Rodeo Insider: Brazile relentless in pursuit of record title

By Brett Hoffman Rodeo Insider

PALESTINE — As he attempts to break Ty Murray’s record for the most world all-around championships, Trevor Brazile has been relentless.

Last year, he tied Murray by securing title No. 7 at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.

This year, Brazile’s huge lead in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world all-around title standings shows his willpower to move ahead of Murray. He’s ranked No. 1 with $110,274, $58,968 ahead of No. 2 Ryan Jarrett, who has $51,306.

In recent years, Brazile, an Amarillo native who lives in Decatur, has had the all-around title nearly secured before making his first run at the National Finals.

“I just try to make it a goal during the regular season to put as much distance as possible between myself and the other contenders,” Brazile said. “I like to look at it as if there is no NFR. I like the regular season to be the best it possibly can be, and when I get to the National Finals, I want it to be the same.”

As he goes through a typical year on the national circuit, the 33-year-old Brazile said he thrives on dividing the season in segments.

“I like breaking it up in different pieces so I can be the best in every situation,” he said. “I have certain markers throughout the year. The first would be the winter months until the Reno Rodeo. Then, there’s the Reno Rodeo through most of July. And then there’s August on.”

Translation: The term “winter” refers to the stock show rodeos in cities such as Fort Worth, San Antonio and Houston. The Reno Rodeo in late June is the PRCA’s first major summer rodeo.

After that, July is an unusually busy month. For example, there’s Cowboy Christmas, the July 4 week when there are more lucrative rodeos in one weekend than cowboys can make, and the month concludes with the Cheyenne Frontier Days.

From August through the end of the season in mid-October, competitors ride in other lucrative shows in towns such as Dodge City, Kan., Pendleton, Ore., Omaha, Neb., and in a newer invitational rodeo in Waco. The year concludes with the December Las Vegas NFR.

Brazile said his method of breaking up the season helps him stay intensely focused on every part.

“Instead of treating the season like it’s a whole endurance race, it’s like I’m running (a series of) sprints,” he said.

In March, Brazile made headlines by winning the all-around title at the Walker County Fair Rodeo in Huntsville. He earned $6,852 after competing in tie-down roping, team roping and steer roping.



Read that bronc — The official publication of the PRCA is the ProRodeo Sports News.

The publication provides an array of features, news, world standings and lists upcoming rodeos.

There’s also a hard bucking saddle bronc that’s been named after the PRCA’s mouthpiece. During the past weekend, saddle bronc rider Jacobs Crawley turned in a score of 80 points aboard ProRodeo Sports News to win the May 21-22 Shootout Rodeo in Mesquite.

The bronc was owned by Stace Smith ProRodeos. Smith, who is from Athens, has won the PRCA’s Stock Contractor of the Year award for the past six seasons.

Smith is a member of a partnership group that acquired the famous weekly rodeo in Mesquite last year. This year, Smith will provide stock at the Mesquite Rodeo every weekend from June 4 through Aug. 28. Performances are Friday and Saturday each week. For more information, visit www.mesquiterodeo.com.

Smith also provided the stock for Huntsville’s Walker County Fair Rodeo in March.



Lowe on the mend — Three-time world bareback riding champion Will Lowe of Canyon is working his way back into the spotlight after dealing with a shoulder injury in recent months.

Lowe underwent surgery on the damaged labrum in his right (riding) shoulder in mid-December. Afterwards, he began a physical therapy program and returned to the circuit in mid-March.

During the weekend of May 13-15, Lowe earned $3,363 after tying for third in bareback riding at the Redding Rodeo in Redding, Calif. He is ranked 18th the PRCA world bareback riding standings with $15,602.

 

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