ProRodeo Sports News - October 30, 2020

TEAM ROPING HEADING RK TUFF TRINKET “BOB ”

TEAM ROPING HEELING (TIE) LEOS HIGHBROW “SUG” Key 2020 Accomplishments: Won the Gold Buckle Beer ProRodeo Tour Finale Why the horse is great: Proof that good things come in small packages, this 15-year-old is a mere 14.2 hands tall and tips the scales at 1,100 pounds but has competed at the NFR multiple times, first with Travis Woodard in 2015 and then with Brady in 2017-19. Sug is Brady’s third horse to win the award, following CDS Quixote “Dugout” in 2011 and Rey Shines on Top “Rey” in 2014-15. In 2020, Sug took Keely Bonnett to the top of the average at the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Greeley, Colo., and Clay Futrell to the winners’ circle at the Cascade Shoot Out in Redmond, Ore. Hear it from Brady: “I’ve been pretty fortunate to ride good horses my whole career, and everyone asks how, and I always say, ‘The first two were luck and this one I paid a lot of money for.’ I bought him from Travis Woodard after (I won) The American on him, and he’s been good for a few years now. I’ve won more than $600,000 with him. He’s just good at everything and nothing really bothers him. If you need to be 4.0, he can be 4-flat, and if you need to be 8-flat, he can kick around and be 8-flat. He’s just versatile and an easy keeper. He’s 15 but feels younger, he’s young spirited and has a lot of energy.” Key 2020 Accomplishments: Won the Oakley Independence Day Rodeo in Oakley City, Utah; earned $16,375 at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo and $4,760 at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo Why the horse is great: Drago’s small stature of 14.2 hands and 1,050 pounds hasn’t held him back. Medlin bought Drago, 11, from Rusty and Niki Henard in New Mexico in 2015 and the two have grown as ProRodeo athletes together. Although Drago can be grouchy at times, he’s actually gentle and has been an easy keeper during his ProRodeo career. He adjusts well to whatever setting he’s competing in, from smaller rodeos on up to Houston, Cheyenne and The American in Arlington, Texas. Hear it from Logan: “He’s had a huge impact on my ProRodeo career. We’ve kind of grown together since I was pretty green too when I got him, and we got seasoned along with each other and now here we are a little more solid. Pretty much anything I’ve won, nine times out of 10 it’s been on him. I’ve had quite a few guys ride him over the last few years, and if someone asks to get on your horse, they’d have to be easy to ride otherwise guys wouldn’t ask to jump on him without practicing. There are so many good heel horses out there it’s hard to expect to win it, so to make the top 3 would be cool, but for him to win it exceeded my expectations.” Owner: Riley Minor Riders: Riley Minor Key 2020 Accomplishments: Won the ProRodeo Tour Finale and earned $4,126 at the Oakley Independence Day Rodeo in Oakley City, Utah Why the horse is great: This is Bob’s second time winning the award and the fifth time the Minor family has won it. But 2020 is the first time that brothers Riley and Brady have won it in the same year. Bob, 19, is an American Quarter Horse gelding that’s 15.1 hands tall, weighs 1,250 pounds and carries a solid reputation of being versatile and dependable. Purchased from Bob Moriarty near Selah, Wash., in 2013, Bob has proven himself in tight setups such as the Thomas & Mack Center during the NFR as well as wide-open ones like Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days. Hear it from Riley: “We’ve been lucky and had some good ones. Brady has had three horses win Horse of the Year, and now Bob has won it twice. There’s a lot of good horses out there, and he’s good in a lot of different situations, tries hard every time and that’s a big deal. It’s a long season and it’s hard on the horses, but he’s pretty tough. He’s been around a while and solid in almost every situation. With the grit and toughness he has, it reminds you of a war horse. Other horses get sore and tired, and he’s one of a kind where you can ride him throughout the year. TEAM ROPING HEELING (TIE) NITA WIN PLAYBOY “DRAGO” Owner: Logan Medlin Riders: Logan Medlin Owner: Brady Minor Riders: Brady Minor

Jackie Jensen photo

Kirt Steinke photo

James Fain photo

ProRodeo Sports News 10/30/2020

ProRodeo.com

53