ProRodeo Sports News - May 13, 2022

TORRINGTON, WYO.

NATIONAL CIRCUIT FINALS STEER ROPING

Cole Patterson repeats as champion Back to Back

BY TRACY RENCK I t was a literally case of déjà vu for Cole Patterson Sunday at the National Circuit Finals Steer Roping. For the second year in a row, the Pratt, Kan., native representing the Prairie Circuit had a fabulous final day of the NCFSR to walk away as the champion at the Goshen County Pavilion. Patterson accomplished his latest feat with an electric 8.4-second run in the four-man, sudden-death finals to capture the win. Patterson’s time tied the NCFSR

NCFSR RESULTS Finals 1. Cole Patterson ............... *8.4 2. Jess Tierney ..................... 9.3 3. Garrett Hale ..................... 9.8 4. Pake Sorey ..................... 12.9 *Tied the NCFSR record

Complete results/Page 48

record with Reo Lohse, who had an 8.4-second run in Round 6 of the 2019 NCFSR. “My thought on that last run was getting a good start on the barrier,” said Patterson, 26. “The thing about going last (in the four-man) is you know what you have to do, so you know how good you have to be at the barrier. Garrett (Hale) goes 9.8 and Jess (Tierney) goes 9.3. I had no option at that point, but to try and let my hair hang and see if I could get a good start and I knew the steer was good. That’s the one I picked to be in the final round. “I knew if I could just get a good start, I could rely on muscle memory from there and everything would be fine. It felt pretty fast.” Patterson left Torrington after earning $8,185. A year ago, in his NCFSR debut, he earned an event record $10,786. Patterson, the reigning PRCA Steer Roping World Champion, joins his father Rocky, a four-time world champion, as the only two ropers to win the NCFSR twice. Rocky won the NCFSR in 2012 and 2019. “This is a big thrill for me, I enjoy watching him (Cole) make a good run, better than I enjoy making a good run myself,” Rocky said. “He’s been putting in the work and time and it usually pays off. That horse (Tigger, that Cole rides) is outstanding in my opinion, and he doesn’t rope too bad either.” The final four, sudden round was made up of Cole Patterson, Tierney, Hale and Pake Sorey. Tierney finished second to Patterson at last year’s NCFSR. Patterson won the semis with a 10.7-second time, a tenth of a second ahead of Tierney. “I went pretty early in the eight-man round, and I didn’t know what I needed to do, and you don’t want to safety up with all these great ropers in the final eight,” said Patterson, who also split the Round 5 win with a 10.7-second run. “I thought I have to take a chance and make some things happen and they did.” The final eight semifinal round consisted of Tierney, Roger Nonella, Ryan Rochlitz, Hale, Vin Fisher Jr., Cole Patterson, Sorey, and Hank Hollenbeck. Tierney, Nonella, and Rochlitz were the only ropers of the 35 contestants to rope their first six steers. “When I went to the trailer (Saturday after the first day of the NCFSR), I thought there’s no way two years in a row they are going to let me come back and get in the final eight with what I had been doing,” Cole said. “To top off the déjà vu, I woke up (Sunday) and put my straw hat on because that’s what I did last year after the first day of this event. The cards fell my way again and I got into the final eight and things worked out from there.” Tierney won average with an 86.1-second time on six head and earned $2,903. Nonella was second in the average with a 93.6-second time and Rochlitz came in at 106.1. Nonella and Rochlitz earned $2,178 and $1,452, respectively. Other round winners were Landon McClaugherty, who split the Round 1 win with Tierney as each had 11.9-second times. McClaugherty also won Round 4 with a 9.9-second run. Slade Wood, 19, won Round 2 (10.5 seconds) and Round 3 (9.7 seconds). On May 1, Ora Taton and Cole Patterson shared the Round 5 victory at 10.7 seconds and Round 6 was won by Rocky Patterson in 10.6 seconds. Fisher Jr.’s horse, Big Blue, 8, was chosen as the Top Horse of the NCFSR. Torrington hosted the NCFSR for the 13th time.

CASHING IN $18,971

The combined amount of mon ey earned by Cole Patterson by winning the 2021 and 2022 National Circuit Finals Steer Roping in Torrington, Wyo. Patterson earned $10,786 in 2021 and $8,185 in 2022.

PRCA ProRodeo photo by Clay Guardipee

Cole Patterson competes May 1 during the National Circuit Finals Steer Roping at the Goshen Pavilion in Torrington, Wyo. Patterson had a stellar final day and won the NCFSR for the second year in row.

ProRodeo Sports News 5/13/2022

ProRodeo Sports News 5/13/2022

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