ProRodeo Sports News - October 16, 2020

RAM CALIFORNIA CIRCUIT FINALS RODEO

Permit holder wins title in sixth rodeo Quick Study BY TRACY RENCK I t didn’t take long for permit holder Karson Mebane to celebrate his first PRCA victory. In his sixth career ProRodeo competition, the saddle bronc

TOP MONEY WINNER Taylor Santos, tie-down roping, $4,237 BAREBACK RIDING TOP SCORES

rider from Bakersfield, Calif., won the two-head average with 168.5 points at the RAMCalifornia Circuit Finals Rodeo in Red Bluff, Oct. 10. “It was pretty wild,” said Mebane, 20. “I had never been to Red Bluff before, and it was awesome to get to compete at (Frank Moore Arena). My nerves were probably better because there wasn’t a huge crowd there. It was tough to go to rodeos this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was great just to get to compete at a circuit finals and especially win.” In the first round, Mebane had an 81-point ride on Bridwell Pro Rodeos’ Beaver Bend to split second. The final round was an eight-second trip Mebane won’t soon forget. He had a career-best 87.5-point ride on Four Star Rodeo’s WatchThis to win the final round and the average. “The ride on Beaver Bend was nice and easy,” Mebane said. “She jumped and kicked underneath me, and she had a lot of hang time. My ride onWatchThis was a little more difficult. I heard about that horse, and it was supposed to take a little scoot and stay in one spot and buck. “She took that little scoot right out of there, but when she broke, she jumped to the right and tipped me into my left stirrup. It was a knife fight to get back into the right stirrup and just keep my feet rolling. It was a lot of fun and that horse really bucked.” Mebane was the last guy to ride, so when he saw the numbers on the scoreboard he was elated. “I couldn’t believe it,” said Mebane, who earned $3,993. “I’ve seen all these guys ride and I’ve looked up to them all, and I couldn’t believe I just accomplished something like that. It was a great feeling.” When Mebane isn’t competing on the PRCA circuit, he attends Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo, Calif., and competes on the rodeo team. Mebane is majoring in agricultural systems management. “It a hybrid of ag engineering and ag business,” Mebane said. “… I would really like to work with water systems. I’m getting my minor in ag business. “I’m going to finish school. I have two years left and might do the master’s program here at Cal Poly and keep rodeoing in college. When the time comes and I’m out of college eligibility I would love to make a run at the (Wrangler) NFR and see if I have what it takes.” Mebane’s family runs a cattle ranch in Bakersfield, but he didn’t get involved with rodeo until high school. “I started out team roping as a heeler, and I thought it was something we did on the ranch and I really got into,” Mebane said. “My sophomore year of high school I started riding broncs and I fell in love with it.” Mebane is thrilled to have the opportunity to compete at the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Kissimmee, Fla., April 9-10. “I’ve never been to Florida, and I haven’t thought about the actual experience yet, but being able to be at that level with guys who have competed at the NFR and horses that have been to the NFR is something I’m excited for,” Mebane said. “I have to put the work in from here until then and keep my head on straight while I’m there. If I do those things, I think I can do pretty well.”

Santos

1. Zack Brown .................. 160 pts. on 2 2. Tre Hosley ................................... 156 3. Lucas Samaniego ........................ 128 STEER WRESTLING 1. Dakota Eldridge .......... 10.8 sec. on 2 2. Taite Stickler .............................. 12.6 3. Bear Pascoe ............................... 20.7 TEAM ROPING 1. Reed/Shawnego .......... 12.3 sec. on 2 2. P. Boyle/J. Hixon ................. 12.9 sec. 3. B. Hirdes/W. Harrison ................ 13.0 SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Karson Mebane ......... 168.5 pts. on 2 2. Tim Ditrich .................................. 165 3. Reed Neely ............................... 156.5 TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Taylor Santos .............. 17.7 sec. on 2 2. Colton Farquer ........................... 18.7 3. D.J. Parker ................................. 19.6 BARREL RACING 1. Kathy Petska ............. 35.94 sec. on 2 2. Katie Pascoe ............................ 35.95 (Tie) Erin Ricotti ....................... 35.95 BULL RIDING 1. Jake Peterson ................. 85 pts. on 1 2. Garrett Crist .................................. 79 3. Dalton Shepard ............................. 78

Complete results/Page 50

ProRodeo Sports News 10/16/2020

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