Tilden Hooper has nine National Finals Rodeo qualifications to his name, with the most recent coming his way in 2022. After battling back from injuries, the veteran bareback rider is two holes out from making it to ten.
A 90-point ride on Macza Pro Rodeo’s great horse, OLS Tubs Stevie Knicks at the Roughrider Cup, earned Hooper $18,000 to move him from No. 22 to No. 17 in the World.
“That’s one of my favorite horses I’ve been on in my whole career... For me, that’s ol’ faithful right there. She always does what she’s supposed to do and man, she really gave me a chance yesterday. That was awesome. I felt her stack up right there and come around, keep coming right, I knew I had a real shot. Man, that was awesome,” Hooper said.
The win at the Roughrider Cup came at the right time. Hooper knew this ride had the potential to keep his season alive and it did just that.
Hooper is gearing up for the Governor’s Cup in Sioux Falls where his season end will come down to the wire.
“I think it’s just what our sport needs, you know, somewhere for everything to culminate right there at the end before we go to the National Finals, and these guys look like they’re doing a great job up there in Sioux Falls. So, I’m excited to get a chance to go up there and get after it,” he said.
Hooper trails the No. 15 cowboy, Mason Clements, by just $2,000 and there is plenty of money waiting for him in Sioux Falls.