ProRodeo Sports News - June 11, 2021

RAM CIRCUIT SPOTLIGHT TEXAS

Cowboy Tough Perseverance paying off for Texas steer wrestler Payne Dale Hirschman photo Steer wrestler Don Payne competes during the 2021 Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo. Payne has his eyes on making his National Finals Rodeo debut this year.

ABOUT DON AGE: 27 RESIDENCE: Stephenville, Texas CIRCUIT: Texas CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: 2019 RAM Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo steer wrestling champion

BY NEAL REID, Special to ProRodeo Sports News T exas steer wrestler Don Payne has faced plenty of troubles on the rodeo road. But he hasn’t quit yet. That determination is looking like it might pay off. The 27-year-old from Stephenville has personified the mantra “cowboy up,” overcoming multiple horsepower issues and broken bones to dust himself off and find success in the ProRodeo ranks. Payne, a PRCAmember since 2015, has begun to heat up

with the summer temperatures, winning a pair of events in May and climbing to second place in the Texas Circuit standings behind Cade Staton as June begins. Payne – who didn’t begin bulldogging until his senior year of high school – lost his good horse, Coty, in 2016 when it jumped a fence and suffered a head injury. Next, Payne had to deal with injuries of his own when he broke his left leg at an amateur finals in 2017 and suffered a broken left hand in 2018. He rebounded to earn a berth in the 2019 RAM Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo after a strong 2018 season on his uncle

ProRodeo Sports News 6/11/2021

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