ProRodeo Sports News - Nov.20, 2020

but his bull riding wasn’t right until mid-September, he said. Stetson finished the regular season with a $1,037 lead over Tuf Cooper in the race for the all-around title and the roles switched when Cooper picked up $25,903 at the ClemMcSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. Now Stetson has a gap of $24,866 to close. “I hope he (Cooper) has his best Finals yet,” Stetson said. “I want everyone to do well. I don’t want to say I won when everyone had a bad year.” LOOKING TO TIE DOWN ANOTHER TITLE Cooper, a four-time world champion – three in tie-down roping (2011- 12, 2014) and one in the all-around (2017) – is competing in tie-down roping at the Finals. “I’m coming in second (in tie-down roping) and I have a bunch to gain on Shad (Mayfield). What I think is cool about the all-around this year is there are only three guys who have a chance to win it. The cool thing is Stetson, Clay

(Smith) and I are all doing different events, and it should be a lot of fun to see who wins.” Adding saddle bronc riding to his NFR routine won’t wear down Stetson, instead it revs him up for bull riding. “When I get off my bronc, I feel warmed up and good,” Stetson said. “I feel like I have an advantage since I’ll be fired up by the time I get on my bull.” His brother agreed. “He feeds off pressure,” Rusty said. “If he makes a good bronc ride, or if I do or Ryder does, he feeds off it and will do better in bull riding. So, if anything, it’ll make his bull riding even better.” No longer a rookie, Stetson’s approach hasn’t changed. “He’s always gone at it all the way or not at all,” Rusty said. “You can tell when Stetson has his riding pants on; he can ride the rankest bulls and the rankest broncs, and just like they say in the movie The Cowboy Way , ‘Stetson can sure cowboy when he wants to.’”

DEC. 3-12, 2020

ProRodeo Sports News 11/20/2020

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