ProRodeo Sports News - June 11, 2021

SHORT ROUND Award-winning horse Craig at Midnight dies at 15 Passing On

P owder River Rodeo’s Craig at Midnight, the 2016 PRCA Bareback Horse of the Year and the top bareback horse at the 2017 National Finals Rodeo, passed away June 5. He was 15. “This was just out of the blue, and we don’t have any idea what happened to him,” said Lori Franzen of Powder River Rodeo. “It’s devastating and a total shock. It breaks my heart and I’ve cried a million tears. (On June 5), Craig Roe fed him in the morning and that afternoon we found him dead on our ranch (in Riverton, Wyo.). We raised him as a colt, and he started winning awards as soon as he started competing in the PRCA.” Craig at Midnight was a ranch-raised

Craig at Midnight

colt out of world champion sire Cut The Cards and mare T33 KC Rocket (Tooke bloodline). Craig at Midnight was buried next to the Franzen’s house under a cottonwood tree next to Powder River Rodeo’s ProRodeo Hall of Fame bareback horse Khadafy Skoal. The last time Craig at Midnight competed was April 17 at the Red Bluff (Calif.) Round-Up. Wyatt Bloom had an 81-point ride aboard the horse. “He had such a cool personality, and he was just so talented and athletic for his obscene size,” Franzen said. “He weighed 1,700 pounds. He was huge. Around the ranch he was kind. He had some attitude, but he would never try and hurt you. When he

Alaina Stangle photo

was in the chute, he would buck so hard every time and he gave his full heart every time.” Craig at Midnight was the 2016 Pendleton Whisky “Let ‘er Buck” Bucking Stock of the Year in bareback riding. That year Craig had 11 outs during the regular season, with eight of the 11 riders lasting eight seconds. All eight of those cowboys earned a check, with two of them placing first and two others placing second. The gray gelding went to the NFR eight consecutive years (2013-20). Franzen said they have a full sister to Craig at Midnight, Chop, 16.

Colten Fritzlan sidelined with shoulder injury Bull rider Colten Fritzlan, who won the average

Fritzlan, who was second in the 2021 world standings as of June 7 with $63,743, is hoping rest will get him ready to return by the Greeley (Colo.) Stampede, which begins June 24. Fritzlan’s big payday in the 2021 season came with his win at The American on March 7 in Arlington, Texas. He earned $50,000 toward the world standings with his 90.25-point ride on Dakota Rodeo’s Safety Meeting. A year ago, Fritzlan also was crowned the

ProRodeo Sports News 5/14/2021 at the 2020 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and finished third in the 2020 PRCA | RAM World Standings, is going to be out for several weeks after injuring his left shoulder May 19. Fritzlan was bucked off a practice bull in Granbury, Texas. “When I got bucked off, I came down wrong on my left shoulder,” said Fritzlan, 21. “I suffered a dislocated left shoulder. I saw (Dr.) Tandy (Freeman) and he told me I have a partially torn labrum and some nerve damage.”

Fritzlan

PRCA | Resistol Bull Riding Rookie of the Year.

ProRodeo Sports News 6/11/2021

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