ProRodeo Sports News - October 13, 2023

EDITOR’S LETTER TRACY RENCK

Tracy Renck is the editor of the ProRodeo

Sports News. He previously served more than seven years as a media coordinator at the PRCA. He has three decades of experience in sports journalism with the last several consumed by ProRodeo.

Roseanna Sales photo Award-winning clown John Harrison gets the crowd going during the inaugural Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup presented by Community Coffee in Sioux Falls, S.D., at the Denny Sanford Premier Center. The event took place Sept. 28-30 to rave reviews by contestants.

Sioux Falls rolled out red carpet for fans, cowboys T he planning for this event began several years earlier and in 2023 the Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup presented by Community Coffee took place Sept. 28-30 in Sioux Falls, S.D. And, the rodeo, which was housed at the Denny Sanford Premier Center, was a success on many levels. In September of 2022, the PRCA, the state of South Dakota, Wright is right. The people involved with the Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup presented by Community Coffee were welcoming. On Sept. 27, the red carpet was rolled out for the contestants at the District. They were introduced on stage to fans, friends, and family. It was quite the ceremony that included food, drink, and a live band. That was just a precursor for the rodeo, which was a great fit at the beautiful confines of the Denny Sanford Premier Center.

Experience Sioux Falls and Cinch announced the Cinch Playoffs had athletes competing for the Governor’s Cup and vying for the $1.1 million purse making it the richest rodeo in South Dakota history. That purse was a huge boost for the contestants – especially the cowboys and cowgirls who walked away with $25,000 for winning their respective events on the final day of the 2023 PRCA regular season. Honestly, contestants who qualified for Sioux Falls and then made it into the final-four championship round, had plenty to smile about as well. At the Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup, the rounds on Sept. 28-29 paid $10,000 for first; $7,500 (second); $5,000 (third); $2,500 (fourth). The final-four round paid $25,000 to first; $19,000 (second); $12,000 (third); and $6,000 (fourth). One of those champs was the face of the PRCA Stetson Wright. The Milford, Utah, cowboy earned a combined $49,250 – $40,000 in bull riding and $9,250 in saddle bronc riding. “I love these big events. When the money is high, I seem to ride better for whatever reason,” Wright said. “It can really get a guy fired up to go out there and compete. Sioux Falls has been awesome. Rorey Lemmel did a great job putting this on and this is dang for sure one of the coolest events I’ve ever been a part of.”

The hospitality room for contestants was as good as any rodeo in the country and the arena provided an outstanding view for the thousands of fans in attendance. “I really like to thank Sioux Falls for all they have been doing and all the sponsors for what they are doing,” said bareback rider Mason Clements said. “This is awesome. This is great. My baby needed a new pair of shoes.” Clements experienced a financial windfall and rodeo jolt by winning Sioux Falls. He took home $25,000 for his title in the championship round and propelled himself to his first Wrangler NFR since 2020. One purpose of the Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup was to have a mini NFR before the NFR. Check. Another objective for Sioux Falls was to provide a lucrative payday to push contestants to that elusive and coveted Wrangler NFR qualification. Check. The thing that’s really cool about the Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup is that it will only get bigger and better in the years to come, which benefits fans and contestants alike.

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ProRodeo Sports News 10/13/2023

ProRodeo.com

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