ProRodeo Sports News - September 6, 2019

Melvin credits Kennewick win to friends Good Company BY MATT NABER T eam roping isn’t the only event that takes a team effort. A steer wrestler’s run is heavily influenced by his hazer, as Jace Melvin quickly pointed out after winning the Horse Heaven / Kennewick (Wash.) Round-up, Aug. 24. “This happened at the perfect time of the year,” Melvin said. “Two weeks ago, I was TOP SCORES

ALL-AROUND COWBOY Cody Doescher, $4,557, team roping and steer roping BAREBACK RIDING

out here rodeoing to help my partners get down the road and make the Finals and win enough for the big winter rodeos. But the last two weeks have changed my perspective and given me an opportunity with the (ProRodeo) Tour points that I’m hoping to qualify for Puyallup.” The South Dakota cowboy earned $7,422 in Kennewick by winning the first round in 3.7 seconds and tying for fourth in the finals with a 4.4-second run, helping him win the average in 12.5 seconds on three head. Melvin’s Kennewick win came atop Mable, an American Quarter Horse owned by 88 Ranch Performance Horses. “He’s one of the best horses going, and my other travel partner (Dirk Tavenner) did the hazing,” said Melvin, 27. “A lot of things all played into it, and it wasn’t just me, I know that. This is her first year hauling full time, and she’s adapted well to everything.” Melvin also spoke highly of Tavenner’s role in Kennewick. “He hazes really good and has a nice hazing horse with a consistent go and the steers are in the same place every time,” Melvin said. “He takes all of the guessing out of it and lines them out perfectly.” That weekend was exceptionally profitable for Melvin, as he also won $3,176 at the Kitsap Stampede in Bremerton, Wash., Aug. 23. One week before his Kennewick win, Melvin was the co-champion at the Northwest Montana Fair and Rodeo in Kalispell, Mont. “It took a lot of pressure off this week,” Melvin said. “I’m out here to improve and win money and get better and get the experience. I want to end the year on a good note and start next year as strong as ever, but this just gave me some momentum. It just seems to be headed in the right direction.” Melvin jumped from 33rd to 24th in the PRCA | RAMWorld Standings, and as of Sept. 4, he was about $15,000 shy of breaking into the Top 15. Winning Kennewick also pushed Melvin to ninth in the ProRodeo Tour Standings, locking him into a spot at the ProRodeo Tour Finale. “I guess it’s the accumulation of a lot of things happening,” Melvin said. “… I’ve been blessed with great traveling partners. Everyone has a great attitude and it really helped me a lot. They have done a lot for me, and I really appreciate that. I have been healthy and around the right kind of people and right horses, and it’s been a blessed year.”

Doescher

1. Kaycee Feild ................. 174 pts. on 2 2. (Tie) Mason Clements .............. 171.5 Tim O’Connell .......................... 171.5 STEER WRESTLING 1. Jace Melvin ................. 12.5 sec. on 3 2. Tyler Pearson ............................. 12.9 3. Cody Devers ............................... 13.2 TEAM ROPING 1. E. Rogers/P. Bray ........ 17.3 sec. on 3 2. K. Driggers/J. Nogueira .............. 17.4 3. T. Smith/A. Carlson .................... 17.6 SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Brody Cress ................. 169 pts. on 2 2. Isaac Diaz .................................... 167 3. Two tied at ............................... 163.5 TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Justin Smith ............... 25.0 sec. on 3 2. Jason Minor ............................... 26.3 3. Two tied at ................................. 26.9 BARREL RACING 1. C. Wimberley ............ 34.71 sec. on 2 2. Dona Kay Rule ......................... 34.90 3. Mary Walker ............................. 35.00 STEER ROPING 1. Tom Sorey .................. 27.5 sec. on 2 2. Caleb McMillan .......................... 32.6 3. Cody Doescher ........................... 34.9 BULL RIDING 1. Eli Vastbinder ............ 170.5 pts. on 2 2. Jordan Spears ............................. 165 3. Garrett Tribble .................... 90.5 on 1

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ProRodeo Sports News 9/6/2019

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