ProRodeo Sports News - October 5, 2018

Yates finished 10th in the final unofficial PRCA | RAMWorld Standings with $86,483 as of Oct. 1. He has finished no worse than sixth in the world standings since 2014 and was a career-best third in 2017 with $233,673. He won Rounds 5 and 6 at last year’s Wrangler NFR with 7.0 and 6.9-second efforts. The return trip to the 2018Wrangler NFR, Dec. 6-15, wasn’t an easy one for Yates. His trusty horse, Buster, 16, injured his rear left leg and last competed in a PRCA rodeo at the St. Paul (Ore.) Rodeo the first week of July. Yates also lost the services of his backup horse, Hot Shot, for the past year due to injury. Yates used Buster at the Wrangler NFR in 2016-17. “I sent Buster home, and hopefully he will be back and ready to go to Vegas,” Yates said. “This year has been a COWBOY CAPITAL PRCA RODEO OF THEWORLD

Prcin was glad to lend a hand – and his horse – to Yates. He and Yates team roped together at junior rodeos and high school rodeos. “Marty and I have rodeoed together since we were like 8 years old, and we have always ridden each other’s horses,” said Prcin, 26. “It’s never been a question if now is a good time. It doesn’t matter with us. If he asks to get on one of my horses, he gets on, and if I ask to get on one of his, I get on.” EYE ONTHE PRIZE Yates has his share of PRCA success, but now he’s focused on snaring a coveted gold buckle. “I have gotten to accomplish a lot of goals, but the first one in line now is to win the average and the world at the NFR,” Yates said. “I know what to expect a little more. I like to feed off the energy and the crowd (at the NFR). The first time I got to rope there it was everything I thought it would be, and it lights my fire. It’s the greatest feeling in the world to get a 6-second run in Vegas. It feels like the roof is going to come off that place.” Prcin would love to see Yates celebrate with a gold buckle Dec. 15. “With Marty it is all about when he will be a world champion, not if he will be a world champion,” Prcin said.

roller-coaster. To have my horse go down was tough, but I was able to find out what I had in my gut. It was either all or nothing, and I was able to see what I had in me when my back was against the wall.” With his horse options dwindling, Yates turned to his longtime friend and traveling partner Tyler Prcin. Without hesitation, Prcin let him ride his horse, Visa, 12. “Tyler was my best friend growing up,” Yates said. “It was cool to get to use his horse, and I had my horse, Big Time, that is 11. The first time I ever rode Visa was at the Cheyenne (Wyo.) (Frontier Days) in July. When Buster got hurt, I went like two weeks there mounting out and riding different horses at every rodeo. Then, when I got on Visa, everything started clicking again, and I was winning a little bit every week and kept myself in the Top 15.”

Tanner Brunner won the Cowboy Capital of the World PRCA Rodeo with a 3.5-second run. He earned $2,421, which helped him qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo for the first time. Brunner is sixth in the unofficial Oct. 1 PRCA | RAM World Standings. William Kierce photo

Complete results on Page 60

SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Ross Griffin .............................. 86 pts. 2. Wyatt Casper ................................... 85 3. (tie) Sterling Crawley ....................... 83 Jacobs Crawley ............................... 83

TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Marty Yates ............................ 7.2 sec. 2. Monty Lewis ................................... 7.5 3. Scott Kormos ................................. 7.8 4. Westyn Hughes .............................. 8.4

BARREL RACING 1. Teri Bangart ........................ 15.59 sec. 2. Jimmie Smith ............................. 15.61 3. Sara Withers ............................... 15.66 4. Taylor Langdon ........................... 15.67

BULL RIDING 1. Aaron Pass ............................... 90 pts. 2. Dustin Boquet ............................... 87.5 3. Cole Melancon ................................. 87 4. Ben Jones ..................................... 84.5

ProRodeo Sports News 10/5/2018

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