ProRodeo Sports News - March 23, 2018

there and got me tipped forward, but then my feet came, and it felt awesome,” he said. “I felt like I could’ve stayed on her all day. Those are the bronc rides that make what we do fun, and it’s cool to have that record.” With his Montgomery win, Cress earned $4,258 and moved up to second place in the March 19 PRCAWorld Standings with $38,258. Cress’ 2018 campaign received an early jolt when he won the All American ProRodeo Finals, Oct. 14, inWaco, Texas, and left town after earning $14,763. “That was my first time at Montgomery, and obviously any rodeo you go to that Frontier (Rodeo) has, it is going to be an outstanding saddle bronc riding because they have amazing stock,” said Cress, who made his winning ride March 17. “That crowd was really good there and it was a great atmosphere to ride in.” SEARCHING FOR IMPROVEMENT Although Cress had an amazing 2017, he’s driven by narrowly missing out on winning a gold buckle. In Round 10 of the WNFR, Wright failed to register a score, while Cress placed fourth in the round with an 86-point ride on Frontier Rodeo’s Delta Force to earn $11,000. Had Cress scored a half-point more on his ride, he would have split second with CoBurn Bradshaw and Jake Wright. He would have earned $15,795 and left a world champion. “At the NFR, it made me mad because the last horse I got on is the horse I rode the worst out there,” Cress said. “That’s what I’m focused on right now, fixing those mistakes I made on that last horse to where if I would have ridden that horse correctly then I would have won a world title. That’s what has been pushing me this season to keep getting better and keep working on things. Even though I did have a lot of success last year, I can still be better and ride better than I did.” This season, Cress is traveling with Shorty Garrett and Isaac Diaz, a five-time WNFR qualifier – 2007, 2009, 2012-13, 2015. Some people outside of the rodeo realmmay be surprised at Cress’ meteoric rise, but not Diaz. “The kid has every bit of talent it takes to win everything rodeo has to offer,” Diaz said. “In my mind, he rides broncs the right way. He spurs them out for two jumps and really sets his feet hard. It didn’t surprise me a bit that he did as well as he did. The sky is the limit for him.” If competing full time in the PRCA wasn’t enough, Cress also is working on his master’s degree in agricultural consumer science at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas. He received his bachelor’s degree in agricultural business in December and will finish competing for the school’s rodeo team this year. “After this semester, I’m going to take a break and just focus on rodeo,” Cress said. “I’m going to go back and finish my master’s degree SOUTHEASTERN EXPOSITION LIVESTOCK

online, but I want to focus on rodeo because things are going good for me. I only get so long to rodeo, and I can always go back and finish my master’s degree.” WRESTLING PAYS DIVIDENDS Cress acknowledged dealing with the ups and downs of rodeo is easier for him because of his experience as a wrestler. He was a three-time state champion – sophomore, junior and senior years – at Cheyenne (Wyo.) East High School. “You step out on the mat, you may not be going against a 1,200-pound animal, but you don’t have any help, you’re out there by yourself and you have to control your own outcome, and that’s the same thing with rodeo,” Cress said. “Once you crawl in that chute, you are on your own. I learned a lot of life lessons in wrestling and those have really benefited me in rodeo.” In the middle of another banner season, Cress is working on finishing the job in Las Vegas – winning a gold buckle. “The way I look at things, the bronc rides I make are never as good as they could be,” he said. “We go to so many rodeos, and so many things can change or happen, and that’s why I focus on continuing to do better and having fun. Everybody’s goal who rodeos is to win a world championship, and the way I’m going to try and reach that goal is becoming the best bronc rider I can every day. Hopefully in the end if it comes down to Round 10 again like it did last year, and I need to do everything correct, I will do that because I’ve prepared myself for that moment and will win a world title.

Brody Cress (gray singlet) wrestled at Cheyenne (Wyo.) East High School. He was a three-time wrestling state champion. Cress, who wrestled from ages 6 to 18, has used what he learned in wrestling to help him in his rodeo career. Photo courtesy Lannette Cress

Complete results on Page 35

SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Brody Cress ........................... 90.5 pts. 2. Joe Lufkin ........................................ 85 3. (tie) Chet Johnson ........................ 84.5 Allen Boore ................................... 84.5

TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Wesley Brunson ..................... 7.9 sec. 2. Ike Fontenot .................................... 8.1 3. Joe Keating ..................................... 9.0 4. Cory Kirk ........................................ 9.2

BARREL RACING 1. Kassidy Lantis .................... 16.58 sec. 2. Ericka Nelson .............................. 16.60 3. (tie) Heather Clemons ................. 16.61 Nicole Love ................................. 16.61

BULL RIDING 1. Daylon Swearingen ................... 87 pts. 2. Tristan Mize .................................. 83.5 3. (tie) Dustin Boquet ....................... 82.5 Clayton Sellars .............................. 82.5

ProRodeo Sports News 3/23/18

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