BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN
Cole Franks is off to the Wrangler NFR, making him the second straight Resistol Rookie of the Year bareback rider to make it after Cole Reiner did so in 2020.
Franks, who qualified 12th with $77,393, made an exciting final push in September when he won a total of seven rodeos.
The first weekend of the month, he won three in a row at the Pioneer City Rodeo (Illinois), Dayton Championship Rodeo (Iowa) and Pine City Championship Rodeo (Minnesota). Those three wins banked him about $6,000 combined.
The next week, Franks continued his dominance of the Great Lakes Circuit by winning the Tri-State Rodeo (Illinois) and the Barron County Xtreme Bulls and Broncs (Wisconsin).
He then went from the Midwest to New Mexico, where he won in both Santa Fe and Albuquerque, the latter earning him almost $4,000 thanks to his 89-point ride on Top Egyptian.
Overall, Franks won about $25,000 in September and was 13-for-13. He averaged () points and did not have a single ride marked less than 80 points. He also placed at or won 11 of the 12 rodeos he competed at.
In addition to the way he closed the season, it is impossible to tell the story of Franks’ season without mentioning his breakout performances in San Angelo, Havre and Dodge City.
In San Angelo, Franks rode Hot Flash for 88 points to win the Long Round, beating out experienced bareback riders like Tilden Hooper, Tim O’Connell, Wyatt Denny, Chad Rutherford and Caleb Bennett in the process.
FRANKS ON HOT FLASH
At the Northern PRCA Extreme Bares and Broncs Challenge at the end of May, Franks rode Honey Hawk for 89 points to become the champion at an event that had 13 cowboys ride for 85 points or more.
His biggest ride of the year and his career came in Dodge City, however. After going 90 in the Long Round, Franks broke the arena record with a whopping 93 points aboard Gun Fire in the Short Round to win the rodeo. Franks left Dodge City with two 90-point rides and $8,500.
Franks won a total of 17 Go-Rounds in 2021 and had 24 rides of 85 points or more.
FRANKS ON GUN FIRE
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