ProRodeo Sports News - October 29, 2021

REDMOND, ORE.

RAM COLUMBIA CIRCUIT FINALS RODEO

Home Cookin’ BY JOLEE JORDAN, Special to ProRodeo Sports News E ven in rodeo, home-field advantage is a thing. As proof, look no further than Austin Foss’ success over the years at the RAM Columbia River Circuit Finals Rodeo in Redmond, Ore. Already a several time winner of the season ending championship for rodeos in Oregon andWashington, Foss added

BRUNO SOARS Saddle bronc rider Kade Bruno dominated the RAM CRCFR, winning second in the first two rounds before sealing the average win with a monster 90-point ride on Big Bend Rodeo’s Wrangler NFR horse Major Huckleberry in the third go. Bruno collected $6,507 to also cinch the year-end championship.

Austin Foss doubles up in Redmond for

bareback riding title

TOP SCORES

ALL-AROUND COWBOY TOP MONEY WINNER Brady Portenier ($7,169, bull riding) BAREBACK RIDING

another victory on Oct. 23, after posting 237.5 points on three horses. He collected $4,790, enough to help him clinch his second year-end title for the Columbia River Circuit as well. “I actually graduated high school in that building,” Foss said with a laugh of the First Interstate Bank Center. He grew up, and still lives, in Terrebonne, just 10 minutes away. “It was great to get to sleep in your own bed each night.” The RAMColumbia River CFR was staged in Hermiston, Ore., last season and had been in Yakima, Wash., for a few years prior to that. Foss was happy to have it back to its long-time home in Central Oregon. “The entire atmosphere was so amazing. You knew a good time was back in town,” Foss said. “I’d love to see it there forever, it’s a great venue. The people behind the scenes worked so hard to bring it back.” The four-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo bareback rider got on a trio of seasoned bucking horses en route to his victory. He had a 75-point ride in the opening round aboard Corey & Lange’s Unlucky, the only round in which he failed to earn a check. Things got rolling in round two when he rode Big Bend’s Moon Shadow to 79.5 points to take second place. “I’ve been on Moon Shadow several times . . . I won Othello (Wash.) and placed several times on that horse over the years. He’s a nice one.” In the final round, Foss drew another familiar foe in Big Bend Rodeo’s Dunny. “(Rodeo announcer) Steve Kenyon asked me if I knew that horse prior to the final round and I told him, we went to college together because I’ve been getting on him since I was in college!” Foss said. Calling him “buckier than most,” Foss had an 83-point ride to win the final round, his highest score aboard the horse. He captured the average over 2020 winner Trenten Montero by a point and a half. The win sends Foss to the recently announced NFR Open powered by RAM, formerly known as the National Circuit Finals Rodeo, to compete in Colorado Springs, Colo., in July for a share of the $1 million total payout. “It’s good, all the money that’s there,” he said. “It’s closer for me to drive which is good. I don’t fly much anymore.” Foss finished the 2021 season 28th in the PRCA | RAMWorld Standings after battling herniated discs in his back which plagued the latter half of his season. “It was pretty painful,” Foss said. “I got some shots in mid-August, took some time off.” The rest allowed him to return strong, winning Lakeview (Ore.) and sharing the win at the Washington State Fair Pro Rodeo in Puyallup down the stretch before the circuit finals win.

Portenier

1. Austin Foss ............... 237.5 pts. on 3 2. Trenten Montero .......................... 236 3. Payton Wright ............................. 226 STEER WRESTLING 1. Dalton Massey ............ 12.8 sec. on 3 2. Jesse Brown ............................... 13.0 3. Cody Cabral ................................ 13.4 TEAM ROPING 1. J. Flenniken/J. Minor ... 16.7 sec. on 3 2. G. Rogers/R. Cardoza ................. 19.2 3. J. Stanley/B. Campbell ............... 35.5 SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Kade Bruno .................. 252 pts. on 3 2. Jack Bentz ................................ 215.5 3. Jesse James Kirby .............. 168 on 2 TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Jordan Tye .................. 30.5 sec. on 3 2. Seth Hopper ............................... 30.9 3. Jeff Coelho ................................. 32.0 BULL RIDING 1. Brady Portenier ......... 246.5 pts. on 3 2. Ruger Piva ....................... 163.5 on 2 3. Jake Davis ................................ 144.5 ALL-AROUND Jason Minor ($2,237, tie down roping and team roping).

Complete results/Page 55

Kent Soule photo Bareback rider Austin Foss had a 79.5-point ride on Big Bend Rodeo’s Moon Shadow. The ride helped him win the average at the RAM Columbia River Circuit Finals Rodeo with 237.5 points on three head.

ProRodeo Sports News 10/29/2021

ProRodeo Sports News 10/29/2021

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