SAN ANTONIO, Texas ---Clint Craig is on a roll and the Mena, Ark., bull rider is hoping it will carry through all the way to a 2010 world championship.
Craig is fourth in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world standings, thanks in part to the championship at the National Western Stock Show Rodeo last January. Craig had a total score of 256 points there and won over $8,000. En route to that title, Craig tied the arena record with a 92-point ride.
Ninety-point efforts are looking good for him here as well. On Monday night, he rode Carr Pro Rodeo’s bull named Black Gold for 91 to win the first round of competition. He added $2,074 to his $16,269 in 2010 earnings and is hoping to do even more.
“It’s been a great way to start the year,” Craig said. “I’m healthy and this is definitely the best winter that I’ve ever had. I’m thankful and happy to be out here riding bulls. It’s the most fun thing in the world.”
Craig has qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) two times. He missed the cut by just two positions in 2009. He is hoping to add to the money he won here Monday during the next three performances of the rodeo. There are 12 contestants in each event in each of four brackets with the best five advancing to the semi-finals. Craig’s opportunity to be among the semi-finalists increased substantially. In the bull riding from the first bracket, the fifth place position was filled by Clayton Foltyn, from El Campo, Texas, who won $1,207.
Steve Woolsey from Payson, Utah finished in second with an 85 winning $1,556. Third place was tied with Jarrod Craig from Hillsboro, Texas, and Kanin Asay from Powell, Wyo., each earning $778 for their 82 point rides.
Taos Muncy, the 2007 world champion saddle bronc rider showed fans the style that earned him that title as well as the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association championship in the same year. That was also his first year as a member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.
The New Mexico cowboy had a lot to smile about here Monday after an 86-point ride on the horse names Mary Buckles from Flying Five Rodeo out of Washington. Muncy also earned $2,074.
Reigning world champion team ropers Nick Sartain and Kollin VonAhn set the pace early in team roping and held on for the win with a 5.1-second run. They each got a check for $2,074. Sartain, from Yukon, Okla., is coming off of his second WNFR qualification. VonAhn is another former collegiate champion that earned his first gold buckle with his first trip to Las Vegas.
Craig Wisehart, a college student at Tarleton State University in Stephenville won the bareback riding with an 80 point ride on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Real Deal. The rising star in rodeo is originally from Platteville, Colo., and is coming off of a Mountain States Circuit win, which qualified him for the upcoming Dodge National Circuit Finals.
All of these men will have their second round competition on Tuesday starting at 7 p.m.
SAN ANTONIO, Texas --- The following are results from the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo, Monday, Feb.8, 2010.
Fifth Performance --
Bareback Riding: 1, Craig Wisehart, Stephenville, Texas, 80, $2,074. 2 (tie), Ryan Stutes, Lake Charles, La., and Caleb Bennett, Santaquin, Utah, 79, $1,296 each. 4, Kelly Timberman, Mills, Wyo., 78, $519.
Steer Wrestling: 1, Olin Hannum, West Haven, Utah, 3.9, $2,074. 2, Beau Franzen, Sidney, Mont., 4.0, $1,556. 3, Dane Hanna, Starkville, Mo., 4.2, $1,37. 4 (tie), Gabe Ledoux, Kaplan, La., and Shawn Greenfield, Lakeview, Ore., 4.4, $259.
Team Roping: 1 Nick Sartain, Yukon, Okla., and Kollin VonAhn, Durant, Okla., 5.1, $2,074. 2, Brandon Beers, Powell Butte, Ore., and Ryan Motes, Weatherford, Texas, 5.4, $1,556. 3, Travis Tryan, Billings, Mont., and Michael Jones, Stephenville, Texas, 6.1, $1,037. 4, JoJo Lemond, Andrews, Texas, and Randon Adams, Logandale, Nev., 6.4, $519.
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M., 86 points on Flying Five Rodeo’s Mary Buckles, $2,074. 2, Alex Wright, Hagerman, Idaho, 81, $1,556. 3, Ty Atchison, Jackson, Mo., 80, $1037. 4 (tie), Jesse Wright, Milford, Utah and Sam Spreadborough, Snyder, Texas, 77, $259 each.
Women’s Barrel Race: 1, Britany Fleck, Mandan, N.D., 14.09, $2,74. 2, Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 14.29, $1,556. 3, Haley Thorne, Midlothian, Texas, 14.32, $1,037. 4, Deb Renger, Okotoks, Alberta, 14.37, $519.
Bull Riding: 1,Clint Craig, Mena, Ark., 91 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Black Gold, $2,074. 2, Steve Woolsey, Payson, Utah, 85, $1,556. 3 (tie), Jarrod Craig, Hillsboro, Texas, and Kanin Asay, Powell, Wyo., 82, $778.
