ProRodeo Sports News - Dec. 21, 2018

STEER WRESTLING AVERAGE WINNER

Steer wrestler Tyler Waguespack, right, had a 5.1-second time with the help of his hazer Tyler Pearson in Round 9. Waguespack placed in six rounds. PRCA ProRodeo photo by Billie-Jean Duff

Waguespack doubles up with average title

BY TRACY RENCK I f Tyler Waguespack had any chance of moving up from 10th place in the 2018 PRCA | RAMWorld Standings, he was going to have to excel in the average at the 2018Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. He did. The Gonzales, La., cowboy placed in six rounds, including winning Rounds 1 and 8, to claim the average title with a 44.5-second time on 10 head. That stellar performance also nettedWaguespack his second career steer wrestling world championship. “You know, man, I think Trevor Brazile said it the best, he described the NFR as a marathon and it’s a marathon you have to sprint 10 nights in a row,” Waguespack said. Waguespack, a four-time qualifier for the Wrangler NFR (2015-18), won his first career world and average titles in 2016. “I’m going to keep my first (gold buckle), and I’m pretty sure I’m going to see if my dad (Michael) will wear the second one,” Waguespack said. “I know I want to get as many of these gold buckles as I can get.” The most recent sparkling Wrangler NFR outing for Waguespack was cause for a triple celebration, as he married barrel racer Sarah Rose McDonald in November. He and his wife are planning to honeymoon in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., in January. “These were great wedding gifts,” Waguespack said about his world and average championships. Waguespack started on a heater at the Wrangler NFR, winning Round 1 with a 3.6-second run. It was the third year in a row he won Round 1 at the

Wrangler NFR. Waguespack split Round 1 in 2016 with a 3.8-second run, and he won it outright in 2017 with a 3.5-second run. “Man, that is awesome and that is the round where you want to get things started with and get everything going,” Waguespack said. “I’ve been lucky enough to do it the last three times.” That start fueled more success for Waguespack, as he split fifth in Round 2 (4.2 seconds), took second in Round 5 (3.5 seconds), split third in Rounds 6 (4.1 seconds) and 7 (3.7 seconds), and captured the victory in Round 8 with a 3.7-second effort. For Round 8, Waguespack had the same steer Tyler Pearson won Round 2 on in 3.8-seconds. “I was very pleased with the draw,” Waguespack said. “That steer I didn’t think was going to leave as sharp as the rest of them in the herd, and it is impressive on Scooter’s part because we have been taking really, really sharp starts all week long. He let me back off it just enough to get a decent start on that steer and make a great run on him.” Scooter is the reigning two-time steer wrestling PRCA | AQHAHorse of the Year. The horse is owned by Waguespack’s traveling partners – Pearson and Kyle Irwin. “It is just incredible to get to ride Scooter,”Waguespack said. “It gives you a lot of confidence knowing you’re riding the best animal there is in that event. He makes my job that much easier. I knew that steer (in Round 1) was going to leave and run pretty sharp and be good on the ground, but luckily, we had a lot of horsepower underneath us. Scooter was able to run him down and I was able to get my feet on the ground in a great spot. Scooter gave his all every time. You can’t ask for a horse to try any harder or have any more heart than he did.”

ProRodeo Sports News 12/21/2018

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