Tuf Cooper joins cousin Stran Smith in Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo field
WACO, Texas -- High school senior Tuf Cooper overcame a veteran field of tie-down roping competitors Jan. 1-3 to capture the Dodge Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo, presented by U.S. Smokeless Tobacco, and join his cousin Stran Smith as the state's representatives in the April 8-11 Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Pocatello, Idaho.
Cooper, 18, won the first round at the Heart O' Texas Coliseum with a time of 9.1 seconds, finished second in round two and tied for fifth in round three to claim the average title by a full second over fellow Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier Scott Kormos (27.1 to 28.1). Also in the field were reigning World Champion Smith, seven-time World Champion Fred Whitfield and Cash Myers.
"I grew up watching all those guys," Cooper told the Waco Tribune-Herald. "There was a point last year where I thought about it (competing against the sport's big stars), but you just can't fear them. Have faith."
Smith, of Childress, Texas, qualified for the DNCFR by being the year-end Texas Circuit champion with earnings of $34,615, finishing nearly $8,000 ahead of Kormos despite failing to complete a qualified run at the Dodge Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo.
Clint Cannon of Waller, Texas, provided the feel-good comeback story of the weekend. Finally fit after being sidelined with a shoulder injury for 8 1/2 months last year, Cannon won the bareback riding average championship with a performance notable both for its quality and its consistency, scoring 252 points on three head.
Cannon, 30, shared first place in the first round with 2008 PRCA Bareback Riding Rookie of the Year Jared Smith and shared first again in the second round - this time with Steven Anding - each time earning a score of 83 points. He clinched the average title by scoring 86 points in round three to tie for second with three time-World Champion Will Lowe, two points behind Chris Harris.
"I feel like I can't be stopped right now," Cannon, who is leading the 2009 PRCA World Standings told the Waco Tribune-Herald. "I sat on the couch for 8 1/2 months and thought about it and thought about it. This is my year. I'm focused."
Frenchman Evan Jayne was the Texas Circuit's year-end winner in the bareback and should be recovered from a serious back injury he suffered last fall at the Heartland ProRodeo Championships in Waco in time to join Cannon in the DNCFR. Jayne underwent surgery to repair a broken thoracic (T-9) vertebra on Oct. 12; he hopes to resume competition in March at RodeoHouston.
Pampa cowboy Matt Reeves emerged from the closest competition of the weekend with the champion's buckle. His time of 12.9 seconds on three head in the steer wrestling was one-tenth of a second better than Darrell Petry of Beaumont, Texas, and three-tenths ahead of 1999 World Champion Mickey Gee. Reeves placed in all three rounds, saving the best for last when he posted a time of 4.0 seconds in round three to finish third.
Gee had the fastest time of the competition with a 3.2-second run in round one.
Brody Bolton of Odessa, Texas, was the biggest surprise of the weekend, winning the saddle bronc riding over a field that included past Wrangler NFR qualifiers Isaac Diaz, Bradley Harter and Mike Outhier. Bolton never finished higher than fourth in any round, but his consistency paid off with 239 points and a two-point margin over Justin Browning and Bryan Hammons for the average title.
David Key and seven-time World Champion Clay O'Brien Cooper won the team roping title with a time of 16.9 seconds on three head, World Champion Bull Rider J.W. Harris comfortably won the three-head average in Waco with 164 points, and veteran Dan Fisher beat 18-time World Champion Guy Allen in the steer roping with a time of 38.6 seconds on three head.
Odessa College alumnus Ryan Gray has fine homecoming at SandHills Stock Show & Rodeo
Bareback rider Ryan Gray, who earned an associate's degree at Odessa College before moving on to Texas Tech, enjoyed a fine homecoming Jan. 2-3 by posting the highest score of the first two days of the SandHills Stock Show & Rodeo in Odessa, Texas. Gray scored 84 points on Harry Vold Rodeo Company's Dust Devil, four points better than Tigh Anderberg of Mobridge, S.D. The rodeo is taking a few days off before resuming Jan. 7 with a 7:30 p.m. performance.
Upcoming PRCA Rodeos
Jan. 7 Sandhills Stock Show & Rodeo, Odessa, Texas, resumes
Jan. 9 Dodge Montana Circuit Finals Rodeo, Great Falls, Mont., begins
Learn more at www.prorodeo.com
