BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN
At age 26, Iowa cowboy Jacob Edler is going to his first Wrangler NFR.
Edler was powered to Arlington thanks to a great performance in the DFW area about 10 months before the National Finals.
Following winning more than $2,000 at the National Western, Edler finished fifth at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, which concluded on Feb. 8. He banked $8,865 over two weeks.
JACOB EDLER - 3.9 SECONDS TO ADVANCE TO FORT WORTH SEMIS
Edler also won $2,257 in San Antonio for a 3.9-second run a few days after his successful stretch in Fort Worth, putting him over the $10,000 mark before Valentine’s Day.
JACOB EDLER - 3.9 SECONDS IN ROUND ONE IN SAN ANTONIO
Despite a great start to the season, Edler was reminded he has to grind just like every other cowboy. After the COVID-19 break, Edler did not win a single dollar between May 29 and July 3. However, he returned to winning checks in a big way.
On July 1, he notched a time of 4 seconds flat in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, which held up for fifth place to earn him $1,878 on July 4. The Independence Day celebration continued for Edler in Prescott, Arizona when he was 4.1 seconds to take first and win another $2,224.
JACOB EDLER - 4.1 SECONDS IN PRESCOTT, ARIZONA
From then on, Edler also won checks of more than $1,000 in Pretty Prairie, Kansas, Baker, Montana and Springhil, Louisiana.
He enters the Wrangler NFR in ninth place in the steer wrestling world standings with $45,607. In 2020, he had 20 runs of 4.2 seconds or less, tied for the most of his career. His previous best finish in the world standings was 23rd in 2019.
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