ProRodeo Sports News - May 28, 2021

REDDING RODEO REDDING, CALIF. Thomson snares key victory at Redding New Fortune BY JOLEE JORDAN, Special to ProRodeo Sports News R ookie KirkThomson had a rough start to his Pro Rodeo career. The Lundbreck, Alberta, cowboy bought his permit in 2020, a season disrupted by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Once the rodeo season finally got going, the permit holder struggled with being able to get entered into rodeos that were forced to limit entries due to COVID restrictions. Then, Thomson hurt his hip over the Fourth of July, forcing him from competition for the remainder of the year.

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The early struggles were quickly forgotten, however, as Thomson earned his first major PRCA victory at the Redding (Calif.) Rodeo, a ProRodeo Tour stop. The win came on the strength of an 87.5-point ride aboard Bridwell Pro Rodeos’ Pearl Necklace, a ride that was just half a point off the arena record. “I hadn’t been drawing the best and I’d been battling my saddle,” Thomson said, adding that shortening his stirrups was part of the solution. “It was good to win something.” Thomson also appreciated competing in front of Redding’s large crowd, something rodeo athletes are valuing more than ever in the COVID era of reduced capacity. “The crowd was awesome, and it was so good to see people out and having a good time,” he said. Thomson was familiar with his draw, a horse with a better than 60% buck-off rate but who has produced some winning scores in 2021. “I was excited to have that horse . . . I’d seen her at Redmond, Jade Blackwell won it, and Jake Watson was winning second there at Redding on her,” Thomson said. Pearl Necklace has only been successfully ridden in three of seven outs this season, but each has produced a check for the cowboy. Despite his early PRCA trials, Thomson is no stranger to success in the rodeo arena; it’s all over his pedigree and on his resume. “My mom (Shandel) made the Canadian Finals (Rodeo) in the barrels and both my older brother (Kyle) and my dad (Kirk) have been there in the saddle bronc riding,” Kirk said. His grandfather, Ken, was an organizer of the Cowboys’ Protective Association, the forerunner of the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association, and his father is a member of the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame. Thomson’s nickname “K’s” comes from his family. “My name is Kenneth Kirk after my dad and my grandpa, but it got shortened because those names were already taken,” he said wryly. Thomson has never veered from the family business. “I’ve been in rodeo as long as I can remember. I played hockey growing up and my parents would have preferred I do that,” Thomson said with a laugh. Instead, Thomson got on sheep at the rodeos in which his folks were competing and convinced them at 7 to let him start riding steers. He made the CFR in 2012 in the steer riding and in 2019 qualified in the Novice Saddle Bronc Riding. He also qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo in the bull riding and saddle bronc riding while rodeoing for Casper (Wyo.) College. With the Redding win, Thomson more than doubled his season earnings thanks to the $4,427 payday. He moved up to 35th in the PRCA | RAMWorld Standings and second in the PRCA | Resistol Rookie Standings. “I’d like to win the Rookie of the Year and set myself up to be qualified to go everywhere next year so I can try to make the NFR,” Thomson said.

1. Ty Breuer ................................ 88 pts. 2. Seth Hardwick ............................ 87.5 3. Caleb Bennett ............................. 85.5 STEER WRESTLING 1. Josh Garner.................... 8.6 sec. on 2 2. Dirk Tavenner ............................... 9.3 3. Scott Guenthner ........................... 9.5 TEAM ROPING 1. J. Graham/C. Smith........ 11.5 sec. on 2 2. G. Rogers/J. Minor ..................... 11.8 (Tie) B. Hirdes/D. Pearce ............ 11.8 SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Kirk Thomson ...................... 87.5 pts. 2. Zeke Thurston ............................ 86.5 3. Jake Watson .................................. 86 TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Kincade Henry................17.8 sec. on 2 2. Cooper Martin ............................ 18.0 3. Ryan Jarrett ............................... 18.1 BARREL RACING 1. Katie Pascoe ..................... 17.18 sec. 2. Megan Champion ..................... 17.29 3. Amanda Welsh ......................... 17.46 BULL RIDING 1. Garrett Smith ....................... 90.5 pts. 2. Braden Richardson ..................... 89.5 3. Parker Breding ........................... 88.5

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ProRodeo Sports News 5/28/2021

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