ProRodeo Sports News - Sept.15, 2023

EDITOR’S LETTER TRACY RENCK

Tracy Renck is the editor of the ProRodeo

Sports News. He previously served more than seven years as a media coordinator at the PRCA. He has three decades of experience in sports journalism with the last several consumed by ProRodeo.

David Thomas photo Trevor Hale earned money at the Cinch Playoffs, but just missed advancing to Sioux Falls, S.D., as he finished fifth in the finals by one-tenth of a second. Hale is now in a mad scramble to make the Wrangler NFR.

Trip to Northwest full of thrills, spills, joy, heartbreak A fter taking a trip to the Northwest, I feel like I could write a country song. At the Cinch Playoffs in Puyallup, Wash., Sept. 7-10, and the Pendleton Whisky Xtreme Bulls Finale, Sept. 11-12 in Pendleton, Ore., there were plenty of thrills, spills, joy and heartbreak. The Cinch Playoffs in Puyallup paid out $648,000, which was incentive enough for contestants. However, there was more at stake than just winning at the Washington State Fair Pro Rodeo in Puyallup. Tie-down roper Trevor Hale experienced heartbreak in Puyallup. He came to the Cinch Playoffs 22nd in the PRCA | RAM World Standings with $79,228. He was just over $17,000 behind Michael Otero, who was in the coveted No. 15 spot. Hale, who is chasing his first Wrangler NFR qualification, won the second performance in Puyallup and pocketed $3,350. That put him in the eight-man semifinal round with the top four moving on to the four-man sudden death finals and more importantly to Sioux Falls.

In the semis, Hale made a solid 8.2-second run and then had to wait and see if that would advance him. As Hale, 21, paced around by the tie down ropers’ box, the tension on his face was obvious. Then, in seemingly in the blink of an eye, his Wrangler NFR bid and a trip to Sioux Falls both took a hit. He finished fifth in the round just one tenth of a second behind four-time PRCA World Champion Tie-Down Roper Caleb Smidt. Hale’s disappointment was heartbreaking to see. Following Puyallup, it was on to Pendleton, a place I had never been. I will say this about Pendleton that city knows how to put on an Xtreme Bulls event and obviously a rodeo. The two days of the Pendleton Whisky Xtreme Bulls Tour Finale had 5,000 fans each night. Then, just like a script out of Hollywood, PRCA’s biggest star Stetson Wright, on the last ride of the event, had an 89-point ride on Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics’ Bouchon to secure the Pendleton Whisky Xtreme Bulls title. It was a fitting end to a memorable trip and a true sample size of the emotional roller-coaster ride PRCA contestants experience as they chase glory at the Wrangler NFR.

The top four finishers from each event at the Playoffs in Puyallup, and the top eight out of the standings of the Playoff Series presented by Pendleton Whisky advanced to Sioux Falls, S.D., Sept. 28-30. Last September, the PRCA, the State of South Dakota, Experience Sioux Falls and Cinch announced the Cinch Playoffs will have athletes competing for the Governor’s Cup and vying for the $1.1 million purse. The winners – and the top four finishers in each event in Puyallup – need to be applauded. That was a big pay day and sent them to an even bigger payday in Sioux Falls. It was cool to see the excitement on the faces of winners like bareback rider Jayco Roper and saddle bronc rider Ryder Sanford. These two young cowboys – with their success in Puyallup – put themselves in great positions to make their respective Wrangler NFR debuts in December. Not lost in the joy of the qualifiers is the agony of defeat for those who just missed out on making it into Sioux Falls. For some of those competitors it likely spelled the end of their chances to make the 2023 NFR. The pain was obvious.

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ProRodeo Sports News 9/15/2023

ProRodeo.com

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