BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
Buckle up because it’s time for another edition of the Monday Notebook. This week, we’re bringing you all the top stats and standout performances from the two biggest rodeos - the Clovis Rodeo and the Resistol Rookie Roundup presented by The Cowboy Channel.
At the Rookie Roundup, we saw some incredible talent from the top-ranked rookies in the sport. With four events being won by the No. 1 rookie in their respective standings, it’s clear that the future of rodeo is in good hands.
Meanwhile, at Clovis, some familiar names were making their mark. Stetson Wright claimed his first bull riding win of the 2023 season, while Shane Hanchey almost doubled his season earnings over the course of the weekend. And let’s not forget about Clayton Biglow, who won an incredible three California rodeos in just one weekend.
Read on for all the details and highlights from the Clovis Rodeo and the Resistol Rookie Roundup.
- Four events were won by the top-ranked rookie at the Resistol Rookie Roundup presented by The Cowboy Channel. Those cowboys were Keenan Hayes in the bareback riding, Cash Robb in steer wrestling, Cole Thomas/Kaden Profili in team roping and Kalli McCall in barrel racing. So, in total, five of the nine event champions were over the weekend were top-ranked rookies.
- Steer wrestler Cash Robb became the second cowboy ever to win the Long Round and the Short Round at the Rookie Roundup. Robb joined bareback rider Waylon Bourgeois as the only cowboys in any event to 40 percent the all rookie rodeo. Robb won almost $4,000 and with runs of 3.9, 3.6 and 3.1 seconds and he now holds three of the four fastest times in Rookie Roundup history. Overall, there were 14 bulldogging times faster than Joshua Hefner’s 4.6, which was the Rookie Roundup record entering the weekend.
- Steer wrestler Bridger Anderson has moved up 11 spots in the PRCA World Standings since April 20. In 11 days, Anderson has moved up as many spots in the PRCA World Standings and is now No. 9. The North Dakota native won the Red Bluff Roundup (California) on April 23 and has since made his Golden State trip even more worthwhile by adding a fourth place finish in Clovis, a second place finish in Lakeside and another win, this time at the Gold County Pro Rodeo in Auburn. Overall, Anderson has added about $17,000 to his season earnings over the last two weeks.
- Stetson Wright got his first bull riding win of the 2023 season in Clovis. Believe it or not, the reigning World Champion had yet to find the winner’s circle in the event that made him a household name. That changed with a 90-pointer on Macza Pro Rodeo’s Big River Sunday afternoon. Wright bested the 88.5-point mark set by fellow Top 15 cowboys Josh Frost and Jestyn Woodward to win almost $10,000. Wright is now No. 3 in the world.
- Dylan Hancock made the Four-Man Short Round in tie-down roping and steer wrestling at the Rookie Roundup. Competing in three events, no one had a busier Rookie Roundup than Dylan Hancock. He finished third in the tie-down roping and fourth in the steer wrestling, pocketing more than $3,600 total. Hancock also competed in the team roping, where he placed in the Long Round.
- Tie-down roper Shane Hanchey nearly doubled his season earnings in Clovis. The 13-time NFR qualifier entered Clovis with about $14,000 to his name and left with about $27,000. Hanchey pulled a check in all four rounds, including a Top 2 finish in each of the first three, leading him to a victory in the Average. He went from No. 43 all the way to No. 13 in just one weekend.
- Bull rider Sage Kimzey jumped ten spots in the PRCA World Standings after his win at the George Paul Memorial. Kimzey made rides of 88.5 and 90 in Del Rio and is now No. 6. He is moving up the World Standings faster than a speeding bullet as he was No. 27 just three weeks ago before a win at the San Angelo X Bulls moved him to No. 16.
- Bareback rider Clayton Biglow won three California rodeos over the weekend. The 2019 World Champion won the Lakeside Rodeo with 85.5 points, Clovis with 87.5 and Springville with 85. Biglow banked about $14,000 in his home state and went from No. 12 to No. 5 in the PRCA World Standings.
