Coleman Proctor and Logan Medlin nabbed $13,000 for their win at the NFR Playoff Series Finale at Puyallup’s Washington State Fair Pro Rodeo on Sept. 11, 2022, sending them up the world standings just ahead of the 2022 NFR.
“We don’t go to very many rodeos throughout the year where you can win $13,000,” said Medlin, a two-time NFR qualifier. “It is huge for us, whether you’re inside the top 15 or fighting for a spot on the bubble. It’s important for everybody. Everybody is appreciative to get to rope for that much money. I wouldn’t have thought that six-flat probably would’ve won the final round, but it was our day and fortunately, that was fast enough to let us get the win.”
In Playoff 2, Proctor and Medlin were a total of 13.9 seconds on two head to qualify for the eight-man semi-finals, where they placed fourth with an 8.0-second run to qualify for the final four-man round, in which they won with a 6.0-second run.
All teams that made it to the final round received a piece of the $1M payout, with $13,000 going to the No.1 team, $9,750 to No.2, $6,500 to No.3, and $3,250 to No.4.
“I knew we were guaranteed 30-some hundred for making the final round, so I was tickled about that,” said Proctor, a six-time NFR qualifier. “You put a mark on the board, you don’t really expect to win first. I think I was probably the most shocked that it worked out that way. We were grateful for the win, but it was a lot of good fortune that came our way that last day.”
On the first day, Proctor rode a sorrel gelding named Ricky Bobby, owned by Shane Boston, but switched to his own sorrel gelding, Jesse James, when they made it to the final eight in hopes of a better go on the second day.
“He’s been doing an incredible job,” Proctor said of Ricky Bobby. “He’s what I’ve been riding in the Northwest a lot and he’s really quick-footed and he scores really good.
“Jesse James, you know, he’s the one I rode last year and made the Finals,” Proctor added. “He pulls on me a little more at the start and I figured he’d give me a better chance.”
Medlin stuck with Nita Win Playboy—his ex-ranch horse, Drago—who was named the 2020 PRCA Heel Horse of the Year (a title he shares with Brady Minor’s Leos Highbrow, aka Sug, as a result of a tie).
“He’s a good horse. He’s very reliable,” said Medlin, 31, of Tatum, New Mexico. “There’s a lot of factors in the sport of team roping, but I feel like he takes one factor out. I don’t have to worry about him. He’s gonna do his job and let me do my job.”
With their win, Proctor moved from No. 7 to No. 4 in the world standings, while Medlin moved from No. 8 to No. 5, both with $108,390.67 in PRCA earnings to date.
“It definitely puts us in a safe spot,” Proctor said. “We’re trying to go to the Finals in the top five and have somewhat of a chance to catch fire out there and try to get caught up to Kaleb and Junior. They’ve had just an incredible year. So, it definitely helps with the standings and gets us over $100,000 in earnings and back up in the top five.”
During the final two weeks of the ProRodeo season, the now top-5 team will finish up with four rodeos: Albuquerque’s New Mexico State Fair & Rodeo, the Amarillo Tri-State Fair and Rodeo in Texas, the Omaha River City Rodeo in Nebraska and Stephenville, Texas’ Cowboy Capital of the World PRCA Rodeo.
