ProRodeo Sports News - October 13, 2023

SIOUX FALLS, S.D

CINCH PLAYOFFS GOVERNOR’S CUP

Brown makes final run count The star steer wrestler, while competing at the Pendleton (Ore.) Round-Up in the middle of September, had a wreck he believed would end his regular season. “I was deciding whether or not to come to Sioux Falls the whole time,” said Brown, 31. “I got knocked out and had a grade 2 MCL tear on my right knee.” He chose to compete in the inaugural Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup presented by Community Coffee at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls – and it paid dividends – literally. Brown clocked a 3.4-second time to capture the title in the final-four championship round and pocket $25,000, Sept. 30, the final day of the PRCA regular season. “That was pretty awesome, a lot of fun,” Brown said. “The crowd was just awesome. I’m sure glad I came and now I can rest my knee.” The Baker City, Ore., cowboy was the last contestant in the final four, which gave him a simple game plan. “I knew I had to be faster than 3.7 (Will Lummus’ leading time) that was my mindset,” Brown said. Brown was quick to credit his horsepower. He was riding Curtis Cassidy’s horse, Tyson, the winner of three consecutive PRCA | Nutrena Horse of the Year awards in steer wrestling from 2020-2022. “Curtis Cassidy was awesome, he sent (Tyson) down for me,” Brown said. “Tanner Milan hazed, and that horse is amazing.” Brown, with his huge payday, will move into second place in the PRCA | RAM World Standings and is heading to his fourth consecutive Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Dec. 7-16. On Sept. 30, it was a clean slate for the contestants with the top eight in the aggregate from Rounds 1 and 2 competing. The top four times/scores advanced to a final round and an even bigger payday. The final four round paid $25,000 to first; $19,000 (second); $12,000 (third); and $6,000 (fourth). The run turned Jesse Brown’s world upside down.

Saddle bronc rider Kade Bruno is no stranger to The Challis, Idaho, cowboy won back-to-back NFR Open titles in 2022 and 2023. On Sept. 30, he added another impressive line to his ever-growing resume. Bruno had an 87.5-point ride on Sutton Rodeo’s South Point to win the final-four championship round at the inaugural Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup presented by Community Coffee at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, S.D. Bruno earned $25,000 for the eight-second performance and it pushed him up to third in the PRCA | RAM World Standings with $225,259. “I did battle some injuries early on in the year, but these last two weeks, I got to go home, and I didn’t have much going on and got to feeling better,” said Bruno, 23. “To win $25,000 on the last night is unreal. It put a smile on my face.” South Point has carried riders to the pay window at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and that’s exactly what the standout horse did for Bruno. “I got on her at the Xtreme Broncs Finals (Aug. 20) in Rapid City, S.D., and I was (88.5 points) and what an awesome horse, I was pumped to have her,” he said. Bruno made his Wrangler National Finals Rodeo debut in 2022, finishing 11th in the PRCA | RAM World Standings with $178,505. He earned $40,779 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas and wants to improve on that during his return trip. “This win (in Sioux Falls) gives me a lot of momentum going in and I will have a little time off,” Bruno said. “I’m just going to go home and go hunting and kind of relax and then about November I will get on some practice horses and make sure everything’s feeling good. Then, I will go back to Vegas and see if I can’t do what I couldn’t do last year.” Kade Bruno comes up big in Sioux Falls Roseanna Sales photo Saddle bronc rider Kade Bruno excelled on the big stage winning in Sioux Falls and leaving town with the $25,000 first-place check. performing well on the big stage.

Roseanna Sales photo

Shad Mayfield has always possessed an all-in mentality when he backs in the box before a run. Sometimes it pays dividends, other times you can find yourself empty handed. The final-four showdown round at the Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup in Sioux Falls, S.D., fit Mayfield’s style like a glove. Four of the best ropers in the world going head-to-head with the fastest run taking home a $25,000 first place check. Mayfield was the third cowboy to rope in the short round and delivered a 7.3-second run. With Kincade Henry behind him, he wasn’t sure if his time would hold, but with the way rodeo goes sometimes it does just that. “Coming into that round you just have to see how the field plays out,” said Mayfield, the 2020 PRCA World Champion. “Caleb’s calf got up and he broke the barrier. Westyn (Hughes) made a good run but was a little longer. I knew what I needed to do and just let it fall into place. “I felt like I could’ve made a little better run, but that calf was a little stronger. My horse was awesome, and it worked out. Props to Kincade, he made an awesome run and should’ve won it. His calf got up and that’s just how it is sometimes in rodeo.” Mayfield pocketed $38,750 in Sioux Falls, bumping him up to second in the PRCA | RAM World Standings headed into Las Vegas. His strong 2023 regular season didn’t come without a few bumps in the road. His good horse Rampage went down with an injury, forcing him to find a new mount in the heart of the season. He admitted the stretch wasn’t easy, but them came along a horse named Harry. “Ever since Rampage went down, I was going through so many horses to kind of find a style that fit me. Good horses can be really hard to find,” he said. “I had a tough time this summer. I don’t think I won any money for almost a whole month. Things were pretty tough for a while, but I happened to find this horse named Harry.” Mayfield caps strong season with victory Steer wrestler Jesse Brown, above, put together a stellar performance in Sioux Falls and earned the win with a 3.4-second run in the championship round.

Roseanna Sales photos Shad Mayfield had his skills on full display as he won the Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup with a 7.3-second run in the finals at Denny Sanford Premier Center.

ProRodeo Sports News 10/13/2023

ProRodeo Sports News 10/13/2023

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