BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN
After his 2021 regular season, it is safe to say 15th-ranked bareback rider Zach Hibler knows a little something about starting strong and finishing strong.
On the last weekend of the season, he won about $8,000 combined at four rodeos in four states to hold off Wyatt Denny, who was making a charge at the ProRodeo Tour Finale, which Hibler did not qualify for. All four of Hibler’s clutch rides were between 82.5 and 85.5 points.
Hibler, who finished No. 17 in 2019, ended up making his first NFR by $683.
As for the strong start? Hibler was first in his bracket in San Antonio with rides of 86 and 85 points in the first two rounds and also tied for second in the First Round at San Angelo with 87 points on Medicine Show, which earned him nearly $4,000.
HIBLER ON MEDICINE SHOW
Hibler continued to make a name for himself at The Calgary Stampede, where he won over $10,000 in PRCA money. He placed second in back-to-back Go-Rounds thanks to an 88-point ride on Gypsy Woman and an 86.5-point ride on Young Karma.
HIBLER ON YOUNG KARMA
Hibler also rode well at the Clovis Rodeo, spurring Ted for 86 points to take third and a prize of more than $4,000.
Hibler’s biggest win of the season came at the Western Stampede (Utah), where he won $5,626 for an 88.5-point ride on Family Tradition. Other than that, Hibler primarily won smaller rodeos, but he won plenty of them.
He was the champion of the Rio Grande Valley Rodeo (Texas), Crosby Fair & Rodeo (Texas), Wolf Point Wild Horse Stampede (Montana), Larimer County Fair & Rodeo, Preston Night Rodeo (Idaho), Inter-State Rodeo (Kansas) and Helotes Festival Association Rodeo (Texas). On those winning rides, he averaged 85 points and was paid between $846 and $2,482 for each.
Hibler set career-best marks in average score (81.03), 85+ point rides (21) and Go-Round wins (11) in 2021. Once he receives the $10,000 all NFR qualifiers get, he will also have set a career-high for money earned in a season.
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