ProRodeo Sports News - May 26, 2023

finish 10th in the PRCA | RAMWorld Standings after earning $188,597. He was quick to quote ProRodeo Hall of Famer Barry Burk when asked about the Reno Rodeo. “Coming out of the winter and spring guys aren’t too worried even if it hasn’t gone their way so far,” saidWebb, 19. “Barry Burk said that ‘everything you won before Reno was a bonus, you make the NFR from Reno on’. I’m set up a little better in the standings this year, but last year I was for sure banking on that happening.” Another cowboy that’s looking forward to a big summer run is reigning PRCAWorld Champion Bareback Rider Jess Pope. Pope battled the injury bug during the winter months and couldn’t quite find his groove. As of May 24, he sits 34th in the world standings. Even though his season hasn’t gone to plan, he’s not worried just yet. “I don’t think there’s any more added pressure than before. If you look at it from a money standpoint, where I’m at in the world standings to 15th is less than $20,000,” said Pope, a three-time NFR Average Champion. “That’s pretty doable in one weekend once we really start rodeoing this summer. “There are always one or two guys that have a really great winter and then everyone else is kind of packed into one ball. Once we get spread out rodeoing there’s a lot of horses and opportunities. My drawing hasn’t been the best so far this year, but I think that’ll come around and it’ll be really good.” The 2023 summer run will feature the lucrative Cowboy Christmas, which is centered around the Fourth of July holiday. Last season, Junior Nogueira and team roping partner Kaleb Driggers set a Cowboy Christmas single-event timed-event earnings mark with each of them taking home $35,152 over the nine-day stretch. Cowboys know to punch their ticket to the NFR it requires consistency and staying healthy. Not only during that nine-day stretch, but the two months that follow it. “I’m just hoping for the best and that I can stay healthy,” saidWoodward. “I’m just hoping to keep that consistency that I’ve had so far and stay healthy all summer long. That’s really what it’ll come down to. I don’t have it planned to where I’m going to go to every rodeo and win every single time. I just want to try to stay consistent and healthy.” The excitement to strike while the iron is hot is there for Webb, the tie-down roping world leader. He can’t wait to see what the outdoor rodeo season has in store. “I’m excited to get out there and get to all the big outdoor rodeos,” saidWebb. “The goal for me is just to keep it rolling because there are so many good rodeos during the summer. All of us are waiting on those big rodeos right now. We are just ready to get the summer kicked off and getting rolling.”

Gini Roberge photo Resistol Rookie bull rider Jestyn Woodward won the Gozzer Ranch Xtreme Bulls, May 3. As of May 25, he sits fifth in the PRCA | RAM World Standings.

PRCA ProRodeo photo by Hailey Rae Reigning PRCA World Champion Bareback Rider Jess Pope hasn’t had the start to the 2023 season he wanted. He hopes the summer run brings better fortune.

ProRodeo Sports News 5/26/2023

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