PublicationProRodeo Sports News - February 22, 2019

GRILLE COWBOY

HAVENMEGED, a 21-year-old fromMiles City, Mont., is in the midst of his PRCA rookie season. He’s leading the Feb. 20 PRCA | Resistol Rookie Standings in tie-down roping with $9,454. Meged is balancing a full-time PRCA career while competing in his first year at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas, as a junior. Meged has lofty expectations for his rookie season and college campaign.

WITH TRACY RENCK PSN

You competed on your PRCA permit for two years. What is your plan since you bought your PRCA card in September? Haven: My plan is to try and win Rookie of the Year and qualify for the NFR. I’m going to go full time and see what I can do. Where did you attend college before Tarleton State?

Haven: I went to Western Oklahoma State in Altus my first two years. I graduated with an associate’s degree in animal science. I qualified for the College Nationals Finals Rodeo in Casper (Wyo.) and finished 10th overall in (tie- down) roping. I also team rope as a header and steer wrestle in college rodeos. My main event is tie-down roping, and I would like to win the College National Finals Rodeo this year.

How wild has it been for you competing at the 2019 San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo? Haven: It has been crazy. I have been drawing good and my horse has been good. It has just been going great. (In Bracket 3, he won the first round in 8.8 seconds, split the win in Round 2 with 11-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier Matt Shiozawa in 8.5 seconds and was third in the third round in 8.1 seconds.) What is the atmosphere like at the 2019 San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo? Haven: It’s pretty cool. It’s huge. I’ve never roped at a place like this (the AT&T Center) before. Everybody starts at zero, so I just do what I know how to do. Who is your main horse this season? Haven: I have a horse that’s a 10-year-old black gelding, his name is Jaysnic. I’ve had this horse since he was 6 years old, and I trained him. He has been really good, and he’s really been coming along. I was surprised he did as well as he did in San Antonio. I also have a second horse, Beyoncé, that is 9. How did you get started in rodeo? Haven: I really didn’t get involved with rodeo until I was in eighth grade. I bought a horse my eighth-grade year and I started (tie-down roping). I didn’t have any family involved with rodeo. My dad (Bart) showed cattle, and there were people in town who roped and that’s how I got into it. I also wrestled and played basketball growing up, but I stopped doing those things when I was a sophomore in high school. Do you have any brothers or sisters? Haven: I’m the oldest. Then I have a brother, Hayes, 19; sister, Harley, 15; and my youngest brother, Holden, 13. Hayes plays (defensive line) for Dickinson State (N.D.) University’s football team, and my sister and little brother rodeo. Who is your rodeo idol? Haven: Trevor Brazile. I have met him, and that was cool. He’s a very humble guy, and he takes care of business. Where’s the coolest place you are looking forward to going to on the PRCA trail? Haven: I’m really excited to go to Kissimmee, Fla., for the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo (March 21-24). I qualified by winning the year-end title in the Montana Circuit. I think we’re going to make a family vacation out of it. Who are you traveling with? Haven: Jake Pratt, Cody Craig and Cimarron Boardman. Those guys have helped me a bunch. Where is your favorite place to eat? Haven: That’s a good question. Anywhere that serves good steak. Texas Roadhouse or the Montana Club, restaurants like that. I get medium-rare ribeye.

When you are not rodeoing what do you enjoy doing? Haven: I enjoy being on my family’s ranch and checking cattle. What is your favorite movie? Haven: The Cowboys with John Wayne. I’ve liked watching that movie since I was a little kid.

What TV show do you binge watch? Haven: Longmire (based on the Walt Longmire mystery novels by best-selling author Craig Johnson). What is the coolest concert you have been to?

Haven: (Country singer) Jon Pardi. I saw him (Feb. 19) in San Antonio. It was a cool show. I’ve been to like two concerts in my life, and nothing as big as his concert was. What is your favorite (non-alcoholic) drink and candy? Haven: Sprite and Peanut M&M’s. Who is your favorite sports team? Haven: It would be in college football and it would be the Oregon Ducks.

HAVEN MEGED

ProRodeo Sports News 2/22/2019

ProRodeo.com

8