ProRodeo Sports News - October 1, 2021

BY TRACY RENCK & TANNER BARTH

Lovell, Eaves snare top honors Colby Lovell and Paul Eaves, the reigning PRCA Team Roping Heading and Heeling World Champions, had to win Sunday to have any hope of making the NFR. Lovell and Eaves made a clean run, clocking an 11.6-second run to win the finals. Lovell and Eaves came to Salinas 27th and 29th in their respective world standings. They earned $18,549 in Salinas, including $13,749 after winning the semifinals and finals. “It was really good there to

Click Thompson photo Colby Lovell and Paul Eaves, the reigning PRCA Team Roping Heading and Heeling World Champions, kept their slim NFR hopes alive by winning the finals with an 11.6-second run.

be the last team out in the finals,” Eaves said. “I didn’t imagine just making a clean run would win there.” The big haul will put both in the mix to possibly make a return trip to the NFR. Lovell was thrilled with the result. “This (Salinas) is a rodeo everybody wants to win,” he said. “I should have done my job better this year and we wouldn’t have been in this spot

Green punches NFR ticket with victory It’s been a long journey for Layton Green to get back into a position to qualify for the Wrangler NFR. His last trip was 2017, but that wait may be over. He all but punched his ticket to Las Vegas this December by winning his first ProRodeo Tour Finale in Salinas, Calif., Sept. 26. He clinched the title with a 91-point ride on Bridwell Pro Rodeos’ Indian Burn in the four-man finals. It’s a horse that had been ridden just three times headed into the matchup. Green’s ride was the highest-scored trip of them all with a Tour title on the line. “That’s one of those notorious horses that no one seems to stay on, it really bucks everybody off,” Green said. “It bucks really hard, it’s a really hard horse to ride. My mentality was to spur him out as best I could and just go for it all.” It’s one of the first seasons Green remembers ending the year on a healthy note. He earned $18,790 during the Tour Finale. His performance at the event bumped him up to fifth in the PRCA | RAM World Standings. “It’s an awesome feeling (being Tour Finale champ), I’m super happy,” Green said. “Finally, just being healthy for an entire year, I’ve struggled with a lot of injuries since I made the Finals in 2017. So, to be here and end the year healthy, feeling good it’s great, I feel like I can get on 10 tomorrow. It’s outstanding, I can’t wait to get to Las Vegas.” (on the outside of the Top 15 in the world standings). I went to heading because I wanted to be the quarterback. If I don’t throw the right ball, that’s part of it. I rope with Paul, and I love Paul. “No one can take us being world champions away. It felt good. But that was last year, and you just have to keep moving forward.”

Click Thompson photo Layton Green is back in the NFR for the first time since 2017. He punched his ticket with a 91-point ride on Bridwell Pro Rodeos’ Indian Burn in the ProRodeo Tour Finale.

ProRodeo Sports News 10/1/2021

ProRodeo.com

33