ProRodeo Sports News - March 8, 2019

SAN ANTONIO & RO DEO STOCK SHOW roughstock riders picked what horse they would ride in the final round. The luck of the draw was still a factor as names were drawn from a hat, and Sundell’s was the first to be drawn. Of the 11 broncs to pick from, he knew exactly which one he wanted. “If you want to win first place, that’s the one you need to go to,” Sundell said. “I had the first pick and went for the gusto – it was going to be dust or gold. “It’s a big bay mare that weighs 1,600 pounds and is strong and flat bucks, and if you stub a toe you will get drilled.” Sundell enjoyed the drawing format, not just because he got first pick, but because the final round presented multiple high scores – Rusty Wright and ZekeThurston each scored 90 points, and Ryder Wright scored 91 points. San Antonio, which ran Feb. 7-23, isn’t like other rodeos. It utilizes a bracket format. During that time, Sundell rode five broncs – winning the second round of Bracket 4 with an 83-point ride on Championship Pro Rodeo’s Special Time and tying with Thurston for the win in the first round of the Bracket 2 semifinals with an 86.5-point ride on Stace Smith Pro Rodeos’

Dreamliner.

Before the final round, Sundell was third among the 10 saddle bronc riding finalists with $11,500. His winning ride on Medicine Woman increased his total to $26,500, which propelled him from 103rd in the 2019 PRCA | RAMWorld Standings to 10th with $27,478. “It makes that whole summer run easier, but there is so much money out there that you have to keep rocking and rolling,” Sundell said. Fresh off winning his first saddle bronc riding world title, the eight-time Wrangler NFR qualifier knows the stakes are high in the season-long marathon of qualifying for the Finals. He ended the 2018 regular season ranked eighth in the world with $103,309 before heading to Las Vegas. Sundell has done well in San Antonio, taking home $12,261 in 2015 and $9,921 in 2018, in addition to winning the final round in 2014 and taking home $18,091. Every time he’s done well in San Antonio, he’s ended up in Las Vegas at the end of the season. “The last time I won San Antonio, I went toThe American and won it, and now I’m heading toThe American so maybe things are lining up,” Sundell said. “I had the first pick and went for the gusto – it was going to be dust or gold.” -– WADE SUNDELL

Four-time horse of the year, Frontier Rodeo’s Medicine Woman, was Wade Sundell’s top pick for the final round. The Iowa cowboy has ridden Medicine Woman five times now, scoring 92 points at the 2019 San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo’s final round. Greg Westfall photo

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TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Shane Hanchey ....................... $23,500 2. Tyson Durfey ............................ 20,000 3. Haven Meged ............................ 17,500 4. Taylor Santos ............................ 11,250

BARREL RACING 1. Hailey Kinsel ........................... $29,500 2. Shali Lord ................................. 20,500 3. Kathy Grimes ............................ 14,375 4. Dona Kay Rule .......................... 14,250

BULL RIDING 1. J.W. Harris .............................. $25,250 2. Josh Frost ................................ 22,500 3. Roscoe Jarboe .......................... 19,750 4. Joseph McConnel ..................... 14,500

Complete results on Page 52

ProRodeo Sports News 3/8/2019

ProRodeo.com

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