BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN
After returning from injury on June 23, Ky Hamilton had a 6-for-9 stretch in the middle of July followed by a win at the Cheyenne Frontier Days to help put him back an NFR spot at No. 15 in the world.
However, things won’t be easy for the Aussie as riders 16-21 are all within $7,000 of that coveted final spot in Vegas. Of the cowboys giving chase, all but one have made the NFR before and four have made multiple.
Screeshot via ProRodeo.com
Roscoe Jarboe is in 16th and less than $500 behind Hamilton. Jarboe has made four of the last five Wrangler NFRs and finished in the Top 10 all four years. He is coming off a weekend in which he finished third in Gooding (Idaho) and second in Canby (Oregon). He has also won two Xtreme Bulls events this season.
Jeff Askey has also qualified for four of the last five Wrangler NFRs and has finished in the Top 5 twice in the last three years. Askey has placed at five rodeos so far in August and also won $7,399 for winning a Go-Round and the Average at the Snake River Stampede on July 24.
The No. 18 man in the world is Jordan Hansen and while he has only won one rodeo this season, it was a big one: The Calgary Stampede. The Alberta native also placed in five rodeos from Aug. 4-15.
Fresh off an arena record in Baker, Montana, Braden Richardson is No. 19 in the world. The 26-year-old has never finished higher than 25th, but has one of the highest average scores on the bubble at 83.58 points. Richardson’s 93 points in Cody are the second-highest PRCA Bull Riding score in 2021.
Hot on the heels of both Hansen and Richardson is 2011 PRCA World Champion Shane Proctor. The Washington cowboy last made the NFR in 2016, when he won the Average. Proctor has been consistent in August and won close to $20,000 despite not winning any rodeos.
Finally, Brady Portenier is well within striking distance of Hamilton with $54,116. Portenier has won four rodeos this year, including Greeley, after making his NFR debut in 2020.
Places 15-21 are not the only close races in the PRCA Bull Riding World Standings. Thing are also tight between No. 11 and No. 14. Colten Fritzlan is in 11th with $66,881 and Jordan Spears is 14th with $65,216. You can see the full world standings here.
RELATED:
