As team ropers are deciding whether to stick it out on the Pro Rodeo trail or tuck their tails and go home, many continue to pull checks to give themselves a shot at qualifying for the 2021 Wrangler NFR, which is to be held back in its home location in Las Vegas at the Thomas & Mack from Dec. 1–11, 2021.
Here, you will find the teams that excelled over the weekend of Aug. 4–7, who’s on the bubble, and which former Resistol Rookies have a fighting chance to qualify to their first NFR.
Top Money Earners
Tyler Wade and Trey Yates
They didn’t score a big first place win, but by adding a total of $10,234 to their season earnings, Tyler Wade and Trey Yates had the largest PRCA earnings over the weekend of Aug 4–7.
Wade, of Terrell, Texas, and Yates, of Pueblo, Colorado, took home a second-place finish at the Dodge City (Kansas) Roundup Rodeo with a time of 17.5 seconds on three head, worth $4,246 a man, plus another $585 each after placing fourth in the final round with a 6.7-second run.
They each took home another $3,426 after winning second at the Kansas Biggest Rodeo in Phillipsburg, Kansas, with a 3.8-second run, and they won the second round at the Lea County PRCA Rodeo in Lovington, New Mexico, with a 4.2-second run, worth $2,077 a man.
Wade is currently fifth in the PRCA world standings with $64,321.88. Yates is ninth with $48,960.72
Clay Smith and Jade Corkill
After their win at Cheyenne Frontier Days, Clay Smith and Jade Corkill continued their hot streak by staying solid in the average at the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo.
With a time of 17.2 seconds on three head, worth $4,768 a man, Smith and Corkill won the rodeo, which they kicked off by winning the first round with a 5.1-second run, worth $2,557 each. Then, they placed fifth in the final round with a 6.9-second run, worth $376 each.
Smith is third and Corkill is fifth in the PRCA World Standings, each with $71,872.72 in season earnings.
Cory Kidd V and Ryan Motes
Cory Kidd V, of Statesville, North Carolina, and Ryan Motes, of Weatherford, Texas, earned $7,726 in Pro Rodeo weekend earnings, after a big finish at the Lea County PRCA Rodeo.
They won the average at the Lea County PRCA Rodeo with a time of 9.4 seconds on two head, worth $3,116 a man. They placed fourth in the first round with a 4.8-second run, worth $1,264 a man, and tied Korbin Rice and Jace Davis for fourth in the second round with a 4.6-second run, worth $1,129 each.
They added another $2,217 to their earnings after placing fifth at the Kansas Biggest Rodeo with a 4.3-second run.
Kidd is inside the top 50 of the PRCA World Standings with $17,773.38 in earnings. Motes is 28th with $26,319.88 in total earnings.
Derrick Begay and Cory Petska
Derrick Begay and Cory Petska, who won the Mountain Valley Stampede in Heber City, Utah, with a 4.5-second run, worth $3,706 a man, have been the team to keep an eye on since their big win at the Reno Rodeo in June.
Begay is seventh with $57,086.66 in earnings and Petska is eighth with $48,960.72 in earnings.
The Bubble
On the head side, 2019 Wrangler NFR qualifier Tate Kirchenschlager is sitting 15th in the PRCA World Standings with $43,696.59 in season earnings, giving him a more than $4,000 lead on the No. 16 man, Kellan Johnson, who’s pushing to qualify for his first NFR in 2021. The young header from Casper, Wyoming, has $39,445.86 in season earnings.
On the heel side, Welch, Oklahoma’s Brye Crites is surging towards his first NFR qualification as he hangs on to 15th in the PRCA World Standings with $41,238.59 in season earnings. Crites has a $991.81 lead on fellow Okie and four-time NFR qualifier Joseph Harrison, who is in the No.16 position with $40,246.78 in season earnings.
Former Resistol Rookies
The only Resistol Rookie title holder currently in the Top 15 of the PRCA World Standings who has never before qualified for the Wrangler NFR is 2018 Resistol Rookie Heeler of the Year Ross Ashford.
Now heeling for Clint Summers, who qualified for the NFR in 2018 on the heel side, Ashford, of Lott, Texas, is currently 11th in the World with $46,931.52 in earnings.
PRCA World Standings
Headers:
1. Dustin Egusquiza, $130,536.22
2. Erich Rogers, $110,439.29
3. Clay Smith, $71,872.72
4. Kaleb Driggers, $69,393.48
5. Tyler Wade, $64,321,88
6. Clay Tryan, $57,485.27
7. Derrick Begay, $57,086.66
8. Cody Snow, $53,222.27
9. Andrew Ward, $52,586.78
10. Clint Summers, $49,873.74
11. Brenten Hall, $48,817.87
12. Luke Brown, $48,198.86
13. Riley Minor, $47,221.72
14. Hayes Smith, $44,144.23
15. Tate Kirchenschlager, $43,696.59
16. Kellan Johnson, $39,445.86
17. Rhen Richard, $37,983.73
18. Coleman Proctor, $37,840.06
19. Aaron Tsinigine, $37,299.50
20. Jake Orman, $36,182.86
Heelers:
1. Travis Graves, $108,829.83
2. Paden Bray, $104,898.57
3. Junior Nogueira, $85,254.38
4. Wesley Thorp, $80,486.04
5. Jade Corkill, $71,972.72
6. Jake Long, $61,706,19
7. Buddy Hawkins, $52,586.78
8. Chase Tryan, $51,930.05
9. Trey Yates, $48,960.72
10. Brady Minor, $47,221.72
11. Ross Ashford, $46,931.52
12. Cory Petska, $44,641,70
13. Cole Davison, $43,696.59
14. Logan Medlin, $42,498.97
15. Brye Crites, $41,238.59
16. Joseph Harrison, $40,246.78
17. Carson Johnson, $39,445.86
18. Justin Davis, $38,239.04
19. Trevor Nowlin, $36,596.25
20. Austin Rogers, $35,990.53
