ProRodeo Sports News - August 24, 2018

WRANGLER TOUR

is 28th in the world standings and 22nd in the Tour standings. “With Puyallup paying so much, that could really boost me up and get me closer to the NFR,” Parrott said. “I want to get some more points at Kennewick and Ellensburg, so I can get into Puyallup. I really started paying attention to the (Wrangler ProRodeo) Tour the last month or so because Puyallup is a game-changer this year. You can go from not having a shot at the (NFR) and you win that deal (Justin Finale), and then you’re right up there in the mix.” Trevor Brazile, who has won a PRCA record 23 world championships, is third in the Wrangler ProRodeo Tour standings in tie-down roping. But Brazile is also trying to solidify his spot in the team roping header standings, where he sits 24th. One pair of team ropers have had their seasons fueled by strong performances at Wrangler ProRodeo Tour events. Team roping header Jr. Dees and team roping heeler Cody Cowden are both fifth in their respective standings. Dees and Cowden didn’t start competing together this season until the Clark County Fair & Rodeo in Logandale, Nev., April 11-15, the inaugural event in the Wrangler ProRodeo Tour. Thanks to their strong showings at Tour rodeos, Dees and Cowden are both 18th in the world standings. “We’re going to all the Tour rodeos,” Cowden said. “It’s a big boost if you get into Puyallup because you only have to beat 24 teams there versus the whole world, and there’s a lot of money. One of our goals was to make the (Justin Finale) in Puyallup. It’s a huge shot in the arm if you qualify for Puyallup right toward the end of the season. Some of the guys who don’t have

Dees, who made his Wrangler NFR debut last year and finished 11th in the world standings, agreed with Cowden. “We’ve made it back to the short round at a lot of these Wrangler ProRodeo Tour events, and that has been a big part of our year,” Dees said. “If we can get to Puyallup it is nice to know that we will have another great chance to help ourselves. A lot of guys will wish they had that opportunity at the end of the year. Now, we should get to Puyallup, and we will have that opportunity to have something to fall back on, which is a big deal.” In addition to the chance to compete at Puyallup, the Wrangler ProRodeo Tour also has provided contestants media exposure. The media coverage of the Wrangler ProRodeo Tour has been divided between ProRodeoTV.com and the Wrangler Network. ProRodeoTV.com livestreamed 11Wrangler ProRodeo Tour events, while the Wrangler Network had the other 11. The Wrangler Network will streamKennewick and Ellensburg. ProRodeoTV.com also will livestream the Justin Finale, and CBS Sports Network will offer TV coverage. CBS Sports Network also aired Prescott, Ariz.; Nampa, Idaho; and Hermiston, Ore.; and will air Caldwell, Idaho, on tape-delay Aug. 26. “This (Wrangler ProRodeo) Tour has given cowboys another way to make a living,” Kimzey said. “I have never won Puyallup before, it is something that has evaded me. I would love to check that off my list this year.” Team roping header Jr. Dees and heeler Cody Cowden – shown competing at Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days – have parlayed success in the Wrangler ProRodeo Tour to position themselves to possibly gain bids to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Don Christner photo

that made are going to be at a disadvantage. To not get to rope for that kind of money – and say you were in 20th (in the world standings) – it will hurt.” Cowden is trying to qualify for his ninth Wrangler NFR and his first since 2005. “Jr. and I never really planned on making the NFR or the Tour (Finale), and we just clicked and things took off, and here we are,” Cowden said. “We have a chance. We were at Baker (Mont.) the morning of Aug. 16 and everybody was asking what spot are you in the world standings? Where are you in the Tour standings? We’ve been so lucky to make the short- goes in Red Bluff (Calif.) and Reno (Nev.), Salinas (Calif.) and Cheyenne (Wyo.), and we won in Dodge City (Kan.). We just want to keep our momentum going.”

ProRodeo Sports News 8/24/2018

ProRodeo.com

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