ProRodeo Sports News -March 5, 2021

SAN ANTONIO Coach Graves shows how to get it done BY SCOTT KANIEWSKI & TRACY RENCK

Stockton Graves has no misconceptions about his primary job. He’s the head rodeo coach at Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva, a position he’s held for seven years. But when Graves gets time, the seven-time NFR qualifier (2004-2009, 2011) ventures out on the ProRodeo trail. The 42-year-old showed he still has top-level talent by winning the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo with a 3.5-second run in the finals. Graves collected $9,000 for the run and won the rodeo with $11,250. He rose to fourth in the PRCA | RAMWorld Standings with $12,643. “It’s pretty neat to have a chance to win in the AT&T Center and now in the Freeman Coliseum,” said Graves, who also won San Antonio in 2011. “I started in the Freeman Coliseum for a few years when I was young, and we left there and went over there (to the AT&T Center), and it was good to be back at Freeman. I just want to thank San Antonio and all the volunteers for having this rodeo.” Graves’ latest win should give himmore clout as a coach. “I can go home and brag a little bit,” Graves said. “I might have a little one-up on some of the guys, but they don’t let me get too far out of line. They keep me in check.” With a big win like San Antonio, Graves might alter his travel approach to PRCA rodeos in 2021. “It may change what I do,” he said. “First and foremost, my job is at Northwestern Oklahoma State, and I’ll rodeo where I can. I would love to make the NFR again, but we will see. I’m just going to enjoy this win right now.”

Hailey Rae photo Northwestern Oklahoma State rodeo coach and steer wrestler Stockton Graves showed he still has it by winning at San Antonio for the second time.

Canadian cowboy Kolby Wanchuk had never made a 90-point ride. He hit that milestone twice in one day on his way to winning his first San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo buckle with $13,500. Wanchuk notched a 90-point ride aboard Frontier Rodeo’s Wild Bill in the wild-card round early in the day Feb. 27, then came back that night to put up a 91-point ride on Calgary Stampede’s Tokyo Bubbles in the finals, earning $9,000 for the ride. “This is awesome, this is all a guy could ask for,” Wanchuk said. “This has been one of my favorite rodeos and I’d never made the semifinals before. To keep sneaking through and make it here, it’s unbelievable.” Wanchuk has yet to reach the National Finals Rodeo. That could be changing. He missed out on the Finals by four places last year. He finished 19th in the world standings in 2020 and 21st in 2019. “It (this season) has been really good,” he said. “I haven’t been to that many rodeos because up in Canada it’s a little tricky to get across the border. I decided to save my days and make them count when I can come down.” If he keeps hitting 90-point rides, he’ll be heading to the Wrangler NFR in December. “I’d been 89 lots and 89.5,” Wanchuk said. “Today was the first day to be 90, and to beat it tonight, unreal day.” Pair of 90-point rides lifts Wanchuk to win

Kay Miller photo Kolby Wanchuk had a career-best performance in San Antonio, winning the rodeo with $13,500 thanks to his 91-point ride on Calgary Stampede’s Tokyo Bubbles in the finals.

ProRodeo Sports News 3/5/2021

ProRodeo.com

31