ProRodeo Sports News - June 15, 2018

the arena and will give me a shot to win.” Fort Smith presented Martin with some of the PRCA’s toughest competition with many former Wrangler NFR qualifiers. “I try to see myself of that caliber also, and I’ll be there one day,” Martin said. Martin’s Fort Smith efforts added up to $3,282. “It’s relieving, very relieving,” Martin said. “It makes all the bills easier to pay and gets your stress level down a little bit. It’s going right back into rodeo for entry fees and fuel.” CLIMBINGTHE RANKS Before winning Fort Smith, Martin was 46th in the PRCA | RAM World Standings with $12,120. “When you’re winning, it’s a lot easier and I hope it gets the ball rolling and it keeps getting better,” Martin said, adding that he’ll continue with the summer run as previously planned. “It helps your confidence and the money helps you keep going.” After Fort Smith, Martin hit the road for the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyo. He’s ranked 16th in the college national standings with 655 points and was ranked first in the Ozark Region as part of the East Mississippi Community College team from Scooba, Miss. In addition to working on his associate degree in marketing, Martin works alongside his dad building houses. Martin won’t be hitting the rodeo road alone this summer, as Parrott will be joining him. “He’s always had a lot of talent and tried hard, but now he’s mature and knows what he wants and has come a long way from then to now,” Parrott said. “It’s good to get the first one out of the way and he’s ready to roll. That has to boost his confidence.” Martin and Parrott’s summer run will include many of the season’s biggest rodeos, such as the Reno (Nev.) Rodeo, the Cody (Wyo.) Stampede

and the St. Paul (Ore.) Rodeo.

“We have a lot of rodeos entered up,” Martin said. Martin and Parrott met about 10 years ago when they competed in high school rodeos while growing up in the same part of the country. “He’s grown a lot and come a long way from first starting out,” Parrott said. “This year will be a good year for him, I have a lot of faith in him.” During the 2017 season, Martin won the Southern Miss Coca-Cola Classic Rodeo at Hattiesburg, Miss., with a 5.5-second run in February 2017. He went on to rank 137th in the world standings with $8,560. THE NEXT STEP During his rookie year in 2016, Martin ranked 326th with $1,556. “I roped in high school and in college, too, but I just love bulldogging, there’s no feeling like it with the adrenaline rush,” Martin said. NowMartin wants to take his steer wrestling further than his uncle Casey did by winning a world title. “I think he’s got what it takes to make it,” Parrott said. “He just needs to keep going and have a good mental attitude.” Casey Martin qualified for the Wrangler NFR in 2011-15 and now helps his nephew practice. “He’s helped me with my bulldogging and he lives across the pasture fromme,” Martin said. “We practice every day. It was a good opportunity for me to have an uncle who is as good as he was and teach me firsthand.” Martin’s dad, Stoney, also has helped him practice since he started competing in eighth grade. “Once you get out of high school, you have to put in a lot more effort to be at the level these guys are day in and day out – it’s not just for fun anymore, it’s a job and you have to treat it like one,” Martin said. “The guys are at the top, they practice every day, their priority is rodeo because if not then they have to go home and work, so it’s all straight business.”

Clay Smith and Paul Eaves tied the Old Fort Days Rodeo record with their 3.9-second run. That record was originally set by Logan Olson and Matt Kasner in 2013. Phillip Kitts photo

Complete results on Page 59

SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Bradley Harter .......................... 86 pts. 2. (tie) Taos Muncy ........................... 82.5 Cody DeMoss ............................... 82.5 4. Two tied at ....................................... 82

TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Tyson Durfey ............. 15.6 sec. on two 2. (tie) Reno Gonzales ...................... 16.0 Cade Swor .................................... 16.0 4. Braxton Laughlin .......................... 16.3

BARREL RACING 1. Cheyenne Kelly ................... 16.62 sec. 2. Tiany Schuster ............................ 16.65 3. Lacey Scott ................................. 16.68 4. Sidney Forrest ............................ 16.73

BULL RIDING 1. Parker Breding .......................... 85 pts. 2. (tie) Eli Vastbinder ........................... 84 Jesse Petri ....................................... 84 4. Cole Melancon ................................. 83

ProRodeo Sports News 6/15/2018

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