WACO, Texas --- Less than 20 hours before getting on a bucking horse at the Heartland ProRodeo Champions, Sam Spreadborough was on a plane flying from his native Australia back to the U.S.
The jet-lag that comes from spending 20 hours on a plane and crossing the International Dateline hadn’t set in when he arrived in Waco at the Heart O’ Texas Fair. Spreadborough, who was the 2003 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Rookie of the Year won the saddle bronc riding with a 79-point ride on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Foxy Loxy. That earned him $2,514 and will likely get him back to Thursday’s progressive round.
He is 31st in the PRCA World Standings and while he doesn’t have a chance to qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR), money won here will help him secure spots in top rodeos in the 2010 season. He calls Snyder, Texas, home over here, the home of Western Texas College where Spreadborough spent four years. He qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo four consecutive years and won academic scholarships for have a 4.0 GPA.
He was on the rodeo trail through Labor Day. After competing in the final round at the Ellensburg Rodeo in Washington, he got on a plane in Boise, Idaho, to fly back to Australia and get his visa renewed. The time-consuming process nearly kept him from competing in Waco.
Clint Cannon got a little closer to his goal of setting a new all-time earnings record. He was part of a three-way tie for second place with 80 points, adding $1,257 to his earnings, He is now just $5,300 away from the record and definitely has the potential to earn that here.
Kaycee Feild, from Elk Ridge, Utah won the bareback riding with an 85-point ride on Cervi Championship’s Lonesome Hilda. He is headed to his second NFR and is hoping that any momentum he gains here will carry through to rodeo’s championship event.
Stran Smith, the reigning world champion and Heartland Series champion tie-down roper did not have success here on Tuesday and is hoping things go better on Wednesday. Smith roped and tied his calf in 9.0 seconds, which would have earned him a third place check of $1,257. However, the calf failed to stay tied for the required 6 seconds, so he received a no-time.
Contestants advance to the progressive round based on total money won, so if he does well on Wednesday he still has an opportunity to earn much needed cash. Smith is in 17th in the world standings and needs to win $5,642 to move into the 15th spot to qualify for his 11th NFR.
All of these contestants will have their second appearance here on Wednesday night beginning at 7 p.m.
WACO, Texas --- The following are results after the fifth performance of the Heartland ProRodeo Championships at the Heart O’ Texas Fair Rodeo, Tuesday, October 13, 2009.
Bareback Riding: 1, Kaycee Feild, Elk Ridge, Utah, 85 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Lonesome Hilda, $2,514. 2 (tie), Tim Shirley, Grant, Colo.; Matt Bright, Azle, Texas; and Clint Cannon, Waller, Texas, $1,257.
Tie-Down Roping: 1, Stetson Vest, Childress, Texas, 8.0 seconds, $2,514. 2, Bubba Paschal, LaPorte, Texas, 8.7, $1,886. 3, Skyler Moore, Mt. Vernon, Mo., 10.7, $1,257. 4, Bradley Bynum, Sterling City, Texas, 11.5, $629.
Steer Wrestling: 1, Chancey Larson, Manhattan, Kan., 3.7 seconds, $2,514. 2, Darrell Petry, Beaumont, Texas, 4.0, $1,886. 3 (tie), Brent Lasetter, Elm Mott, Texas, and John Schuenemann, Madisonville, Texas, 5.2, $943.
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Sam Spreadborough, Snyder, Texas, 79 points on Cervi Championships Foxy Loxy, $2,514. 2 (tie), Ty Atchison, Jackson, Mo., and Jermiah Diffee, Hatfield, Ark., 74, $1,571 each. 4, Heith DeMoss, Heflin, La., 73, $629.
Team Roping: 1, David Key, Caldwell, Texas, and Rich Skelton, Llano, Texas, 4.9 seconds, $2,514 each. 2, David Motes, Tolar, Texas, and Dustin Davis, Texarkana, Texas, 5.0, $1,886. 3, Luke Brown, Rock Hill, S.C., and Martin lucero, Stephenville, Texas, 5.4, $1,257. 4, Justin Davis, Conroe, Texas, and Cole Davison, Madisonville, Texas, 5.6, $629.
Bull Riding: (two qualified rides) 1, Taylor Cowan, Fort Pierre, S.D., 82 points on Sammy Catalena Rodeo’s 007 Secret Agent, $2,514. 2, Brendon Averett, Delaware, Okla., 79, $1,886.
