Korbin Rice has taken a $3,054.36 lead in the 2024 Resistol Rookie Header of the Year standings, heading into the summer run with $20,220.33 won on the year thus far.
The 22-year-old from Hobbs, New Mexico, rose to No. 1 after a $4,838 weekend in Prineville, Oregon, at the Crooked River Roundup June 20-22. Despite the successful weekend, Rice had no clue he took the lead in the race.
“I actually didn’t even know,” Rice said. “But it’s good; I’m glad. We’ve had a good couple of weeks, went to some good rodeos and drew some good steers. I can’t complain about that, for sure.”
Rice broke out on the rookie scene early in 2024 with his biggest ProRodeo win yet at the Clovis Rodeo in April. Though there’s still plenty of miles to travel this season, he’s excited for the year he’s building.
“I’m absolutely pleased with it,” Rice said of his rookie year. “I have no complaints at all. We’ve drawn really good, and we’ve caught a lot of steers, so if we keep that rolling throughout the rest of the summer, I’ll be happy with it.”
Rising to the top in Prineville
Rice and his partner, 2021 Resistol Rookie Heeler of the Year Caleb Hendrix, roped the last day in Prineville, Saturday, June 22. The team had heard the steers were strong and were expecting a catching contest but were glad to discover they’d be drawing from a good set.
“That whole rodeo changed after that set of steers went through there,” Rice said. “It was pretty much just ‘get two caught and you’re going to win something.’ But by the end of our set, they tightened it up quite a bit that night.”
Rice and Hendrix drew a steer in the first round that ran at the middle of the pack, and they picked up $440 a man for seventh in the round with a 6.1. Their steer in the second round was even better, and their 5.0-second run earned them the second-place check for $1,759 a man. With an 11.1 on two steers, Rice and Hendrix won second in the average for $2,639 each.
Perfecting their run
Their recent success comes as no surprise as Rice and Hendrix have put in dedicated time perfecting their run.
Rice went home for three weeks after winning California’s Clovis Rodeo in April before heading back out for the summer at the Home of the Navajo PRCA Rodeo in Window Rock, Arizona. Now, the two have been staying and practicing at the Double Dollar in Holden, Utah, where Hendrix lives.
READ: Hendrix Wins Resistol Rookie Heeler of the Year Title
“I came down here to Utah, and I just kind of camped out,” Rice said. “We’ve been getting to practice a lot together. Then we went that week of like Monticello (Utah) and Sisters, Oregon; Eagle, Idaho; and all that—I came down for that, too. I’ve just kind of been here since then.”
Since their spring win in California, Rice feels his run with Hendrix is really developing nicely.
“We’ve gotten to rope so much since I’ve been here in Holden, and I think he has a pretty good idea of whatever horse I’m on how they’re going to hit and look,” Rice said. “I also think I’ve got a pretty decent idea of where and how he likes them. It’s been good. I think it’s starting to come around really good together and it feels pretty normal to just go make runs now.”
Rice’s big rookie goals
Currently sitting in short-round contention at the Reno Rodeo, Rice and Hendrix head to the Greeley Stampede next. And though Rice is learning the ProRodeo ropes, they’re in it for the long haul and plan to stay out on the road through September, giving Rice a chance at the Resistol Rookie of the Year title but also an even larger goal.
“It would be a cool deal to win, as I know it’s a prestigious title for sure,” Rice said. “I’d love to make the NFR, though. That’s really what I’m going for. But if the Rookie title’s there by the end of the year and I end up winning it, I’ll be super pleased with that, too.”
