ProRodeo Sports News - May 14, 2021

Guymon win keeps Massey focued on NFR On Track GUYMON PIONEER DAYS RODEO

BY JOLEE JORDAN M ay 3 was pretty much like any other Monday for steer wrestler Dalton Massey. He was at his construction job, framing buildings in his hometown of Hermiston, Ore. Only two days before, however, Massey was laying another brick in the foundation of what he hopes will be his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualification by winning the Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo. The win came at the final rodeo of a long April road trip which began at the RAMNational Circuit Finals Rodeo in Florida, traveled through San Angelo, Texas, and out west to California before landing in the Oklahoma Panhandle. “I placed on my first ones in both Red Bluff and Clovis (Calif.) but broke out on the second ones,” Massey said. “It was great to capitalize at Guymon.” Massey got off to a solid start at Guymon, turfing his steers in 4.3 and 4.2 seconds, respectively, in the opening rounds. He was just out of the money but good enough to advance to the final progressive round. “We traded back a day so we could get home,” Massey said. “On Saturday, I drew a steer they hadn’t done much on, but I got a great start and caught him right there.” Massey’s final-round time of 3.7 seconds landed him second in the third go. With 12.2 seconds on three head, he earned the title in a hotly contested battle where a mere half second separated the top five in the average. “Horsepower made the difference,” he said. “That and great hazing made it easy.” Massey rides Monroe, a palomino mare owned by Ringo Robinson. Monroe carried Blake Knowles to an NFR appearance in 2020 and Massey to 22nd in the final 2020 PRCA | RAMWorld Standings. For hazing duties, Massey relied upon hauling partners Knowles and Mike McGinn. “Blake won Guymon last year. He flew out early to go to Stonyford (Calif.) – so he wouldn’t have to help drive home,” Massey joked. “But before he left, he said, ‘You might as well win it and bring it back (to Oregon) again.’” Wins are doubly important when they come at ProRodeo Tour stops, and Massey picked up 750 Tour points. “You really need those Tour points; the Finale at the end of the year is huge, especially if you’re on the bubble (for the NFR),” Massey said. Next up for Massey is the Redding (Calif.) Rodeo, another ProRodeo Tour event, and then maybe back to Oklahoma for Woodward before things really heat up starting with the Reno (Nev.) Rodeo before the Fourth of July. In between, he’ll be home, working and practicing aboard a young horse in training. Swinging a hammer replaces weightlifting in his workout routine nowadays. In addition to Tour points, Massey earned $5,806 with the Guymon win, moving him inside the top 20 of the world standings. The NFR is the ultimate goal, but don’t expect him to give up his day job. “I’ve always worked in between rodeos. I think you should do that,” he said with a laugh.

TOP MONEY WINNER TOP SCORES

Shane Hanchey, $9,873 (tie-down roping) BAREBACK RIDING

Hanchey

1. Caleb Bennett. ......................... 87 pts. 2. Orin Larsen.................................. 86.5 3. Tilden Hooper................................. 85 STEER WRESTLING 1. Dalton Massey..............12.2 sec. on 3 2. Marcus Theriot............................ 12.3 3. Two tied at ................................. 12.6 TEAM ROPING 1. N. Wyatt/L. Lord...........21.3 sec. on 3 2. C. Tryan/J. Long.......................... 21.5 3. Two tied at ................................. 23.5 SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Wade Sundell. ......................... 89 pts. 2. Dawson Hay. .................................. 86 (Tie) Mitch Pollock. ........................ 86 TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Shane Hanchey ........... 27.6 sec. on 3 2. Ryan Jarrett................................. 28.5 3. Hudson Wallace........................... 28.6 BARREL RACING 1. Hailey Kinsel ............. 34.65 sec. on 2 (Tie) Jordan Briggs .................. 34.65 3. Shali Lord ................................ 34.75 STEER ROPING 1. Darin Suit .................... 47.1 sec. on 4 2. Reo Lohse .................................. 58.5 3. Will McBride ............................... 64.0 BULL RIDING 1. Laramie Mosley....................... 91 pts. 2. Roscoe Jarboe................................ 89 3. Colten Fritzlan.............................. 86.5

Dale Hirschman photo Steer wrestler Dalton Massey won the three- head average in Guymon and earned $5,806 for his performance. Complete results Page 44

ProRodeo Sports News 5/14/2021

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