ProRodeo Sports News - March 23, 2018

Laramie Mosley had a wild ride on Stace Smith Pro Rodeos’ Jango at the Goliad (Texas) County Fair PRCA Rodeo on March 16. Mosley walked away from the ride uninjured. Hangin’ on by the Horns William Kierce photo

Cooper, Petska, Shiozawa the latest to join PRCA’s $2 million career club Tuf Cooper’s 2017 PRCA season turned out to be more memorable than ever. The Decatur, Texas, cowboy won his first all-around world championship with $341,560, which sent him over the $2 million mark in career earnings. Only 27 other cowboys have reached that milestone. As of March 19, Cooper had $2,075,874. He’s leading the March 19 PRCA All-Around World Standings with $65,667. Cooper is the youngest cowboy to surpass the $2 million mark in PRCA career earnings at 27 years, 10 months and 16 days. Trevor Brazile, Cooper’s brother-in-law, was the previous youngest cowboy to eclipse $2 million in career earnings at 29 years, 7 months, 17 days. Cooper, now 28, has won four career PRCA world championships – one all-around and three in tie-down roping (2011-12, 2014). Like Cooper, team roping heeler Cory Petska secured a spot in the $2 million club after winning the 2017 team roping heeler world championship at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas in December. Petska earned $131,705 at last year’s WNFR, as he and header Erich Rogers each walked away world champs. As of March 19, Petska had career earnings of $2,084,933. “It is awesome to join this ($2 million) club, it has been a great career,” said Petska, who joined the PRCA in 1998. “Winning ($2 million in a career) never even crossed my mind. I never even thought about it because $2 million seemed like so much money, I never thought I would reach that mark. The thing is a dream come true. Every kid dreams about winning a world championship, and to do it this way (and pass the $2 million mark) is amazing.” Petska, who was 24th in the March 19 PRCA World Standings with $12,066, is continuing to compete this season, but he is going to reduce his schedule.

“My goal every year is to rodeo and try and win the world, but this year I’m going to slow down and try to go to 40 or 50 rodeos instead of going to 90 like we usually do. I’m still going to try and hopefully make the Finals, but I’m not going to go as hard as I normally do. My life has been consumed with rodeo, and I want to do some other stuff. I feel like when I won the world that was one of my dreams come true and I want to slow down a touch and enjoy life.” Rogers said beginning at the Reno (Nev.) Rodeo, June 14-23, he is going to start roping with header Colby Lovell, a six-time qualifier for the WNFR (2010- 13, 2015-16). “Erich (Rogers) just wanted to stay rodeoing and I wanted to slow down,” Petska said. “If I don’t have the Finals made by my date in my mind, I’m going to go home instead of continuing to rope until the last rodeo of the year.” Rogers and Petska have roped together since the 2013 season, culminating with their world championships a year ago. Cooper and Petska were recently joined in the $2 million PRCA club by veteran tie-down roper Matt Shiozawa, a 10-time qualifier for the WNFR (2005- 07, 2009, 2011-12, 2014-17). Shiozawa earned $41,731 last year at the WNFR, which put his career earn- ings at $1,980,908. This season, Shiozawa surpassed the $2 million mark while moving up to 10th in the March 19 standings with $21,296. “There’s so much learning that happens as a guy gets some years in,” said Shiozawa, who joined the PRCA in 1999. “You get some perspective and you start to understand a little bit more about the game you are actually playing. I’m excited to have passed that ($2 million mark). I learned how to make a living in rodeoing and provide for my family, and it’s great to get over the $2 million mark.” Shiozawa and his wife, Ali, have three daughters, Stella, 7; LuLu, 5; and Ivory, 3. They live in Chubbock, Idaho. Next up on the list of cowboys chasing $2 million in career earnings is four-time World Champion Bareback Rider Kaycee Feild. The 31-year-old sat at $1,977,542 as of the March 19 PRCA World Standings.

ProRodeo Sports News 3/23/18

ProRodeo.com

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