BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN
Like world No. 1 Matt Reeves, Curtis Cassidy is also an NFR steer wrestler north of 40-years-old.
Cassidy will arrive at Globe Life Field in fifth place in the standings, and also with a wealth of NFR knowledge now spanning three different decades.
The Canadian cowboy first made the Wrangler NFR in 2002 and has returned six more times including again for three consecutive years from 2008-2010. He also qualified in 2014 and 2018, the latter of which he entered No. 1 in the world and finished fourth with $188,355.
Cassidy’s biggest performance of the 2020 season came early on at the AT&T Center in San Antonio. There he finished second in the rodeo and won money on five of his six steers, including $7,800 for his 4.1-second time in the Championship Round. He won more than $13,000 for the entirety of the rodeo.
CURTIS CASSSIDY - 3.7 SECONDS AT SAN ANTONIO SEMIFINALS
Cassidy was quiet for the most of the year after San Antonio until a 10-day stretch in the summertime vaulted him right back into the mix for the Wrangler NFR.
From Aug. 13-22, Cassidy competed in eight rodeos, placed in five and won two. All but one were in Montana.
In total, he amassed $7,357 while criss-crossing Montana with his final check being the largest. At the Northwest Montana Fair and Rodeo in Kalispell, he was second with a 4.3-second run and won $2,218.
CURTIS CASSIDY - 4.3 TO WIN KALISPELL
Cassidy also made a strong final push a month later to close the year, winning $2,600 in the last two weeks of the season. About $1,500 of that came courtesy of a 3.5-second run at the ProRodeo Tour Finale in Rapid City.
CURTIS CASSIDY - 3.5 SECONDS AT PRORODEO TOUR FINALE
While Cassidy missed more steers than usual in 2020, his average time of 6.17 seconds is still the best he’s had this decade.
In addition to his Wrangler NFR success, Cassidy also won the Canadian National Finals Rodeo in steer wrestling in 2006 and 2010.
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