ProRodeo Sports News - October 27, 2023

WACO, TEXAS

RAM TEXAS CIRCUIT FINALS

Brotherly Love

Kade Berry alongside Leighton advance to 2024 NFR Open BY JOLEE JORDAN, Special to ProRodeo Sports News T he name Berry is almost synonymous with bareback riding in the Texas Circuit. And while all eyes may have been on three-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier Leighton during the 2023 RAM Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo held in Waco on Oct. 10-13, it was little brother Kade who swept in and stole the headlines, capturing the four head average win with 333.5 points to earn $8,848. The Berrys live in Weatherford and grew up in rodeo, watching their dad, Kirby, make trip after trip to the circuit finals and come very close to the NFR too. Despite the early exposure, Kirby’s youngest child Kade wasn’t completely convinced that the rough and tumble bareback riding was for him, deciding not to pick up the sport until the age of 16. “I was pretty hit or miss on what I wanted to do,” Kade, 20, admitted. “I played every sport and was in and out of stuff.” Once he tried it, he was hooked and just a handful of years later, Kade competed on his ProRodeo permit during the 2023 season and made his second circuit finals. “This was my first real year of rodeoing,” Kade said, noting he traveled with a fellow permit holder during the season. “We went to eighty rodeos, went to the Northwest, up to the northern states. From June through Pendleton, we stayed out.” Kade finished the season as the top ranked permit holder, winning $37,262. Along the way, he made the finals in San Antonio, won a go round in Ellensburg, and made notes to be used during his rookie season in 2024. “I learned a lot of things that will be super beneficial going forward,” he said, adding he relied on lots of brotherly advice. “I can’t wait to apply those lessons and go for the rookie title and hopefully, get to the NFR.” But don’t think the gratitude precludes a desire to beat his older brother once the chute latch cracks. That was evident in Waco, where Leighton came in as the season leader. In fact, over the first three rounds, it was the older Berry in the spotlight, carrying the average lead into the final round on Friday the 13th. Meanwhile, Kade was out of the money on the first two. “I had a good horse in the first go but I definitely made a mistake but was able to finish good,” he said of the opening round 80 that split sixth. He went one point better in round two. “That second horse, You Never Know from Andrews, she tried more and had some stuff to her. “I was just out of the payoff on those two. I knew I needed to turn things up to get into the average and I had a good talk with God before the third go.” Call it divine influence. Drawing Hell of a Night from the Pickett Pro Rodeo for his round three partner, Kade spurred his way to a round win at 85 points. “That horse did his deal like always and we got the round win.” Well aware of the level of competition, Kade went into the final round ranked fourth, trailing his big brother by three points. In fact, only five points separated the top eight riders, meaning the fourth horse would be the deciding factor. In the final round, Kade rode New Star Rodeo’s Chosen One for 87.5 points for his second straight round win.

TOP SCORES

TOP MONEY EARNER Cody Teel ($10,964, bull riding) BAREBACK RIDING

Teel

1. Kade Berry ................ 333.5 pts. on 4 2. Cole Reiner ................................. 332 3. Chad Rutherford ......................... 328 STEER WRESTLING 1. Justin Shaffer ............. 15.7 sec. on 4 2. Cade Staton ............................... 16.4 3. Don Payne ................................. 26.7 TEAM ROPING 1. Egusquiza Jr./Arnold ... 25.2 sec. on 4 2. M. Profili/M. Profili .................... 28.1 3. P. Emmett/B. Ray ....................... 30.0 SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Sterling Crawley ....... 330.5 pts. on 4 2. Logan Cook ................................ 326 3. Isaac Diaz ................................... 317 (Tie) Brandon Lansford ................ 317 TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. John Douch ................ 32.2 sec. on 4 2. Shad Mayfield ............................ 32.9 3. Marcos Costa ............................. 36.6 STEER ROPING 1. Slade Wood ................ 42.3 sec. on 3 2. Ryan Willberg ............................ 44.3 3. Vin Fisher Jr. .............................. 45.6 BULL RIDING 1. Cody Teel ..................... 255 pts. on 3 2. Alex Cardoza .................... 173.5 on 2 3. Taylor Toves .................................. 89

Complete results/Page 56

James Phifer photo Bareback rider Kade Berry, the younger brother of three-time NFR qualifier Leighton Berry, stole the spotlight at the RAM Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo, winning the average and earning $8,848.

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