Purcella/Johnson extend their postseason with big win in Puyallup
PUYALLUP, Wash. – In Las Vegas, drawing 21 can win you a lot of money – the ultimate lucky number in blackjack.
Team ropers Steve Purcella and Jhett Johnson may come to think of 21 as being their lucky number if they end up making it to Las Vegas for the big money offered at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
Entering the Justin Boots Playoffs, Sept. 11-13, at the Western Washington Fairgrounds in Puyallup, Purcella (header) and Johnson (heeler) were both 21st in the PRCA World Standings and scrambling to keep their postseason hopes alive.
Three days – and $14,277 – later, they were assured of a berth in the Justin Boots Championships, Sept. 24-26, in Omaha, Neb., and were a lot closer to spending December in Vegas.
“It was huge,” Johnson said after the Wyoming cowboy had won the four-team final round with 1996 World Champion Purcella and the duo jumped from 22nd in the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour Standings to eighth place for Purcella and sixth place for Johnson. They both advanced to 15th in the PRCA World Standings.
The longtime friends were slowly moving up the charts before their Playoffs win propelled them into the crosshairs of the ESPN camera crew. Purcella and Johnson roped their final-round steer in 6.0 seconds to narrowly edge Nick Sartain and Kollin VonAhn, who finished in 6.1 seconds. Purcella and Johnson had one second for a fist bump, congrats from the other teams and then took their victory lap.
“We were in the bottom of getting in here,” said Purcella, who lives in Hereford, Texas. “And here we are now, and it looks like we’re going to Omaha.”
The top 24 in the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour Standings advanced to the Justin Boots Playoffs, which got under way with two preliminary rounds, Sept. 11-12. The top eight finishers from the preliminary rounds advanced to the semifinals where the prior scores were erased, with the top four from the semifinals moving on to the final-four round.
The top 12 in the Tour standings after Puyallup advance to the Justin Boots Championships, Sept. 24-26, at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Neb. (See complete standings below)
Purcella and Johnson, a three-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier, did not look ahead to Omaha this summer. They evaluated each rodeo one at a time and found themselves within striking distance of postseason glory with a strong fourth-quarter run.
“We were close enough, so we thought we just weren’t going to lie down,” Purcella said.
Another man unwilling to go down was Dickinson, N.D., saddle bronc rider Shaun Stroh. He also was lingering on the outside looking in, and at four points during the year, had contemplated heading home for good before changing his mind.
Stroh swept the elite eight semifinals and final-four round to claim the Justin Boots Playoffs buckle. Stroh sealed the deal with an 86-point ride on Flying Five Rodeo Company’s Sundance in the finals. He collected $15,140 and leaped from 12th to third in the Tour standings. He had just $16,251 in Tour prize money coming into the Playoffs.
“I’ve been awfully blessed these last couple of weeks,” Stroh said. “I just kept going and going.”
Speaking of going, reigning World Champion Tie-Down Roper Stran Smith drove 1,900 miles with his prized mare, Destiny, to compete in the Playoffs and keep alive his bid to return to the NFR. Smith was 45th in the Sept. 8 PRCA World Standings and 13th in the Tour standings prior to the Playoffs. Undismayed, Smith figured the smaller arena in Puyallup was a perfect setting for the mare, who carried him to a world title inside the small confines of the Thomas & Mack Center arena in Las Vegas.
Fast-forward to the Playoffs, and Smith and Destiny finished third in the semifinals with an 8.6-second run and were clutch in the finals in seven seconds flat. Smith pocketed a total of $17,038 in Puyallup and rose from 13th to third place in the Tour race and 24th in the world standings.
“We have a great Tour system in place where we can win big money like this, so a guy like me, who was outside the top 50 (during the season) can realistically still make the Finals,” said the Childress, Texas, cowboy. “Not only that, you can actually win enough to set yourself up in position to maybe contend for another world title.”
The high-money winner in Puyallup was bull riding top finisher Bobby Welsh ($23,338), followed by reigning World Champion Bareback Rider Justin McDaniel ($20,533), who won his event.
Both Welsh and McDaniel are in the top five in the Tour standings and appear headed for gold-buckle contention.
In the other events, South Dakota’s Jake Rinehart won the steer wrestling Playoffs buckle. Rinehart, the 2009 Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days winner, is having a breakout season. He lengthened his lead in the Tour standings by winning $16,036 in Puyallup and took over the lead from Curtis Cassidy in the PRCA World Standings.
With Cassidy falling out of the lead, there is only one winner of the RodeoHouston $50,000 finals check from last March – bareback rider Clint Cannon – who still stands atop the PRCA World Standings in their event.
Brittany Pozzi, the 2007 world champion, won the barrel racing after sweeping the semifinals and finals, winning the four-woman shootout in 14.04 seconds. She pocketed $15,701.
The top-notch field on the final day of the Playoffs included 14 world champions and five contestants who hold the No. 1 spot in the world standings.
The Justin Boots Playoffs are scheduled to air on ESPN2 on Oct. 18 at noon (EST) and re-broadcast Oct. 24 (ESPN Classic), Oct. 25 (ESPN2) and Nov. 21 (ESPN Classic). Broadcasts are subject to change by ESPN. Check your local listings for broadcast times.
Justin Boots Playoffs: Puyallup, Wash., Sept. 13
Unofficial results : Finals and semifinals
Bareback riding: First round: 1. Justin McDaniel, 85 points on Calgary Stampede’s Loadstone Jade, $4,272; 2. (tie) Bobby Mote and Kaycee Feild, 84, $2,783 each; 4. Matt Bright, 83, $1,553; 5. Tilden Hooper, 82, $906; 6. Royce Ford, 81, $647. Second round: 1. (tie) Clint Cannon on Big Bend Rodeo’s Yanky Doodle and Will Lowe on Korkow Rodeos’ Hey What, 89 points, $3,754 each; 3. (tie) Justin McDaniel, Tilden Hooper and Joe Gunderson, 85, $1,596 each; 6. (tie) Ryan Gray, Casey Colletti and Steven Dent, 84, $216 each. Average: 1. Justin McDaniel, 170 points on two head, $4,272; 2. (tie) Bobby Mote and Tilden Hooper, 167, $2,783 each; 4. Clint Cannon, 166, $1,553; 5. Will Lowe, 165, $906; 6. (tie) Tim Shirley and Joe Gunderson, 163, $324 each. Semifinals: 1. Clint Cannon, 87 points on Growney Brothers’ Bitter Sweet, $5,178; 2. Will Lowe, 86, $3,883; 3. Bobby Mote, 85, 2,589; 4. (tie) Justin McDaniel and Tilden Hooper, 82, $647 each; 6. (tie) Tim Shirley and Casey Colletti, 80; 8. Joe Gunderson, 79. Finals: 1. Justin McDaniel, 85 points on Growney Brothers’ Witch Doctor, $9,746; 2. Clint Cannon, 78, $7,310; 3. Bobby Mote, 77, $4,873; 4. Will Lowe, NS
Steer wrestling: First round: 1. (tie) Jake Rinehart, Joey Bell Jr., Luke Branquinho and Clint Robinson, 3.6 seconds, $2,848 each; 5. Trevor Knowles, 3.7, $906; 6. (tie) Lee Graves and Casey Martin, 3.8, $324 each. Second round: 1. Blake Knowles, 3.8 seconds, $4,272; 2. (tie) Curt La Duke and Clint Robinson, 3.9, $2,783 each; 4. (tie) Joey Bell Jr. and Hunter Cure, 4.2, $1,230 each; 6. (tie) Josh Peek, Gabe Ledoux, B.J. Campbell and Casey McMillen, 4.3, $162 each. Average: 1. Clint Robinson, 7.5 seconds on two head, $4,272; 2. Joey Bell Jr., 7.8, $3,236; 3. Luke Branquinho, 8.1, $2,330; 4. Lee Graves, 8.2, $1,553; 5. (tie) Jake Rinehart and Hunter Cure, 8.5, $777 each. Semifinals: 1. Lee Graves, 3.4 seconds, $5,178; 2. Jake Rinehart 3.6, $3,883; 3. (tie) Hunter Cure and Gabe Ledoux, 3.9, $1,942 each; 5. Curt La Duke, 4.1; 6. Luke Branquinho, 13.1; 7. Joey Bell Jr., 13.7; 8. Clint Robinson, 13.8. Finals: 1. Jake Rinehart and Hunter Cure, 3.8 seconds (Rinehart wins tie-breaker), $8,528 each; 3. Lee Graves, 4.2, $4,873; 4. Gabe Ledoux, 4.3, $2,437
Team roping: First round: 1. Blaine Linaweaver/Brandon Bates, 4.6 seconds, $4,272 each; 2. JoJo LeMond/Randon Adams, 4.7, $3,236; 3. (tie) Jake Stanley/Justin Davis and Jay Adams/Richard Durham, 5.0, $1,942 each; 5. (tie) Joel Bach/J.W. Borrego and Nick Sartain/Kollin VonAhn, 5.2, $777 each. Second round: 1. Kaleb Driggers/Brad Culpepper, 4.3 seconds, $4,272 each; 2. (tie) Luke Brown/Martin Lucero and Brandon Beers/Jimmie Cooper, 4.4, $2,783 each; 4. Trevor Brazile/Patrick Smith, 4.6, $1,553; 5. Jay Adams/Richard Durham, 5.1, $906; Shane Philipp/Brock Hanson, 5.2, $647. Average: 1. JoJo LeMond/Randon Adams, 10.0 seconds on two head, $4,272 each; 2. Jay Adams/Richard Durham, 10.1, $3,236; 3. Shane Philipp/Brock Hanson, 10.7, $2,330; 4. Nick Sartain/Kollin VonAhn, 11.1, $1,553; 5. Chad Masters/Jade Corkill, 11.2, $906; 6. Steve Purcella/Jhett Johnson, 13.4, $647. Semifinals: 1. (tie) Steve Purcella/Jhett Johnson, Nick Sartain/Kollin VonAhn and Chad Masters/Jade Corkill, 5.0 seconds, $3,883 each; 4. Jay Adams/Richard Durham, 5.1, $1,294; 5. Shane Philip/Brock Hansen, 5.5; 6. Brandon Beers/Jimmie Cooper, 12.0; (tie) 7. Jake Stanley/Justin Davis and JoJo LeMond/Randon Adams. Finals: 1. Steve Purcella/Jhett Johnson, 6.0 seconds, $9,746 each; 2. Nick Sartain/Kollin VonAhn, 6.1, $7,310; 3. Jay Adams/Richard Durham, 10.8, $4,873; 4. Chad Masters/Jade Corkhill, NT.
Saddle bronc riding:First round: 1. Bradley Harter, 84 points on Calgary Stampede’s Needs Ajax, $4,272; 2. Wade Sundell, 83, $3,236; 3. (tie) Billy Etbauer and Cody DeMoss, 82, $1,942 each; 5. (tie) Mike Outhier and Josh Reynolds, 81, $777 each. Second round: 1. Cody Wright, 86 points on Big Bend Rodeo’s No Dice, $4,272; 2. (tie) Cort Scheer and Dustin Flundra, 85, $2,783 each; 4. Justin Arnold, 84, $1,553; 5. (tie) J.J. Elshere, Cody DeMoss and Rod Hay, 83, $518 each. Average: 1. Cody DeMoss, 165 points on two head, $4,272; 2. (tie) Cody Wright, Dustin Flundra, Bradley Harter and Josh Reynolds, 163, $2,006 each; 6. (tie) Shaun Stroh, Wade Sundell and Rod Hay, 161, $216 each. Semifinals: 1. Shaun Stroh, 85 points on Calgary Stampede’s Lynx Mountain, $5,178; 2. (tie) Bradley Harter and Cody DeMoss, 82, $3,236 each; 4. Dustin Flundra, 82, $1,294; 5. (tie) Wade Sundell and Rod Hay, 76; 7. Josh Reynolds, 73; 8. Cody Wright, NS. Finals: 1. Shaun Stroh, 86 points on Flying Five Rodeo Company’s Sundance, $9,746; 2. Dustin Flundra, 72, $7,310; 3. (tie) Cody DeMoss and Bradley Harter, NS.
Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Hunter Herrin, 7.4 seconds, $4,272; 2. (tie) Stran Smith, Ryan Jarrett and Jake Hannum, 7.5, $2,373 each; 5. Trevor Brazile, 7.6, $906; 6. Clif Cooper, 7.7, $647. Second round: 1. Jake Hannum, 7.4 seconds, $4,272; 2. Clint Robinson, 7.5, $3,236; 3. Adam Gray, 7.7, $2,330; 4. (tie) Tuf Cooper and Landon McClaugherty, 8.0, $1,230 each; 6. (tie) Hunter Herrin and Scott Kormos, 8.1, $324 each. Average: 1. Jake Hannum, 14.9 seconds on two head, $4,272; 2. Hunter Herrin, 15.5, $3,236; 3. Stran Smith, 15.8, $2,330; 4. Landon McClaugherty, 15.9, $1,553; 5. Ryan Jarrett, 16.4, $906; 6. Adam Gray, 16.6, $647. Semifinals: 1. Adam Gray 7.3 seconds, $5,178; 2. Jake Hannum, 7.8, $3,883; 3. Stran Smith, 8.6, $2,589; 4. Tuf Cooper, 9.9, $1,294; 5. Monty Lewis, 10.6; 6. Ryan Jarrett, 17.8; 7. (tie) Landon McClaugherty and Hunter Herrin, NT. Finals: 1. Stran Smith, 7.0 seconds, $9,746; 2. Adam Gray, 7.5, $7,310; 3. Tuf Cooper, 7.6, $4,873; 4. Jake Hannum, NT.
Barrel racing: First round: 1. P.J. Burger, 14.16 seconds, $4,272; 2. Sue Smith, 14.19, $3,236; 3. Brenda Mays, 14.31, $2,330; 4. Savanah Reeves, 14.33, $1,553; 5. Lisa Lockhart, 14.34, $906; 6. Lindsay Sears, 14.38, $647. Second round: 1. P.J. Burger, 14.21 seconds, $4,272; 2. Jordon Peterson, 14.22, $3,236; 3. Kelli Tolbert, 14.23, 2,330; 4. (tie) Sue Smith and Sherry Cervi, 14.26, $1,230 each; 6. (tie) Brenda Mays and Sheena Robbins, 14.32, $324 each. Average: 1. P.J. Burger, 28.37 seconds on two runs, $4,272; 2. Sue Smith, 28.45, $3,236; 3. Brenda Mays, 28.63, $2,330; 4. Jordon Peterson, 28.70, $1,553; 5. (tie) Brittany Pozzi and Sheena Robbins, 28.82, $777 each. Semifinals: 1. Brittany Pozzi, 14.32, $5,178; 2. Lindsay Sears, 14.33, $3,883; 3. Savanah Reeves, 14.34, $2,589; 4. Jordon Peterson, 14.39, $1,294. Finals: 1. Brittany Pozzi, 14.04 seconds, $9,746; 2. Jordon Peterson, 14.51, $7,310; 3. Savanah Reeves, 14.58, $4,873; 4. Lindsay Sears, 14.63, $2,437.
Bull riding: First round: 1. Shawn Hogg, 81 points on Calgary Stampede’s Before Dark, $4,272; 2. Bobby Welsh, 80, $3,236; 3. J.W. Harris, 79, $2,330; 4. Cody Whitney, 76, $1,553; 5. Corey Navarre, 74, $906; 6. Beau Schroeder, 56, $647. Second round: 1. J.W. Harris, 92 points on Korkow Rodeos’ Mortachi, $4,272; 2. Kevin Ventura, 90, $3,236; 3. (tie) Bobby Welsh and Dustin Larsen, 86, $1,942 each; 5. Ardie Maier, 85, $906; 6. Shawn Hogg, 83, $647. Average: 1. J.W. Harris, 171 points on two head, $4,272; 2. Bobby Welsh, 166, $3,236; 3. Shawn Hogg, 164, $2,330; 4. Corey Navarre, 155, $1,553; 5. Beau Schroeder, 134, $906; 6. Kevin Ventura, 90 points on one head, $647. Semifinals: 1. Bobby Welsh, 85 points on Growney Brothers’ Sha Bang, $5,178; no other qualified rides. Finals: 1. Bobby Welsh, 87 points on Growney Brothers’ Golden Ghost, $9,746; no other qualified rides.
Puyallup elite eight set
Justin McDaniel, the reigning world champion bareback rider, finished first in the average with 170 points on two head in the Justin Boots Playoffs on Sept. 12 in Puyallup, Wash. The Porum, Okla., cowboy competes in the clean-slate semifinals, Sept. 13. |
By Johnna Espinoza/ProRodeo.com
PUYALLUP, Wash. – Justin McDaniel, the reigning world champion bareback rider, is riding like one of ProRodeo’s best again, and it’s ‘just in’ time. The Porum, Okla., cowboy has been finishing in the middle of the pack a lot this season, and fittingly in the Justin Boots Playoffs, he is starting to shine.
McDaniel won the bareback riding average with a score of 170 points on two head on Sept. 12. More importantly than his two 85-point rides, was McDaniel’s realization that he is on his way to becoming his old self again.
“I just sort of cleared my head of everything,” McDaniel said. “I focused on winning and not just trying to get by.”
McDaniel’s more intense focus comes during crunch time in ProRodeo as the regular-season stops on the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour presented by Justin Boots have concluded and the Tour’s postseason is upon the top 24 contestants from the Tour standings.
The Justin Boots Playoffs format this weekend cut the field from 24 to eight. Scores from the past two days (four performances) will be erased, and contestants will compete in an eight-person (eight teams in team roping) semifinal. Scores will again be erased immediately following the semifinals, and a four-person finale will determine the Playoffs champions in each event.
McDaniel is looking forward to testing his new-found concentration in Sunday’s semfinals. Prize money from competition in Puyallup could lift McDaniel inside the top five in the world. He was eighth in the PRCA World Standings and ninth in the Tour standings heading into the Playoffs.
“It’s going to be the best eight horses around, so it’s going to be the eliminator kind,” McDaniel said of the semifinals. “If you can get to the four-man round, there is going to be some buckers. I have been waiting a long time to get on those buckers, so I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
Among the other highlights, reigning World Champion Bull Rider J.W. Harris scored 92 points on Korkow Rodeo’s Mortachi to lock up the average with a total of 171 points on two head.
Qualifiers for the Justin Boots Playoffs
Unofficial results
Semifinals
Sept. 13
Bareback riding: 1. (Average winner) Justin McDaniel, 170 points on two head; 2. (tie) Tilden Hooper and Bobby Mote, 167; 4. Clint Cannon, 166; 5. Will Lowe, 165; 6. (tie) Joe Gunderson and Tim Shirley, 163; 8. Casey Colletti, 162.
Steer wrestling: 1. Clint Robinson, 7.5 seconds on two head; 2. Joey Bell Jr., 7.8; 3. Luke Branquinho, 8.1; 4. Lee Graves, 8.2; 5. (tie) Jake Rinehart and Hunter Cure, 8.5; 7. (tie) Curt La Duke and Gabe LeDoux, 8.6.
Team roping: 1. JoJo Lemond/Randon Adams, 10.0 seconds on two head; 2. Jay Adams/Richard Durham, 10.1; 3. Shane Philipp/Brock Hansen, 10.7; 4. Nick Sartain/Kollin VonAhn, 11.1; 5. Chad Masters/Jade Corkill, 11.2; 6. Steve Purcella/Jhett Johnson, 13.4; 7. Brandon Beers/Jimmie Cooper, 14.3; 8. Jake Stanley/Justin Davis, 14.6.
Saddle bronc riding: 1. Cody DeMoss, 165 points on two head; 2. (tie) Cody Wright, Dustin Flundra, Bradley Harter and Josh Reynolds, 163; 6. (tie) Wade Sundell, Rod Hay and Shaun Stroh, 161.
Tie-down roping: 1. Jake Hannum, 14.9 seconds on two head; 2. Hunter Herrin, 15.5; 3. Stran Smith, 15.8; 4. Landon McClaugherty, 15.9; 5. Ryan Jarrett, 16.4; 6. Adam Gray, 16.6; 7. Tuf Cooper, 17.2; 8. Monty Lewis, 17.6.
Barrel racing: 1. P.J. Burger, 28.37 seconds on two runs; 2. Sue Smith, 28.45; 3. Brenda Mays, 28.63; 4. Jordon Peterson, 28.70; 5. Sheena Robbins, 28.82; 6. Brittany Pozzi, 28.82; 7. Lindsay Sears, 28.83; 8. Savanah Reeves, 28.91.
Bull riding: 1. J.W. Harris, 171 points on two head; 2. Bobby Welsh, 166; 3. Shawn Hogg, 164; 4. Corey Navarre, 155; 5. Beau Shroeder, 134; 6. Kevin Ventura, 90 points on one head; 7. Dustin Larsen, 86; 8. Ardie Maier, 85.
ProRodeo cowboys volunteered to help build a Habitat for Humanity house for a Tacoma, Wash., family during the Justin Boots Playoffs. The house is being constructed at the Puyallup (Wash.) Fairgrounds and will be moved to its permanent location after the 17-day run of the fair is concluded on Sept. 27. The cowboys helped raise awareness about the efforts of Habitat for Humanity by doing TV and radio interviews. From left to right: Dean Gorsuch, Jessy Davis and Tilden Hooper. |
Notes: PRCA cowboys found a way to give back to Northwest ProRodeo fans by volunteering to work on a Habitat for Humanity house being built on the Puyallup Fairgrounds. The home will be constructed during the 17-day run of the fair and then moved to its permanent location in Tacoma, Wash. Bareback riders Jessy Davis, Kaycee Feild and Tilden Hooper, along with 2006 World Champion Steer Wrestler Dean Gorsuch helped construct the home between the afternoon and evening rodeo performances on Sept. 11. The cowboys also helped heighten awareness about Habitat for Humanity’s cause by doing TV and radio interviews at the building site.
A total of about 300 volunteers are working to build the house for the Patterson family, which includes father and son, Greg and 5-year-old Emmanuel, and Greg’s brother, Mike.
The theme for this year’s fair is “Do the Puyallup Fair – the Big Fantastic,” and organizers are likely pleased with the outcome. A record 86,332 guests passed through the turnstiles on “opening Friday” Sept. 11, breaking last year’s previous record of 76,022. The Puyallup Fair, which runs through Sept. 27, has operated as a 17-day event since 1983. It had opened on a Saturday from the mid-1940s to 1973 and from 1979-82.
Sunny skies and near record warm temperatures in the 80s contributed to the high attendance.
Justin Boots Playoffs action on Friday night, and the Jason Aldean concert that followed the rodeo, attracted a sellout crowd of 8,443.
“We’re extremely pleased that the Puyallup Fair had record attendance on its opening Friday,” said Karl Stressman, PRCA commissioner. “Congratulations to all of those involved in putting on the fair, concert and Justin Boots Playoffs, the culmination of the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour presented by Justin Boots. We’re having a wonderful weekend, and we’re so appreciative that so many people are coming out and supporting the Puyallup Fair and the Justin Boots Playoffs.”
2009 Justin Boots Playoffs under way
All-around cowboy Clint Robinson, from Spanish Fork, Utah, moved into first place in the steer wrestling average with a time of 7.5 seconds on two head in the Justin Boots Playoffs, Sept. 11 in Puyallup, Wash. The rest of the field competes Sept. 12 with the Justin Boots finals taking place on Sept. 13. Check back for results, story and photo. |
9/11/2009
PUYALLUP, Wash. – There were plenty of highlights after two performances of competition were held at the Justin Boots Playoffs on Sept. 11 at the Puyallup (Wash.) Fairgrounds.
Bull rider Kevin Ventura capped off the evening performance with a 90-point ride on Corey & Horst’s North Star. The Bandera, Texas leads the average with the rest of the field competing on Sept. 12.
The top 24 contestants from the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour presented by Justin Boots qualified for the Puyallup showdown. Twelve contestants competed on Sept. 11 in an afternoon, followed by an evening performance, with the remaining 12 to compete twice on Sept. 12. The top eight (teams in team roping) from the entire field will faceoff at 1 p.m. (PDT) Sept. 13 for event championship titles.
Along with Ventura, barrel racer P.J. Burger had the crowd cheering. She set an arena record in the afternoon performance with a 14.21-second run. The Pauls Valley, Okla., cowgirl, who is the daughter-in-law of 2006 World Champion Barrel Racer Mary Burger, leads the average on two runs.
All-around cowboy Clint Robinson showed his versatility by moving into first place in the steer wrestling average with a time of 7.5 seconds on two head. The two-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier in the tie-down roping has things clicking in the bull doggin’. Robinson is competing on Matt Reeves’ horse, Pokey, in the steer wrestling and is finding success. Reeves hazes for Robinson.
“I had two really good starts,” said Robinson, who resides in Spanish Fork, Utah.
Check back on ProRodeo.com for more updates from Puyallup.
Justin Boots Playoffs will make or break some Wrangler NFR hopes
By Marvin Olberding, PSN Staff Writer
With this year’s changes to the postseason of the Wrangler Million Dollar Tour presented by Justin Boots, cowboys who are within striking distance of qualifying for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo may find that the pressure to excel has been turned way up.
This year’s Justin Boots Playoffs will consist of only two events, as opposed to four last year. The top 24 cowboys per event in the Tour standings will travel to the Puyallup Pro Rodeo in Puyallup, Wash., Sept. 11-13, with the top 12 in the standings advancing from there to the Justin Boots Championships, Sept. 24-26 in Omaha, Neb.
One thing that won’t change is the boost a cowboy can get from strong performances at the playoff rodeos – Puyallup’s total purse is more than $500,000 and Omaha’s approaches $725,000 – a fact that isn’t lost on any of the cowboys who currently find themselves anywhere near the 15th-place position in the PRCA World Standings and only adds to the drama that will surround both Puyallup and Omaha.
All five performances of Justin Boots Playoffs to air on ProRodeoLive.com
ProRodeoLive.com, the Internet voice of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, will provide complete live coverage of all five performances of the Sept. 11-13 Justin Boots Playoffs from Puyallup, Wash. |
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For cowboys like Tim Shirley, who was 17th in the Tour standings and 16th in the PRCA World Standings as of Sept. 9, they are all too aware of the importance of the playoff events, so they ’re doing what they can to concentrate on the task at hand.
“I’m trying not to focus on knowing that I need to win; I’m just trying to make sure I do what I’ve been doing the past few years,” Shirley said. “Don’t focus on the money part, just focus on making a good ride.”
The 27-year-old from Conifer, Colo., added that, despite his precarious position in the standings and the nerves that come with it, he’s excited for the opportunity to control his own destiny as he pursues a second consecutive Wrangler NFR berth.
“I’ve never been in this spot,” Shirley said. “In a way, it’s cool because you know there’s still a fighting chance. So it’s kind of fun and nerve wracking at the same time.”
For many cowboys who find themselves on the bubble, how hard they’re able to fire back in the Justin Boots Playoffs will determine how long they last in the 2009 postseason. |
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