Tilden Hooper’s list of accomplishments runs long. He is a million-dollar cowboy, a seven-time NFR qualifier, and now he is entering the 2021 NFR at No. 1 in the World. The one thing that Hooper hasn’t added to his resume yet is a World Title.
The 33-year-old cowboy has a lot of work left to do to capture that title, however. He is just $6,000 ahead of World No. 2 Tim O’Connell.
Hooper’s season got off to a great start at The American Rodeo in Arlington, Texas. Hooper wasn’t able to cash a check in the first two rounds, but he did enough to make it to the shootout where he would go 90.5 points on Gun Fire and earn $100,000 ($50,000 towards PRCA World Standings).
TILDEN HOOPER, THE AMERICAN, 90.5 POINTS
After the biggest win of the season, Tilden had a big advantage over the rest of the Bareback Riding field, but he didn’t let that get to him as he kept riding at a high level.
Hooper’s next big win came at the Clovis Rodeo where he went 90.5 points on Virgil to win the rodeo and earn $8,827 on the weekend.
TILDEN HOOPER, CLOVIS RODEO, 90.5 POINTS
Hooper continued his success at the Reno Rodeo where he won the first round after an 87 point ride. He would finish in sixth place in the second round and in the finals. In total during the weekend, Hooper earned $14,080 in total.
TILDEN HOOPER, RENO RODEO, 87 POINTS
Hooper was as consistent as anyone in rodeo this season, shown by his 42 rides at 85 marked at 85 points or higher (41% of his rides). Over the Fourth of July weekend, Hooper won the Mandan Rodeo with a 90 point ride on Billy Jean. The win earned Hooper $5,570. That same weekend Hooper took third place at the Killdeer Mountain Roundup with an 87.5 point ride. The following week Hooper went 88 points at the Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo and got the win.
TILDEN HOOPER, DINOSAUR ROUNDUP RODEO, 88 POINTS
Hooper’s next big payday came at the Cheyenne Frontier Days where he went 80.5 in the first round, 86 points in the second round, and was marked 86.5 in the finals to take second place. In total, Hooper won $18,400 in Cheyenne.
TILDEN HOOPER, CHEYENNE FRONTIER DAYS, 86 POINTS
In total, Hooper earned $161,952 on the season and is in a great position to win his first career Gold Buckle, but his work will be cut out for him. Hooper has three cowboys within $21,000 including three-time World Champion, Tim O’Connell sitting in second place. Bareback riding is shaping up to be one of the most exciting events at the NFR.
