BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN
After finishing No. 17 in 2019 and No. 18 in 2020, tie-down roper Justin Smith qualified for his first NFR. He is No. 8 in the world after winning $105,984 in 2021 and his performances in Reno and Salinas had a lot to do with it.
At the Reno Rodeo, Smith was third in Round 1 and won the Short Round with a time of 8.5 seconds to take home more than $13,000 and the biggest win of his career.
SMITH IN RENO
In Salinas, he placed in all four rounds and finished third at the ProRodeo Tour Finale. He banked more than $10,000 at the season-ending event. It was a part of a September in which he won both rounds at Walla Wall Frontier Days (Washington) and finished second at the Washington State Fair Rodeo and Gem State Classic Pro Rodeo.
Smith started the season’s final month on the bubble at No. 14 but won close to $30,000 in total to finish safely inside the Top 10.
Reno wasn’t the only massive summer rodeo that Smith did well at. He also placed in three rounds at The Calgary Stampede, including winning one of them with a 6.9-second run, to earn $8,750 in PRCA money.
SMITH’S 6.9-SECOND RUN
Smith started his season in good form with a win at Southeastern Circuit Finals. He was 7.5 and 8.3 seconds on his two runs, placing second in both rounds and first in the Average.
He would go on to win more than $3,000 for placing second in a Go-Round at RAM National Circuit Finals.
In 2021, Smith notched career-highs in qualified times, runs faster than 7.5 seconds and runs faster than 8.5 seconds.
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