ProRodeo Sports News - May 4, 2018

NCFSR

McBride wins his first NCFSR title McBride & the Ride

More than 20 years after switching from tie-down roping to steer roping, Will McBride won his first National Circuit Finals Steer Roping title. Although he lives in western Nebraska, he competes within the Mountain States Circuit and ended the 2017 season leading his circuit.

BY MATT NABER A fter more than 20 years of ProRodeo competition, Will McBride won his first National Circuit Finals Steer Roping, April 29. “It’s the biggest roping I’ve ever won,” said McBride, noting that he’s come close to winning Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days and the Pendleton (Ore.) Round-Up. McBride has competed in ProRodeo since 1996, switching from tie- down roping to steer roping in his early 30s. Now, 22 years after his rookie year, McBride bagged his first NCFSR win. When he was a kid, McBride’s dad was a farrier for steer roper Terry McGinley, who qualified for the National Finals Rodeo four times (1965, ’67, ’80-81) and won the NFR average in 1980-81. “I would rope dummies and tie dummies, and I wanted to be a steer roper when I was roping calves,” McBride said. “I knew I would switch to steer roping and I did at 34 years old, so about 20 years ago. “It takes a long time to learn the fine art of steer roping. I heard back when I started that it’s a ‘disciplined aggression.’ In steer roping, you have to go through all the steps. In other events, you can skip a step, but here, your horse will quit working. Guy Allen and (Trevor) Brazile are the best and they set their runs up and go through all the steps.”

CIRCUIT SUCCESS

When he’s not roping, McBride works as a real estate agent and does insurance adjustments for hail, wind and hurricanes. While working for a military contractor in Kuwait in 2008, McBride discovered a love of writing. In 2012, he wrote his first book, Redemptive Guilt. Although he lives in Ogallala, Neb.,

PRCA ProRodeo Photo by Fred McClanahan Jr.

the 53-year-old cowboy competes in the Mountain States Circuit since his home is about 12 miles from the Colorado border. McBride’s approach saved on traveling and placed him at the top of the Mountain States Circuit for steer roping in 2017. Having watched McBride grow as a steer roper for more than 20 years, McBride’s friend and 2017 NFSR competitor Troy Tillard believes McBride could make it to the ClemMcSpadden National Finals Steer Roping – which could happen after McBride moved from 42nd to 22nd in the RAMPRCA World Standings after winning the NCFSR. “I’ve known him ever since he started roping steers – he’s always been consistent, but he’s added speed to his roping,” Tillard said. “I think steer roping has gotten very competitive. There were years he won enough to go (to the NFSR). But for where he rodeos while living out of state, he’s not afraid

ProRodeo Sports News 5/4/18

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