A fourth gold buckle is on the line for defending World Champion Caleb Smidt after he won two rounds back-to-back at the 2022 National Finals Rodeo.
Round 1 saw Smidt take the lead by 0.6 seconds with a 7.5-second run. Then, Round 2 saw Smidt do one even better, with a 7.2 to secure the second win.
Return of the Champ: Caleb Smidt Claims National Finals Rodeo Round 1 Win
“It feels amazing,” said Smidt. “If it doesn’t, you should probably quit. It just gives you confidence that you can compete with these guys.”
With a total of $58,827 earned during just two nights, Smidt is ranked second in the ProRodeo standings with $217,343 and is $19,016 behind Shad Mayfield in the race for the lead.
“I’m just trying to enjoy every moment of it and don’t take any of it for granted cause it’s a great place to be right now.”
Round 2 Results:
| PLACE | CONTESTANT | TIME | PAYOFF |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Caleb Smidt | 7.2 s | $28,914 |
| 2 | Shad Mayfield | 7.4 s | $22,851 |
| 3 | Hunter Herrin | 7.7 s | $17,255 |
| 4 | Shane Hanchey | 7.8 s | $12,125 |
| 5 | Ty Harris | 8.4 s | $4,042 |
| 5 | Zack Jongbloed | 8.4 s | $4,042 |
| 5 | Haven Meged | 8.4 s | $4,042 |
Photos by Click Thompson, courtesy of PRCA.
