week you dream of as a cowboy. “All the stars aligned for me really,” saidWest, 26. “In the long round I had a bull that I had been on twice before and every time I got on him, I had won the bull riding. “I went into the week confident, and it got started off good. I was feeling healthy coming off the weekend before where I won third at a tour rodeo inWainwright (Alberta). Then I was able to carry it into Ponoka, which is one of our biggest and best rodeos of the year. Things just kept rolling for me and it all worked out.” He said this year’s win in Ponoka feels like revenge after he was bucked off in the showdown during his rookie season. “It’s a rodeo for the cowboys there’s no doubt about that,” he said. “They take great care of everyone, and the stock is always some of the best in the game. “I won the average there in 2015, but they bucked me off in the final round to win it. So, it was good to get some revenge this year winning the average and the four-man finals.” West also traveled toWilliams Lake (British Columbia) over the holiday weekend and added $3,168 to his name with a third-place finish, bumping his Cowboy Christmas total up to $26,476. Those earnings are the most for any roughstock contestant in the PRCA over the 10 days. “You know I don’t get to a ton of PRCA rodeos especially south of the border, but I try to go to the ones up here in Canada,” West said. “Last week worked out better than I ever could’ve imagined really. It’s crazy how in a matter of five days your life can change and so can your plans that go along with it really.” Those plans will now involve more rodeo in the United States. He said a win like Ponoka allows him to not only climb up the PRCA | RAMWorld Standings but gives him access to more rodeo entries down the road. “My goal this year was really to try and get qualifications, so I can get going more in the PRCA by the northwest run in the fall this year,” he said. “I think with that win that should help me. “I’ll probably start traveling the ProRodeo road with Jared Parsonage and Jordon Hansen and try to win as much as I can down there. My ultimate goal would be to get into the winter rodeos next year and get off to a good start next season.” Just like every cowboy going down the road he has one goal in mind and that’s making the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. He said it’s time to start taking that goal seriously. “I’ve never really rodeoed full-time in the states. Things didn’t always workout for me to do it,” West said. “Now, I’d like to make a serious push to get to the NFR and big wins like that really help a guy do that.” Lonnie West capitalizes over Cowboy Christmas Run Full of Riches

COWBOY CHRISTMAS

Billie-Jean Duff photo

Lonnie West was a man on a mission at the Ponoka Stampede. He took home a rodeo best $23,308.

ProRodeo Sports News 7/8/2022

ProRodeo Sports News 7/8/2022

ProRodeo.com

ProRodeo.com

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