ProRodeo Sports News - Nov. 22, 2019

WRANGLER NATIONAL FINALS RODEO

McCown seeks crown

Winning major

rodeos, such as the World’s Oldest Rodeo in Prescott, Ariz., boosted permit holder Parker McCown toward qualifying for the Permit Members of the Year Challenge. McCown’s 87-point ride on 4L & Diamond S Rodeo’s Foolish Dreams was worth $6,806.

Dale Miller photo

Top permit holders to compete at South Point

BY MATT NABER P arker McCown set the record for most money won on a PRCA per- mit for one year, including ground money, with $72,543, breaking the mark of $51,270 set by bull rider Trey Kimzey in 2018.

on to win some of the biggest competitions of the 2019 regular season, such as the Sandhills Stock Show & Rodeo in Odessa, Texas, Jan. 5; the Redding (Calif.) Rodeo, May 18; and the World’s Oldest Rodeo in Prescott, Ariz., July 7. He also split the win at the Old Fort Days Rodeo in Fort Smith, Ark., June 1. “They did good all year, so I didn’t want to be the only one not doing good,” McCown said. “Their success pushed me to do a bit better.” McCown credited his dad, Shawn, for his successful 2019 season. “He taught me everything I know,” McCown said. “He always gave me good practice bulls to get on and he was always correcting me if I did something wrong, but then telling me I did good when I got something right.” McCown also competes on the Hill College rodeo team and goes deer hunting with Boudreaux Campbell, who is entering the Wrangler NFR in sixth place this year. “I’m just looking forward to watching my buddies at the NFR, and I’m ready to win the permit challenge and hopefully draw some good ones and get the atmosphere down there in Vegas,” McCown said. The 2019 Permit Members of the Year Challenge will be at noon at the South Point in Las Vegas, Dec. 5. “It’s awesome, and one step closer to the NFR,” McCown said. “There will be some good bull riders there, and I’m looking forward to competing with them.”

PERMIT CHALLENGE McCown also shattered the record for most money won on a permit for a career in one event, not including ground money, with $88,494 won between 2018-19. The previous record was set by Wyatt Bloom, who won $65,520 in bareback riding from 2012-16 (more than double the amount of time McCown was a permit holder). “I was just blessed to be able to ride some good bulls and get a few

wins and just not think too hard about it and really focused on doing the best I possibly could,” McCown said. “You can do anything you set your mind to if you have God on your side.” But he hasn’t won the Permit Members of the Year Challenge – yet. On Dec. 5, McCown will get his last chance to win the permit challenge since he started his rookie year for the 2020 season, and as of Nov. 15, he was at the top of the PRCA | Resistol Rookie Standings. McCown placed second in the first round of last year’s permit challenge. “StetsonWright and Trey Kimzey were there, and it gave me confidence that I could be there too,” McCown said. While traveling with Foster McCraw and J.T. Moore, McCown went

ProRodeo Sports News 11/22/2019

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