![]()
| Jordan Hooton won the Seminole Xtreme Bulls, presented by B&W Trailer Hitches, Bremerton, Wash., Xtreme Bulls stop on Aug. 30. The Daingerfield, Texas cowboy was an alternate into the 40-man field after one of the bull riders couldn’t compete. Hooton scored 89 points on Growney Brothers’ Wise One Willy, pictured here, en route to claiming the Bremerton victory. |
By Bob Welch/Special to ProRodeo.com
Jordan Hooton didn’t initially qualify for the Seminole Hard Rock Xtreme Bulls tour stop in Bremerton, Wash., on Aug. 30. But instead was the fifth alternate. Nevertheless, after riding his bull for 89 points at the event, presented by B&W Trailer Hitches, and collecting more than $11,000, being a replacement didn’t really matter.
The win moved him from 25 th in the Xtreme Bulls standings to the top 10 – assuring him a spot at the season finale in Ellensburg, Wash., next week.
“I travel with Howdy (Cloud) and Beau (Schroeder) and I was fifth alternate and they called me two days ago and said I got in. So I showed up.”
When fellow Texas Clayton Foltyn withdrew, Hooton was in, problem was, Hooton had a broken jaw.
“I broke it in Abilene, Kan., at a Sammy Andrews’ rodeo,” he said – er mumbled. “Some bull clicked my heels. I was out for a couple weeks and come back just last week.”
Hooton’s mouth was wired shut, so he couldn’t speak clearly, but well enough to be understood.
In the semifinal round, Hooton drew Growney Brothers Rodeo’s Wise One Willy. A young bull with an average mark of 21.5 and the 100 percent buck-off rate didn’t give Hooton much of a scouting report, but some of his fellow riders had seen him.
“Some guys had gotten on him and they told me about him and said he was real fast right at the latch,” he said. “I was ready and just wanted to ride.”
It would take something better than average to qualify for the final round. As one of the last to ride in the round, he had seen an 88.5 from Tate Stratton, an 87.5 from Shawn Hogg and Cody Hancock and Corey Navarre with 85.5’s. In fact, 15 riders had covered.
Hooton rose to the occasion. The bull, as advertised, spun right in the gate and the judges awarded Hooton an 89.
In the final round, Growney loaded the pen with tough, but largely rideable bulls. However, the bull riders fell short. B.J. Schumacher bucked off of Korkow’s Mortachi, a bull he rode last year to win a round during the Wrangler ProRodeo Tour playoffs in Puyallup, Wash.
In fact, with only Hooton remaining, all the bull riders had bucked off. He had drawn Calgary Stampede’s Before Dark. With records mainly in Canada, the bull had only been ridden once for 90.5.
“That second bull was rough,” he said, shaking his head. “Right before I nodded my head, Beau shouted right into my ear, ‘You won!’ and so it kind of screwed with my head.”
It screwed with him enough that he didn’t make the whistle, but Schroeder was right, he won anyway.
In the secretary’s office after the rodeo, he was collecting his checks. He gathered them up, stuffed them into an envelope and addressed it back to his house. (Cowboys often have family keep their books while they’re on the road). Stopped, looked at the envelope and smiled, realizing he couldn’t lick the flap to seal it. After a quick laugh from his friends, the secretary sealed it for him and put it in the outgoing mail.
“I’ve never won something like this I like it,” he said. “Mmm hmm.”
The Bremerton Xtreme Bulls stop will be televised at 3 p.m. EDT Sept. 27 on ESPN2. The show will be re-aired at noon EDT on Oct. 11 and Nov. 7 on ESPN Classic.
Next up, the Xtreme Bulls finale is set for 8 p.m. PDT on Sept. 5 in Ellensburg, Wash. Check back on ProRodeo.com for the Ellensburg contestant list and stock draw next week.
Xtreme Bulls TV schedule
Unofficial results
First round: 1. Jordan Hooton, 89 points on Growney Brothers’ Wise One Willy, $4,320; 2. Tate Stratton, 88.5, $3,243; 3. Shawn Hogg, 87.5, $2,397; 4. Cody Hancock and Jason Beck, 85.5, $1,269; 6. Corey Navarre, 85, $705; 7. B.J. Schumacher and Joe Meling, 83, $494.
Final Round: No qualified rides.
Average: 1. Jordan Hooton, 89 points on two head, $7,050; 2. Tate Stratton, 88.5, $5,405; 3. Shawn Hogg, 87.5, $3,995; 4. Cody Hancock and Jason Beck, 85.5, $2,115; 6. Corey Navarre, 85, $1,175; 7. B.J. Schumacher and Joe Meling, 83, $823.
|
For comments and information please email us at: prorodeo@prorodeo.com | For technical questions email: webmaster@prorodeo.com