ProRodeo Sports News - October 30, 2020

DUNCAN, OKLA.

Jacob Edler replicates run to win steer wrestling Prairie Dog BY MATT NABER S teer wrestler Jacob Edler struck the RAMPrairie Circuit Finals Rodeo like quickly and aggressively, winning both rounds with back-to-back 4.0-second runs. TOP MONEY WINNER TOP SCORES Shadbolt

Saddle bronc rider Garrett Shadbolt, $5,616 BAREBACK RIDING

“Guys who have made the NFR were there with their NFR horses, and you had to be at the top of your game to do well in Duncan (Okla.),” said Edler, 26. “I was pretty happy about it, and all the stars just lined up and I got to be four (seconds) flat twice.” Edler was quick to credit his success to his mount, Ditto – Clayton Moore’s horse – and hazer Matt Reeves. “She’s the right horse everywhere,” Edler said, adding that he won Prescott, Ariz., on her during the summer. “She runs right up and finds cattle so well and makes my job easy.” In eight seconds, Edler won $5,898, which is about 12.9% of his total earnings for 2020. The Iowa cowboy is set up for a marathon of first-time experiences in the coming months, including his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in December and his first RAMNational Circuit Finals Rodeo in April. “The Prairie Circuit Finals felt like a nice little pre-NFR warm up since nine of the 12 steer wrestlers were either going to the NFR or had been at the NFR,” Edler said. “I’m really excited for that (RAMNCFR) since I’ve never done it before and it’s an opportunity to win more money for the 2021 world standings.” Edler ended the 2020 regular season ninth in the PRCA | RAMWorld Standings with $45,607, pushing his total career earnings to $225,065. Edler’s been ascending the ProRodeo mountain since his rookie year in 2013 and finally broke into the top 30 in 2019 thanks to winning the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo in Colorado Springs, Colo. “I’ve worked a lot of years to finally get to this point, and it feels good that my hard work paid off and I have the opportunity to go to the NFR this year,” Edler said. Making his Wrangler NFR debut has helped lay the groundwork for a successful 2021 season. “I feel confident; I know I’m ready and Ditto is ready to ride at the Finals,” Edler said. Central Iowa isn’t exactly a hotbed of rodeo action, but Edler’s neighbors were into tie-down roping and steer wrestling and helped the aspiring cowboy grow into the sport. “It was a long and frustrating journey up until this point, but with enough hard work you can get where you’re going and make it happen,” Edler said. Edler carried that into college, competing on the rodeo team for Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva. “I wasn’t fast enough to be really competitive in calf roping and didn’t have enough money and wasn’t pretty enough either,” Edler laughed. “I’ve just always loved bulldogging, so I stuck with that and had the opportunity to get on some great horses like Ditto. I get to rodeo with some great guys and great horses and don’t need to have the initial investment of horses and trailers.”

1. Garrett Shadbolt ........... 163 pts. on 2 2. Blaine Kaufman ........................ 157.5 3. Will Martin .................................. 156 STEER WRESTLING 1. Jacob Edler ................... 8.0 sec. on 2 2. Tanner Brunner ............................ 8.5 3. Riley Duvall ................................ 10.7 TEAM ROPING 1. J. Clay/B. Crites ............ 9.1 sec. on 2 2. B. Buckaloo/J. Harrison ............... 9.3 3. C. Kirchner/A. Rogers .................. 9.7 SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Jake Finlay ................... 169 pts. on 2 2. Colt Gordon ............................. 164.5 3. Tyrel Larsen ................................ 164 TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Hunter Herrin .............. 16.9 sec. on 2 2. Blake Deckard ............................ 17.3 3. Will Howell ................................. 18.6 STEER ROPING 1. Chet Herren ................ 37.7 sec. on 3 2. Trenton Johnson ........................ 38.3 3. Rocky Patterson ......................... 40.6 BULL RIDING 1. Trevor Kastner .............. 169 pts. on 2 2. Colton Byram .............................. 161 3. Creek Young ....................... 79.5 on 1 ALL-AROUND COWBOY Blake Deckard, $4,725 tie-down roping and steer roping

Dale Hirschman photo

Complete results/Page 58

ProRodeo Sports News 10/30/2020

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