PublicationProRodeo Sports News - February 22, 2019

SOUTHWESTERN EXPO & LIVESTOCK SHOW

Team roping header Adam Rose, right, and heeler Jett Hillman won the average in 16.3 seconds on three head in Fort Worth. James Phifer photo

STEERWRESTLERS SPLITWIN Stephen Culling and Josh Clark shared the steer wrestling victory, tying in the average with 12.5-second times on three head. “I’ve been a handful of times to Fort Worth, but I had never had a whole lot of luck there,” said Culling. “This win sets the pace for the year and lights a fire under a guy and gets you pretty excited. I’ve never come out of the winter with a hit like that before.” Clark pocketed $14,590 and Culling earned $14,535. The win helped Clark move into first in the Feb. 20 PRCA | RAMWorld Standings with $21,123 and Culling was sixth with $18,594. Clark and Culling are both aiming to make the Wrangler NFR for the first time. Culling won the second round in Fort Worth with a 3.3-second run. Justin Shaffer clocked a 3.1-second time in the final round in Fort Worth,

Feb. 9, setting the final Will Rogers Coliseum steer wrestling record. The previous record was 3.2 seconds, shared by ProRodeo Hall of Famer Byron Walker (1981); Lee Laskosky (1997); Stephen Canik (1998) and Beau Clark (2012). ROSE/HILLMAN CLASS OFTEAM ROPING FIELD The partnership of team roping header Adam Rose and heeler Jett Hillman paid dividends in Fort Worth. The duo won the average with a 16.3-second time on three head. They each earned $8,646. The payday helped Rose climb from 167th to 21st in the standings. Hillman jumped from 56th to 12th. “It’s always nice to win,” Hillman said. “I’m pretty excited about what is

yet to come. We had some luck and we’ve made the effort to practice together. Adam and I get along really well. He’s my kind of guy.” STERLING CRAWLEYVICTORIOUS Texas saddle bronc rider Sterling Crawley won his first Fort Worth average buckle. Born in Ennis, Texas, and now a resident of Stephenville, Texas, Crawley is a five-time qualifier for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (2012-13, 2016-18) and has amassed a treasure trove of trophy buckles since joining the PRCA in 2010. But one of the biggest rodeos in his home state had eluded him for nearly a decade. “This is one of the ones on my bucket list, and to win it at the last year in this building is awesome,” Crawley said. The win was more special because Fort Worth’s rodeo is moving to the new, 14,000- seat Dickies Arena, which is slated to open in November. “I’ve been coming here since I was in junior high, and I’ve won money here a few times but was never close to winning it,” Crawley said. “It’s real awesome because my brother (Jacobs Crawley) won it last year and it’s the last year here in the building, and it’s been here since 1944.”

Steer wrestler Stephen Culling (pictured) tied Josh Clark for the average win, as both bulldoggers posted a time of 12.5 seconds on three head. James Phifer photo

ProRodeo Sports News 2/22/2019

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