ProRodeo Sports News - Sept.15, 2023

SHORT ROUND

Star bull rider Mauney forced to retire after injury Retirement

T he superstar career of bull rider JB Mauney is over. Mauney, arguably one of the best bull riders of all time, told the ProRodeo Sports News on Sept. 12 that his bull riding career is over as a result of neck surgery he had Sept. 8. Mauney broke his neck when he was bucked off by Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics’ Arctic Assassin on Sept. 6 during the Lewiston (Idaho) Round-Up Division 2 Xtreme Bulls event. “I had surgery (Sept. 8) and they put a rod in and plates and screws (in his neck), and took a disc out,” said Mauney, 36. “Unfortunately the surgery has ended my bull riding career.” Mauney, who is one of the most popular bull riders ever, qualified for his lone Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in 2021. His top highlight at the NFR was splitting the Round 1 win with an 87.5-point ride on Painted Pony Championship Rodeo’s Cocktail Diarrhea on Dec. 2 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. “(This) is not the way I wanted to go out but everything happens for a reason,” Mauney said. A year ago, bareback rider Keenan Hayes was a star on his PRCA permit, earning $81,128 in the PRCA | RAM Rodeo Permit Standings – a record for most money won on a PRCA permit in one year. The Hayden, Colo., proved that was no fluke. In 2023, as a Resistol Rookie, Hayes set the single-season earnings record in bareback riding – before the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo – with $237,546 as of Sept. 14, to lead the PRCA | RAM World Standings. The record was $233,504 set by Clint Cannon in 2009.

Andre Silva photo Bull rider JB Mauney, who made his lone appearance at the Wrangler NFR in 2021, had his career come to an end after breaking his neck on Sept. 6 in Lewiston, Idaho.

Hayes sets bareback earnings record

had in Vegas for four years and I got to meet him and he kind of got me started in my career.” This season has been amazing for Hayes. He’s won 15 rodeos, including Rodeo Austin (Texas), the San Angelo (Texas) Cinch Chute-Out and the NFR Open powered by RAM in Colorado Springs, Colo. “I found out on permit that I could ride with these guys (in the PRCA) and everywhere I go I expect to win, but I didn’t expect it to go this well,” Hayes said

Hayes

“It’s pretty cool to get that record,” said Hayes, 20. “I grew up watching Clint when I was younger, and I started going to his Mini Bareback Riding events and I competed at the one he

With the PRCA regular season concluding Sept. 30, Hayes has his mind on making his Wrangler NFR debut, Dec. 7-16 in Las Vegas.

ProRodeo Sports News 9/15/2023

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