ProRodeo Strategy (4/6/18): RNCFR Semi's & Finals Prep

Kissimmee, Florida (April 6, 2018) - The Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Kissimmee, Florida, April 3rd through the 6th, promises to change the PRCA's World Standings. Here's some quick notes from the strategy room as we look at what the first two rounds alone potentially did to the World Standings. Please note that these standings are not official nor guaranteed 100% accuracy; they are simply observations. 

More money stands to be won as the Top 8 contestants advance Sunday to a clean slate semi-finals round, which is then followed with the Top 4 advancing to the Finals round.

Confused on the RNCFR? Read more here.

Bareback:

1. Clayton Biglow has won $6,245 with a round win at the RNCFR this weekend. This moves him from 21st in the world standings to 12th.

2. Reigning World Champion Tim O’Connell has won $10,992 with placings in 2 rounds of the RNCFR. This moves him from 13th to approximately 6th.

3. Some people didn’t move, and they are probably okay with that! Those people won money at the RNCFR in either one round or two, but are still locked into their world standing position.
   Caleb Bennett - 1st
   Mason Clements - 2nd
   Jake Brown - 4th
   Shane O’Connell - 5th

4. Steven Dent won $1,801 and moved from 18th to approximately 16th in the world.

5. Columbia River Circuit Qualifier Steven Peebles has won $3,412 and has moved from 36th to approximately 25th.

Advancing to the Semi-Finals: Tim O'Connell, Clayton Bigelow, Shane O'Connell, Mason Clements, Jake Brown, Wyatt Denny, Steven Dent, and J.R. Vezain.

Steer Wrestling:

1. Louisiana Cowboy Jacob Talley has placed in two rounds and is sitting third in the aggregate heading to the semi-finals with $4,459 won. This moves him from 5th to approximately 2nd in the world standings.

2. Chason Floyd has won the most of any contestant at the Circuit Finals this weekend with $12,508 total, moving him from 18th in the world to approximately 7th.

3. With $6,254 in a round win, Kyle Irwin moves from 17th in the world to approximately 9th.

4. Jacob Shofner has moved one marker from 12th to approximately 11th in the world standings.

5. Billy Bugenig makes the biggest jump for the steer wrestling event in the world standings, moving from 31st to approximately 18th with $7,012 won through two rounds of the RNCFR

Advancing to the Semi-Finals: Billy Bugenig, Kyle Irwin, Jacob Talley, Beau Clark, Chason Floyd, Bridger Chambers, Blake Mindemann, Sean Santucci, and Jacob Shofner.

Team Roping:

1. Trey Yates moves from 12th to approximately 10th in the heeling world standings with $1,327 won.

2. Through the assistance of a round win and $6,254 won, Kyle Lockett moved from 26th to approximately 11th in the world standings.

3. Keven Daniel makes the second biggest move in the world standings of all team ropers, moving from 21st to approximately 12th in the heading, thanks to $4,738 won.

4. Brad Culpepper moved from 20th in the world standings to approximately 13th via $4,738 won.

5. The biggest move by all team ropers so far in the world standings due to the monies won at the RNCFR is header Blake Teixeira who won a round ($6,254) to move from 21st to approximately 15th.

Top 8 Advancing to the Semi-Finals: Thad Ward/Olin Pulham, Logan Olson/Matt Kasner, Andrew Ward/Reagan Ward, Clay Smith/Paul Eaves, Ty Blasingame/Trey Yates, Jesse Stipes/Jake Smith, Marcus Theriot/Clint Summers, and Dustin Bird/Chase Tryan. 

Saddle Bronc:

1. Jacobs Crawley and Brody Cress both won money, keeping them at one and two in the world respectively. Although their positions didn’t change, Cress was able to chip away at the substantial lead seen by Crawley.

2. Wade Sundell moved from seventh to approximately third in the world standings by placing in both rounds of the RNCFR ($6,728).

3. Joey Sonnier won $6,918 between two rounds to move from 15th to approximately 10th in the world standings.

4. Both Ryder Wright and Taos Muncy moved approximately one placing to 13th and 12th respectively.

5. JJ Elshere moved from 17th to approximately 14th in the world standings.

Top 8 Advancing to Semi-Finals: Joey Sonnier III, Jacobs Crawley, Wade Sundell, Taos Muncy, Isaac Diaz, J.J. Elsewhere, Brody Cress, and Ray Hostetler.

Tie Down Roping:

1. Jake Pratt of Washington has moved one placing from 4th to approximately 3rd in teh world standings.

2. Three cowboys stayed in the same world standing spot despite winning money. Those were Tuf Cooper, Tyson Durfey, and Matt Shiozawa placing 5th, 6th and 13th respectively.

3. Sterling Smith moved from 9th to approximately 7th in the world standing.

4. Ryan Jarrett’s round win moved him from 15th to approximately 12th in the world standings.

5. Reno Gonzales of New Mexico’s winnings of $3,412 moved him from 30th to 22nd.

Top 8 Advancing to Semi-Finals: Seth Hall, Tyson Durfey, Tuf Cooper, Sterling Smith, Trey Young, Matt Shiozawa, Ryle Smith, and Riley Pruitt

Bull Riding:

1. Sage Kimzey continues to dominate in his bull riding career, winning money in both rounds of the RNCFR totaling $9,097. This brought him over the $100,000 mark which is the fastest he’s ever reached it in a season he mentioned in an interiview with the PRCA.

2. Parker Breding of Montana won a round of the RNCFR to move from 5th to approximately 2nd in the world standings.

3. Chase Dougherty of Oregon may have been a rookie a year ago, but he’s no rookie in 2018; he’s won $3,601 to move from 16th to 12th in the world.

4. Brady Portenier has won $2,843 to move from 23rd to approximately 20th.

5. Jeff Bertus makes the biggest jump of the bull riders, winning $2,464 to move from 50th in the world standings to 39th.

Top 8 Advancing to Semi-Finals: Sage Kimzey, Aaron Williams, Parker Breding, Brady Portenier, Chase Dougherty, Lon Danley, Dayton Swearingen, and Jeff Bertus.

Barrel Racing:

Top 8 Advancing to Semi-Finals: Shelly Anzick, Teri Bangart, Taci Bettis, Jessica Routier, Alexis Baratka, Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, Nikki Hansen, and Kathy Petska. 

###
These are just observations noted by the information provided on ProRodeo.com; these numbers are not official nor considered accurate. 

Understanding ProRodeo's Circuits and the RNCFR

(Last updated October 17, 2022) - The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association is organized in a slightly complicated fashion into circuits and tours that can be very confusing to those who have no idea about the road to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. In 2022, the That Western Life podcast sat down with NFR Steer Wrestler and NFR Open Qualifier Cody Cabral and RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo saddle bronc qualifier Joe Harper to discuss circuits, tours, rodeo counts, strategy and more in a more in-depth breakdown with contestants regarding the circuits, tours, finales, and national rodeos that the PRCA hosts. Click the link below to learn more.

ProRodeo Circuits

Why circuits?

You can liken the circuit idea, which started in 1975, to the motto of the Northwest Professional Rodeo Association of the “Weekend Cowboys” (although the PRCA dubs them the “weekend warriors” – a little more intense). These are people who are able to keep a Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, job and still be able to go rodeo on the weekend and qualify for a finals-eque rodeo.

What are the geographical regions of each of the circuits?

Graphic found online.

• Columbia River Circuit – Located in the northwest consisting of Washington, Oregon, the northern tip of Idaho and parts of Montana.

• California Circuit – The state of California.

• Wilderness Circuit – Located east of California, it includes the majority of Idaho, Nevada and Utah.

• Montana Circuit – The state of Montana.

• Mountain States Circuit – Includes Wyoming and Colorado.

• Turquoise Circuit – Includes the states of New Mexico and Arizona.

• Badlands Circuit – Includes North and South Dakota.

• Prairie Circuit – Includes Nebraska, Oklahoma and Kansas.

• Texas Circuit – The state of Texas.

• Great Lakes Circuit – Includes the states of Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, and Kentucky.

• First Frontier Circuit – Is the northeastern most part of the United States and includes Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey. With thirteen states, it's the circuit that holds the most states within it's boundaries.

• Southeastern Circuit – Includes everything in the southeastern part of the United States which includes Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Arkansas.

• Mexican Rodeo Federation (added in 2016) - The Mexican Rodeo Federation has 15 PRCA co-approved rodeos and will be eligible to send two champions in each event to compete at the RNCFR. Source.

• Maple Leaf Circuit (added in 2018) - The Canadian Professional Rodeo Association rodeos will allow competitors to earn Maple Leaf Circuit points, with two champions in each event earning spots to compete at the RNCFR. Source.

How does a contestant pick a circuit?

The contestant picks their circuit based off of their preference or off their home address. Meaning that if I am from Louisiana, I could compete in the Southeastern Circuit as my home circuit or I could choose, say, the Wilderness Circuit (or any other circuit for that matter) for my "home" circuit. If a contestant does not determine a separate circuit, the PRCA will allocate them in the circuit that their home address resides in. 

Ram  National Circuit Finals Rodeo (RNCFR) is now known as the NFR Open held in Colorado

At the end of the season, each of the circuits will have their own respective Circuit Finals rodeo. These finals are held with some in November of the competing year (remember that the ProRodeo Season runs from October through September) and other in February or March of the next year. The contestants for the finals are competing for the top spot at their circuit finals, as well as the overall top spot in the season standings. These top two contestants will represent their Circuit at the NFR Open held in July in Colorado.

These finals have been held in the past in Idaho before moving to Oklahoma in 2011. In 2015, it moved to Kissimmee, Florida, where they have added more sponsor money for the contestants to win - thus the reasoning for the big move to a not so stereotypical rodeo area. The PRCA expected a surge in rodeo’s fan base as they tapped into an exciting tourist location that is loaded with theme parks and other exciting adventures (not unlike the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Viva Las Vegas!). They are also a heck of a lot closer for all of the Texas cowboys (who compete in circuits all over the country) than, say, Nevada. It will be harder for the northern contestants to make it, but a chance for nice weather for a winter-ish rodeo is more than exciting for these contestants.

Unfortunately, Kissimmee didn’t provide the draw they expected and announced with new PRCA CEO Tom Glause, the RNCFR was rebranded as the NFR Open to match that of “The Open” in tennis. The reasoning was to create a more mainstream sports branding so that fans would understand the event as a top tier competition. Televised through the Cowboy Channel, the NFR Open was hosted at Pike’s Peak or Bust rodeo in July for the first time in 2022.

Not everyone has the time, nor money, to travel the large tours that the big names (think Trevor Brazile, Tuf Cooper, Bobby Mote, Kaycee Fields, etc.) compete on all around the United States. The circuit system allows a huge opportunity for these people to be rewarded for their time, dedication, and hard work to the sport and it's sponsors. Don't be confused though, the big name contestants will most likely qualify in a circuit for the Ram National Circuit Finals so you will get to see some of the fan favorites competing against the Weekend Warriors.

One of the great attributes of the circuit system is that it allows a younger cowboy or a "weekend warrior" to find success through the ranks, winning larger and larger purses to help fund them down the rodeo trail. It is not a surprise to see someone win enough money through the circuit system to put them on a the national tour and a run for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

As of 2016, monies won at each of the twelve circuit finals and the Ram National Circuit Finals counts towards the PRCA's world standings for that next year. Doesn't make sense? Here's the breakdown: 
- Compete in circuit rodeos in 2016
- Qualify to respective circuit finals in 2016 or 2017 (depending on the circuit finals timing)
- Win either your circuit finals or finish the season #1 in the standings for your circuit to qualify for the National Circuit Finals - This money counts toward the 2017 World Standings
- Win money at the 2016 National Circuit Finals (held April 2017 in Florida) - Count the money towards the 2017 World Standings.

This has been an added benefit for competitors to stay closer to home, saving money on gas and travel time. An ever-changing beast, the circuit systems opened up in 2017 to include one new circuit based off the Mexican Rodeo Federation. Stay tuned over the next few years as the PRCA looks to include potentially Canada, Brazil, and more to the RNCFR. 

Advancing through the Circuit Finals

All 28 competitors (two from each of the fourteen circuits) compete in two preliminary rounds over the course of two days. In this tournament style finals, the top eight contestants from each event advance to the semifinals. For the semifinals, competitors will see a clean slate start where the previous times and scores will be thrown out. After one semifinal round, the top four for each event advance to the championship round. 

The championship round is the "Wrangler Round" where contestants again see a clean slate start with previous times and scores thrown out. Contestants are now competing for the RNCFR title and any of the four who qualify to this championship round are eligible to win. 

Stay tuned to the Wrangler Network and the PRCA to find out how your circuit contestants placed at the 2017 Ram National Circuit Finals. 

###

This article was originally published on the blog PNW Country Girl and updated and reposted via their permissions.
Updated April 5, 2021 to include circuit additions and updates.