ProRodeo Sports News, June 29, 2018

WILL CRAIN

When not putting on rodeos, Crain competes in them Getting Bullish Will Crain won the

bull riding at the Ozark Empire Pro Rodeo in Springfield, Mo., March 23-24, with an 85-point ride on Big Rafter Rodeo’s No. 252.

BY SCOTT KANIEWSKI G rowing up in a town with a population of about 350 helps news travel quickly. The town is so small, that the Great Lakes Circuit bull rider graduated from eighth grade with three classmates. So, when Will Crain wins a rodeo, most of his hometown of St. Peter, Ill., knows about it. He wouldn’t have it any other way. “It’s cool to go home and everybody knows everybody,” Crain said. “I like small towns. I wouldn’t want to live in a big city.” If anyone wants to know how Crain is doing in the PRCA world, there’s one place they can drop in to find out easily. “My mom works at the bank in town,” Crain said. “People drop by with newspapers, look at ProRodeo Sports News and keep up with what’s going on.”

The 28-year-old is having a strong season. A year removed from his best season, Crain is back at it. Lately he did something that isn’t exactly commonplace. He was the only rider to cover his bull at rodeos on consecutive weekends. He rode Universal Pro Rodeos’ No. 3-092 for 83

Phillip Kitts photo

points at the Esperanza Bonanza Pro Rodeo in Marion, Ark., May 11-12, then won in Clarksville, Tenn., at the Bill Hoy Kiwanis Rodeo, May 18-19, where he rode Universal Pro Rodeos’ Eppie for 82 points. The two rodeos paid Crain a combined $7,557. “I didn’t really winter rodeo that much,” said Crain, who now lives in Kinmundy, Ill., population 769. “But starting off early (in the spring) I was the only guy to stay on at two rodeos in a row. That was a good way to start the year off.”

ProRodeo Sports News 6/29/2018

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