Tim O’Connell has has a formidable presence in bareback riding for 11 years now, earning three Gold Buckles in the midst of it.
In 2023, even though rookies shined, O’Connell is leaving no doubt that he is still one of the best and one to keep an eye on as he racked up $159,326 to enter his tenth National Finals Rodeo as the No. 4 bareback rider in the PRCA World Standings.
BIGGEST PAYDAYS
Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup, $12,500
Two paychecks at the first ever Governor’s Cup totaled up to his highest paying rodeo of the season for O’Connell. An 86.5-point ride on Championship Pro Rodeo’s Damaged Goods won him the First Round while he barely missed the Four-Man Round after a ride on Cat Nap.
RodeoHouston, $10,200
After placing in all three Go-Rounds of Super Series 1, O’Connell was the No. 2 man from his Super Series going on. A match up with Calgary Stampede’s Zulu Warrior in the Semifinals put him on top of the leaderboard before finished fifth in the Championship Round. Four of his five rides in NRG Stadium were marked 84.5 points or higher.
HIGHEST MARKED RIDES
Douglas County Fair and Rodeo (Colorado), 90 Points
O’Connell tied Cooper Cooke for the win in Castle Rock after his highest marked ride of the year came aboard Summit Pro Rodeo’s Game Trail. The win was worth over $4,000 and was one of six PRCA Playoff Series wins he notched this year.
Cody Stampede (Wyoming), 89 Points
By half a point, O’Connell took home the win in Cody, Wyoming over the No. 1 bareback rider in the world, Keenan Hayes. With his second highest score of the season coming in at 89 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Breaking News, O’Connell set the pace that couldn’t be matched and earned nearly $10,000 for his victory at the one-header.
Ellensburg Rodeo (Washington), 89 points
Over Labor Day Weekend, O’Connell did it again. In the Finals in Ellensburg, O’Connell drew Calgary Stampede’s Disco Party and the two put up a score of 89 points to win the Short Go and finish second in the Average.
NOTABLE WINS
La Fiesta De Los Vaqueros (Arizona), 84 points
An 84 in Round 1 and an 81 in the Finals made O’Connell the No. 1 cowboy in the Average in Tucson, Arizona. It was an Average that paid well bringing his total for the weekend to $5,140.
Clark County Fair and Rodeo, 87 points
On the back of Sankey Pro Rodeo and Phenom Genetics Shoutin Shoes, O’Connell made the winning ride in Logandale, Nevada to add another almost $7,000 to his season earnings.
Lawton Rangers Rodeo, 88 Points
Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Hollywood Hills was O’Connell’s matchup in Oklahoma. It was one that would be his fourth best score of the season and land him with another championship, this time adding just over $4,000 to his name.
Meet the NFR Athletes is presented by Montana Silversmiths #EveryBuckleHasAStory #BrandOfChampions #FromGreatToGold
