Tilden Hooper says he feeds off the energy crowd and he gave the crowd a show in AT&T Stadium Sunday afternoon.
The seven-time NFR qualifier won The American Rodeo thanks to a 90.50-point ride on Frontier Rodeo’s Gun Fire.
HOOPER’S WINNING RIDE
The win earned him $100,000, $50,000 of which goes toward the PRCA World Standings. Hooper, who has come close but never won a World Title, says he plans to take advantage of the big check he just won.
“When you get a $50,000 jump on these guys, you gotta try to take advantage of it and that’s absolutely what I’m going to do,” he said.
HOOPER’S INTERVIEW
As for his overall experience at RFD-TV’s The American, Hooper said he loved having fans in attendance, especially considering many rodeos last year went without.
“That’s the most fun is duking it out with one of those bucking horses, but a close second and sometimes first, is when you step off and you hear the crowd go wild,” he said.
With his win, Hooper moves to No. 1 in the Bareback Riding World Standings with $55,000. Tim O’Connell sits in second with $35,561.
You can see full results from the Shootout Round here.
HOOPER’S VICTORY LAP