Top-ranked Resistol Rookie heelers Junior Zambrano and Blaine Turner, will be facing off against one another in the final quarter of the 2022 ProRodeo regular season.
Here’s a check-in:
1. Junior Zambrano: $28,217.09
Junior Zambrano, of Nogales, Arizona, continues to hold the No. 1 spot in the Resistol Rookie heelers standings with a total of $28,217.09 in PRCA earnings. With just four weeks left in the season, he has a $4,932 lead over No. 2 heeler, Blaine Turner.
“I’m sticking to my plan,” Zambrano, 24, said. “I’m just trying to show up to these rodeos and do my job. I’m trying not to get in my own head. As much as I try not to, I watch the standings go up and I can’t help but get excited. But there’s still a few weeks left so I just try to keep my head down and keep grinding.”
In the past week, Zambrano tied for fourth place at the Aug. 25–27 Golden Spike Rodeo in Tremonton, Utah, for $2,454. and tied for sixth place at Coeur D’Alene, Idaho’s Gem State Stampede, held Aug. 26–28, for $1,222.
“I’ve definitely been trying to go as much as I possibly can just cause it’s my rookie year,” Zambrano said.
Zambrano will spend the Labor Day weekend finishing out the stretch in Washington at the Ellensburg Rodeo and the Walla Wall Frontier Days before heading back south to compete at the New Mexico State Fair and Rodeo and the San Bernardino County Sheriff PRCA ProRodeo.
“I’m just trying to have fun, learn, and just enjoy it all,” Zambrano added. “Like Blaine said, ‘This is a once-in-a-lifetime deal.’ I’m just trying to soak it all up.”
2. Blaine Turner: $23,284.13
Blaine Turner, 23, ranks No. 2 in the Resistol Rookie heeler standings with $23,284.13 in PRCA earnings so far this season.
“I haven’t really looked at the standings, but I saw Junior at Kennewick and he said they won like $3,000 so I think he’s got maybe $3,000 or $4,000 on me,” Turner said. “It’s still pretty close, but I’m not too worried about it. If we win a little bit here at the end and I win it, it’ll be cool. If not, it’d be cool if Junior wins it. Me and him are pretty good pals.”
Turner returned to his Batesville, Arkansas, home to get some rest for himself and his horses prior to the upcoming weeks. As his partner, Dalton Turner, nears the end of his rodeo count, they are prioritizing circuit rodeos to qualify for Great Lakes Circuit Finals.
“I’m looking more to winning the circuit finals and stuff like that,” Turner said. “But the Rookie deal would be really cool.”
By Labor Day, Turner will compete at the Pioneer City Rodeo in Illinois and the Pine City Championship PRCA Rodeo in Minnesota before heading to the Tri-State Rodeo and Cinch Chute Out in Iowa, Sept. 7–10. Then, he’s Pendleton Round-Up bound for a big season finale.
“There’s still a chance I can win it if we just do our job,” Turner said. “But it’ll be whoever catches the most from here on out.”
Resistol Rookie Standings, Top 3:
Headers:
- Tanner James – $38,256.70
- Kreece Thompson – $29,683.86
- Bodie Mattson – $13,643.34
Heelers:
- Junior Zambrano – $28,217.09
- Blaine Turner – $23,284.13
- Garrett Smith – $20,978.09
See an up-to-date complete list of the current Resistol Rookie standings at prorodeo.com.
