ProRodeo Sports News - October 2, 2020

WRANGLER NFR QUALIFIERS

Cowboys prepare for NFR debuts Finally a First Hailey Rae photo Competing at places such as the Wolf Point (Mont.) Wild Horse Stampede in July helped Australian bareback rider Jamie Howlett qualify for his first Wrangler NFR.

their labor. That hard work has several cowboys set to make their Wrangler NFR debuts at Globe Life Arena in Arlington, Texas. “To be honest, I didn’t want to worry about it

BY MATT NABER A first-time qualification to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo is hard enough during a normal season, but 2020 was anything but ordinary. Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ProRodeo world was plagued with uncertainty. Nobody knew if next week’s rodeos or the next month’s rodeos would be held, so the fate of the 2020Wrangler NFR was up in the air for several months. Despite all that, ProRodeo athletes chugged along in hopes that the Top 15 in the PRCA | RAMWorld Standings would enjoy the fruits of

in case they weren’t going to have the Finals,” said Australian bareback rider Jamie Howlett, one of this year’s NFR first-timers. “When they announced Texas, it hit, and I’m stoked about it but bummed my parents can’t come over for it. It’ll really hit me when I get into the chutes and ammaking a go at the gold buckle at the NFR.” YEARS IN THE MAKING In his eighth year of ProRodeo competition, team roping header AndrewWard is set to make his NFR debut with his partner and brother- in-law, Buddy Hawkins II. The ropers became in-laws in 2019 when they

ProRodeo Sports News 10/2/2020

ProRodeo.com

44