BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN
Cory Solomon knows how to take an advantage when opportunity knocks. After finishing the 2020 regular season No. 16 in the PRCA World Standings, Solomon was unexpectedly called to compete at the NFR at Globe Life Field because of Caleb Smidt’s positive COVID-19 test. He would go on to win a Go-Round, finish third in the Average and fifth in the world by winning $125,000 in Arlington.
This year, Solomon has qualified with a little less stress, safely in the Top 10 with $99,152 in 2021 earnings.
Solomon’s lone rodeo win this year was a big one - The Calgary Stampede. Solomon was the top tie-down roper at the prestigious rodeo for the third time thanks to his Semifinal and Showdown runs of 6.6 and 7.3 seconds respectively. He earned a total of $31,825 toward the PRCA World Standings for winning the event.
“I’m just thankful to be in this position, thankful for The Calgary Stampede and all of these great ropers and thankful to be back,” he said afterward. “This is my favorite place to go rope calves.”
SOLOMON’S 6.6-SECOND RUN
SOLOMON’S 7.3-SECOND RUN
The Stampede wasn’t Solomon’s only big success in July. He placed second in a round in Prescott, Arizona and finished in the Top 5 at two Montana Cowboy Christmas rodeos, Red Lodge and Livingston. At both of those rodeos, he stopped the clock at 7.4 seconds.
Solomon also performed well at April’s Red Bluff Round-Up. He was second in the Average behind Tuf Cooper and had an aggregate time of 36.6 seconds on four head. He won nearly $7,500, with about half of it coming from the Average.
Solomon’s other California success came a few weeks later in Redding when he won third in the Average and second in Round 2.
After winning one Go-Round in each of the last two years, Solomon won a total of seven in 2021. As for NFR Go-Rounds, he has won four of those in his career and placed in 20 others.
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