They handed out $750,000 in prize money in Omaha Thursday through Saturday. Team Ropers Clay Tryan and Travis Graves and bull rider Steve Woolsey came close to winning the maximum they could at the River City Round Up, the home of the Justin Boots Championships of the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour.
Tryan and Graves left Omaha number one in the PRCA's heading and heeling standings, they'll each head to Las Vegas for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo beginning December 2 with a record setting $146,000+ in regular season earnings. In Omaha they won the first round, the second round, the two head average, placed second in the 8 man semi final round and then won the four man championship round. Add up all the dollars that went with that performance, and you come up with $35,955.
"Travis and I talked about that we needed some big-money checks, and we got them at the final two rodeos (they also won the Justin Boots Playoffs two weeks ago in Puyallup, WA.),'' Tryan told the PRCA. "Our goal was to win $140,000, but we kind of fell off the pace and didn't think we would get it. We just hit the right spots at the end. It feels pretty good."
Woolsey and his traveling partner, Wes Silcox, dominated the bull riding all weekend in Omaha. They split first in the first round with a pair of 87's. Woolsey won the second round with a 91, Silcox was second with an 88. Silcox won the 8 round with a 90, Woolsey was third with a 74. Woolsey then won the four round with a 93, Silcox was second with an 87. Both men won over $30,000, Silcox jumped past Shawn Hogg from Texas into the top spot in the PRCA's World Standings, Woolsey moved from tenth to third.
In fact, the World Standings leads changed in the team roping, the bull riding, the steer wrestling and the bronc riding in Omaha.
--- Canadian Curtis Cassidy won the steer wrestling and more than $25,000. He moved into the top spot in his event, $10,000 ahead of Todd Suhn.
--- Saddle Bronc Rider Bradley Harter took the long round to get to the top spot in his event. Harter finished fourth in the 8 man semi final round with a 49, but once he got into the 4 round he was the only man to ride, winning $28,446 and leaving Omaha about $2,000 ahead of Wade Sundell in the top spot in the world.
Omaha's other champions...
Bareback - Steven Dent, NEB. $29,003
Tie Down Roping - Trent Creager, OK. $23,195
Barrel Racing - Lindsay Sears, CAN. $6,500.
