ProRodeo Sports News - October 1, 2021

PENDLETON ROUND-UP PENDLETON, ORE. Oregon Payday

Richard, Buhler eye NFR after win

BY TANNER BARTH T he team roping duo of Rhen Richard and Jeremy Buhler have five Wrangler National Finals Rodeo appearances between them. They’ve roped on ProRodeo’s biggest stage and faced the pressure head on each time. They delivered another one of those clutch performances at the Pendleton (Ore.) Round-Up Sept. 18. They clocked a 6.0-second run in the finals to take third in the round. More importantly, that run secured the average title with 17.1 seconds on three head for two cowboys that desperately needed it. “We kind of drew down the middle of the road the whole time and stuck to our game plan,” said Richard, 32. “We’ve been being consistent all fall and all

summer. We didn’t really change anything I just tried to set him up as best I could, and he did a heck of a job heeling.” Headed into Pendleton both Richard and Buhler were on the outside looking in on the Top 15 of the PRCA | RAMWorld Standings. The Oregon win earned the duo $11,932 each, bumping them into the hunt for yet another Wrangler NFR. The veterans say they live for moments like that inside the arena. “It’s not ideal to be on the bubble, that’s for sure – ideally you already have the Finals made this time of year,” said Buhler, the 2016 PRCAWorld Champion Team Roping Heeler. “Me personally, I just like those high-pressure steers, those high-pressure runs, there’s nothing sweeter than when you catch them.” His partner couldn’t agree more. “At the end of the day you’re out here competing, so these are the times that you strive for, you want to be in,” Richard said. “So, yeah there’s a little added pressure, but this is why we do it right here. We are out here trying to win the whole thing every time we nod our heads.” With just days left in the 2021 regular season for Richard and Buhler to lock up their spots in Las Vegas in December they say it will be key to lean on their confidence headed into the PRCA Tour Finale in Salinas, Calif. “We’ve got a couple rodeos left and confidence

177 POINTS R.C. Landingham’s 177 points on two head in the bareback riding broke the record for the average, which was previously 174 set by Will Lowe in 2006. 6 SECONDS A 6.0-second run in the finals of the Pendleton Round-Up was all Rhen Richard and Jeremy Buhler needed to go from the outside looking in, to the Top 15 of the PRCA | RAM World Standings punching their tickets to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in the process.

is key in everything,” Richard said. “We’ve got a lot of it right now, we’re roping good, and the horses are working great. So, I’m hoping we can keep things rolling the rest of the year.” And Buhler says there would be nothing sweeter than both of them getting to Vegas as a team. “It’s been a few years since both of us have been there, so it’d be awesome, especially if I’m able to make it back with one of my good buddies Rhen,” Buhler said.

Click Thompson photo

Team roping heeler Jeremy Buhler, left, and header Rhen Richard take a victory lap after winning the Pendleton Round-Up.

BAREBACK RIDING 1. Landingham 177 pts. on 2 2. Clayton Biglow .............. 173 3. Kaycee Feild .................. 172

STEER WRESTLING 1. T. Martin ......... 15.7 sec. on 3 2. Landon Beardsworth .... 17.7 3. Dalton Massey ............. 18.5

TEAM ROPING 1. Richard/Buhler ......17.1 sec. on 3 2. Masters/Harrison ................. 18.4 3. Two tied at ........................... 18.6

SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. S. Wright ......182.5 pts. on 2 2. Tegan Smith .................. 177 3. Rusty Wright .............. 175.5

TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. S. Hanchey ..... 28.9 sec. on 3 2. Andrew Burks ............... 29.1 3. Riley Pruitt ................... 29.2

STEER ROPING 1. S. Snedecor ...43.2 sec. on 3 2. Roger Nonella .............. 46.3 3. Chet Herren .................. 48.1

BULL RIDING 1. S. Wright ........ 176 pts on 2 2. Parker Breding .............. 164 3. Billy Quillan .................. 88.5

TOP MONEY WINNER Stetson Wright, $22,476 saddle bronc riding and bull riding

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SCORES

Complete results/Page 56

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