“Rambo,” McTaggart and Oakes get ready to compete
November 3, 2009 - Fort Worth, Texas - Defending PRCA world champion heeler Randon Adams is one of three members of the Cowboy Militia Pro Team competing in next month's Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.
Another Pro Team member, Shane Proctor, will wrap up the Professional Bull Riders' Built Ford Tough World Finals in Vegas this weekend, after placing in the second round Friday. Yet another Cowboy Militia endorsee, tie-down roper Shane Hanchey, was named PRCA Tie-Down Roping Rookie of the Year for 2009.
Adams, 27, of Dublin, Texas, is a native of the Wrangler NFR's home - Las Vegas, Nev. - and grew up in nearby Logandale. The champ was raised with a rope in his hand, started competing at the age of 6, and was so tenacious with his rope he earned the nickname "Rambo" while winning national championships in youth rodeo.
He was named Resistol Rookie of the Year in 2002, and went to his first NFR the same year, qualifying again in 2006 and in 2008. Adams won last year's world championship heeling for Matt Sherwood and riding his now four-time AQHA/PRCA Horse of the Year, Diesel, to a cool $189,568. At next month's NFR, he will again ride the 11-year-old gelding, registered as Bailey's Copper Doc. He goes into this year's Wrangler NFR ranked seventh in the world with $85,314, and will rope with Jojo Lemond.
Tenth-ranked Wrangler NFR bull rider and Cowboy Militia man Colin McTaggart is also at home in Las Vegas, where he's working on a marketing degree at UNLV.
The 24-year-old qualified for his first NFR in 2007 and went to his second as last year's Extreme Bulls Finals reserve champ. McTaggart, a California Circuit champion who's earned a quarter of a million dollars already, is a driven athlete who also loves wake surfing and snowboarding.
"The NFR is everybody's dream and I'm going to be working at getting those gold buckles for the trophy case," says McTaggart, who will be competing in Las Vegas alongside fellow Cowboy Militia Pro Team member Zack Oakes, 26, who ranks 15th with $65,568 in earnings.
Cowboy Militia's expanding Pro Team roster also includes young-gun tie-down ropers Clint Cooper (27-year-old two-time NFR qualifier), Clif Cooper (21-year-old collegiate tie-down roping champion) and Landon McClaugherty (won the Reno Rodeo in June); along with Wrangler NFR bareback rider Josi Young and Championship Bull Riding world titlist Bonner Bolton, currently competing for Texas Tech University.
