ProRodeo Sports News - November 2, 2018

tie-down roping in the Prairie Circuit with $9,819. Milligan also fared well with Big Time, placing third in the average in 28.0 seconds. “Cody’s a great horseman and always gets the best out of every horse he rides,” Milligan said. “For him to win that was a big deal, and I was happy for him.” Aside from the confidence boost, winning the RAMPCFR isn’t going to impact McCartney’s approach to the freshly minted 2019 season. “I was going to rodeo either way, but it’s nice to have some confidence and money won early in the year,” McCartney said. “I hope to win some more in the next month or two and get in San Antonio and the bigger winter rodeos.” RAMBLIN’ MAN “When I got done roping that night (at the RAMPCFR) I had a text frommy mom and dad, they’re excited to go to Florida in the spring,” McCartney said. “I’m originally fromMichigan, so it’ll be a good time for them to get out of there.” McCartney left his home state to attend Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant and remained there since graduating in 2012. “Michigan isn’t where you want to live if you want to rodeo,” McCartney laughed. The Wolverine State may be better known for hockey and muscle cars, but the McCartney family preferred the saddle over skates or cars. His dad, Jim, competed in team roping and tie-down roping with a stint in the PRCA, and the family is known for training horses. “It’s nice up there in the summer, but in the winter it’s dang-sure cold and

$49,804. McCartney’s rodeo endeavors were put on the backburner after breaking his ankle at the Red Bluff (Calif.) Round-Up in April 2017. “I hadn’t gone as much since then, but I’m hoping to again this year,” McCartney said. “I’ll be roping every day, for sure.” Missing out on so much competition halted his 2017 winnings at $3,400 but he returned in 2018. “It’s been a year-and-a-half and my ankle is feeling like I can practice and work at it without limping the next day,” McCartney said. “It was dang-sure aggravating, I would step on a little rock and it looked like my leg was going to fall off.” Switching circuits this year was a matter of logistics for McCartney. The trek to Great Lakes Circuit rodeos from his home in Durant, Okla., was conflicting with his horse show schedule. “Everyone needs a second job if you rodeo, so I’m lucky mine lets me rope and do the stuff I enjoy,” McCartney said of his work alongside Gary Wells at stock shows such as the AQHAWorld Show in Oklahoma City in November. With the RAMNCFR on his spring schedule, McCartney’s looking ahead and setting new goals. “I’d love to make the NFR just like anyone else would, that’s No. 1 for sure,” he said. “You just need good horses and have good people around you who are positive and want to see you succeed. I’ve got a pretty good horse and I’m good friends with Shane Hanchey, he’s helped my roping too.” Milligan believes in his friend. “He dang sure had tough luck, but he’s set up this year to go to Kissim- mee when it counts and should have a real good year this year,” Milligan said.

you really have to want to rope to go out there,” McCartney said. “It’s a lot of work but I really enjoy the horses and seeing them progress and riding them.” The McCartney family has an indoor arena, so roping was a year-round activity. “If you don’t have an indoor arena up there in the winter you’re not going to do much roping with a couple feet of snow on the ground,” McCartney said. The last time McCartney had success at the circuit level, he hit the rodeo road hard. In 2012, he topped the Great Lakes Circuit for tie-down roping with $13,408. His best season to date was in 2016 when he ranked 24th in the world standings with

Placing third in the first round and tying for first in the second round put steer wrestler Riley Duvall ahead of the pack in the average with 13.8 seconds on three head at the RAM Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo. Fly Thomas photo

Complete results on Page 59

SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Hardy Braden ............ 242 pts. on three 2. (tie) Tyrel Larsen ........................ 222.5 Clint Lindenfeld .......................... 222.5 4. Steven Dent ................................ 220.5

TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Cody McCartney ..... 27.4 sec. on three 2. Caddo Lewallen ............................ 27.7 3. Tyler Milligan ................................ 28.0 4. Cole Bailey .................................... 34.6

STEER ROPING 1. Kelton McMillen ...... 51.8 sec. on three 2. Mike Chase ................................... 57.0 3. Ralph Williams ............................. 64.0 4. Brodie Poppino ................. 22.3 on two

BULL RIDING 1. Brett Custer .............. 246 pts. on three 2. Trevor Kastner ................... 172 on two 3. Tyler Hessman ............................... 169 4. Nathan Hatchel .................... 84 on one

ProRodeo Sports News 11/2/2018

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