ProRodeo Sports News - May 4, 2018

CLOVIS RODEO

the first time since 2014.

Dent has had a strong 2018 season. He earned $9,533 in San Antonio, $2,965 in Tucson, Ariz., and $6,306 in Duncan, Okla. He’s hoping to stay in a solid position within the Top 15, so he doesn’t have to scramble to qualify for the Finals like he did in September. “Last year, it seemed like I hovered between 17th and 21st all year until September

He capped off the 10-day rodeo by taking second in the ninth round and tying for the win in Round 10. He placed sixth in the average there, taking home $77,058 for the Wrangler NFR and finishing the 2017 season with $170,709. “Those are the best horses in the world and the best guys in the world and (it was)

the end of a grueling week,” Dent said. “To still be at the top of your game and good enough to win that round was pretty exciting. Those last two rounds helped me out a bunch. … To be able to finish strong, kind of being the old guy there, too, to endure reinforces that you can still do it and that your training at

came, then I finally got into the Top 15,” Dent said. “It’s a lot easier to rodeo in the Top 10 or Top 5 than if you’re 15th to 25th. Ideally, a guy would like to be first with everybody chasing you, but only one guy gets to do that, so I’ll chase until I get to that position.”

home is paying off. I don’t care what round I win, I just want to win, but that’s a special round to win.” It was a different vibe for him this time around. He and his wife, Kay, took their three children with them to Las Vegas – Cylas (5 years old), Emri (3) and Dailie (1). “It was really a pretty relaxing, stress-free Finals,” Dent said. “It was one of the more fun Finals. I’ve had Finals where I didn’t ride good or Finals where I was in first or second and in a fight for a world title. This Finals, I really had no pressure. I could just go ride and hang out with my family.” As he’s gotten older and watched a new wave of talented cowboys roll in and qualify for rodeo’s ultimate 10 days, he’s had to focus more outside the arena to get better inside the arena. “I’ve come to realize the older you are the harder you have to work to be good at this sport,” said Dent, who lives in Mullen, Neb. “The 19-, 20-, 21-year-olds at the Finals heal faster. I guess the inner fear of not being able to do my best for 10 rounds drove me to work harder to keep up with the young kids and I think it paid off.” Over the course of his career, Dent has made sure to surround himself with like-minded cowboys, guys focused on winning and encouraging one another. “When everybody’s winning and everybody’s riding good everybody’s positive,” he said. “You show up and all four of you win a check, you feed off that. It’s like a team atmosphere.” That has led to him traveling with J.R. Vezain, and come summer, likely adding Tanner Aus and Ty Breuer when the summer road heats up. Dent and Breuer traveled together in September as both pushed hard to qualify for the Finals (which they did). “You’re only as good as your competition,” Breuer said. “When you show up with those guys and ride with all three of them that’s when it’s fun. It just makes you ride better because you see better rides, also.” POSITIVEVIBES

Koby Radley rode Bridwell Pro Rodeos’ Hou’s Bad News for 89.5 points and the win in Clovis. Dan Hubbell photo

Complete results on Page 50

SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Jake Wright................................87 pts. 2. Brody Cress....................................85.5 3. Tyrell Smith.......................................84 4. Two tied at .....................................83.5

TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Jordan Ketscher.........38.2 sec. on four 2. Clint Robinson................................38.4 3. Jake Hannum..................................38.8 4. Jake Pratt.......................................38.9

BARREL RACING 1. Hailey Kinsel........... 50.79 sec. on three 2. Tiany Schuster..............................50.85 3. Stevi Hillman................................51.25 4. Kellie Collier..................................51.36

BULL RIDING 1. Koby Radley............................89.5 pts. 2. Dalan Duncan....................................86 3. Chase Dougherty...............................85 4. Shane Proctor................................84.5

ProRodeo Sports News 5/4/18

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