ProRodeo sporst News - October 15, 2021

COWBOY PREPARATION

NFR Cowboys working out to be ready for Vegas in December Staying in Shape PRCA ProRodeo photo by Clay Guardipee Bull rider Trey Benton III competes at the RAM NCFR in April in Kissimmee, Fla. Benton, 30, is preparing for his seventh Wrangler NFR.

BY JOLEE JORDAN Special to ProRodeo Sports News T he ProRodeo regular season ends Sept. 30 . . . and begins again Oct. 1. Despite a slower schedule through November and December, a cowboy or cowgirl can rodeo 12 months of the year if they have the drive and desire to do so. For cowboys who finish inside the Top 15 of the PRCA | RAM World Standings – particularly those in the three rough stock events, Sept. 30 marks the end of the race to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, an undoubtably long, physically demanding campaign. Oct. 1 marks the start of the 63-day prep period for rodeo’s most grueling 10 days and every rodeo athlete has his own take on the best way to be ready. Bull rider Trey Benton III has been through this drill before – 2021 will mark his seventh trip to the NFR; he qualified in the No. 10 spot with $98,792 won this year.

At 30 years old, Benton’s life has changed since he first went to Vegas as a rookie in 2012 and those changes have brought a new perspective. “The first few rodeos for 2022 (in early October), I found I was burned out and didn’t really want to go,” he said. “That didn’t used to happen, it’s changed now that I have a family.” Benton’s son Quade with wife Reba is just over a year old. “Rodeo doesn’t really have an offseason like all the other major sports,” Benton said. “So, I just took three weeks off, kind of freshen up to make it fun again.” Benton enjoys roping and riding young horses. After taking his October break, he usually gets back to the grind, including working out and getting on practice bulls. “Boudreaux (Campbell, a fellow NFR bull rider), and I usually get

ProRodeo Sports News 10/15/2021

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