ProRodeo Sports News - July 8, 2022

RODEO OF THE OZARKS SPRINGDALE, ARK.

Golden Mount

Solomon mounts familiar horse in Springdale win BY JOLEE JORDAN, Special to ProRodeo Sports News A little bit of scramble led to a big win for Cory Solomon at the Rodeo of the Ozarks in Springdale, Ark. on the final weekend prior to the Fourth of July run, June 22-25. Solomon had hoped to ride his new horse Play, one he bought out of Brazil last October, but the process of importing the new horse was proving slower than planned. “It was a crazy story,” said Solomon, 31. “It’s a long process bringing them over.” Beginning with the Reno Rodeo, Solomon had a plan to have horses “floating” around the country to facilitate his crazy summer schedule and had his horses already west and north by the time Springdale began. With Play delayed on arrival, Solomon went back to an old faithful, his former number one horse Dough Boy. “Four years ago, he was my best and only horse, but I had retired him,” Solomon said. At 16 years old, Dough Boy is solid and consistent, a horse Solomon called hard to replace. While Solomon knew Dough Boy didn’t need the full-time travel and competition anymore, as it turned out, the gelding didn’t really want to be done. “A horse like him is hard to retire and now, he’s taking good care of the kids. He’s actually the family horse. My daughter is riding him in the 12 & under events around home and dad wants to start roping more in those old timers’ deals. “He just loves his job and is such a blessing to me and my family.” Needing to find a ride in Springdale, Solomon decided to borrow him back from the family, including his daughter Kortnee, who had been breakaway roping on Dough Boy. “I got him up there so I could fly in,” Solomon said of the last-minute plan. It proved a profitable decision as Solomon posted a 7.2 second run for the win. His quick work gave him the new single run record in Parsons Stadium, besting the old mark of 7.3 seconds set by Clint Cooper in 2011 and matched by Hunter Herrin in 2016. “I needed Springdale,” Solomon admitted. “I roped the nose on one at Reno the night before, just a freak deal where I roped him, but it ended up just on the nose. I felt like I let a round get away fromme there. “So, to go to Springdale and get the win, get the record…it was a good boost of confidence.” The eight-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier only competed at seventeen rodeos since the new year began back in October, but he’s made the most of his opportunities. For the Springdale win, Solomon earned $4,036 and a slew of NFR Playoff Series points. As the Fourth of July run is kicking off, Solomon is 15th in the PRCA | RAMWorld Standings and in the NFR Playoff Series Standings. Now that summer is here, the brakes are off and Solomon plans to go to “as many as I can,” including more than a dozen over the Fourth. “I kind of know what works for me and I try not to run over myself,” Solomon, a veteran of more than a dozen ProRodeo seasons, noted. “I enter the ones that I know fit me and my horses.”

TOP SCORES

TOP MONEY WINNER Josh Frost ($4,434, bull riding) BAREBACK RIDING

Frost

1. Rocker Steiner .................... 87.5 pts. 2. R.C. Landingham ....................... 85.5 (Tie) Tim O’Connell .................... 85.5 STEER WRESTLING 1. Joshua Hefner . ............. 9.0 sec. on 2 2. Chance Howard . .......................... 9.1 3. Mose Fleming ............................ 10.3 TEAM ROPING 1. J. Torres/J. Torres ................. 4.7 sec. 2. N. Sartain/A. Rogers .................... 4.8 3. C. Smith/J. Long .......................... 5.1 SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Shorty Garrett ........................ 85 pts. 2. Dean Wadsworth . ......................... 84 3. Blaise Freeman . ......................... 83.5 TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Cory Solomon ....................... 7.2 sec. 2. Andrew Burks .............................. 7.6 3. Adam Gray ................................... 8.1 BARREL RACING 1. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi ....... 16.94 sec. 2. Cayla Small .............................. 16.96 3. Randi Holliday . ........................ 17.04 BULL RIDING 1. Josh Frost .............................. 91 pts. 2. Tyler Bingham ............................... 88 3. Dawson Gleaves . ....................... 86.5

Complete results/Page 68

Pam Baldridge photo Tie-down roper Cory Solomon clocked a 7.2-second run to win the Rodeo of the Ozarks in Springdale, Ark. Solomon is aiming to qualify for his ninth NFR.

ProRodeo Sports News 7/8/2022

ProRodeo Sports News 7/8/2022

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