The PRCA tie-down ropers are battling it out on the bubble in 2023 with two weeks to go in the ProRodeo season, with rodeos from Pendleton, Oregon, to Abilene, Texas, all making a difference in their PRCA world standings and their Cinch Playoff standings heading into the Governor’s Cup in Sioux Falls, South Dakota Sept. 28-30.
Who’s on the Bubble?
As of Sept. 13, 2023, ProRodeo’s tie-down roping world standings bubble is tight. Here’s where things stand:
| World Standings as of Sept. 15, 2023 | Money Won | ||
| World Standings as of Sept. 15, 2023 | ||||
| #13 Blane Cox | $101,010 | |||
| #14 Zach Jongbloed | $99,658 | |||
| #15 Luke Potter | $97,333 | |||
| #16 Micheal Otero | $96,570 | |||
| #17 Jake Pratt | $94,333 | |||
| #18 Lane Livingston | $91,763 | |||
| #19 Kincade Henry | $91,719 |
What is the Governor’s Cup, and Why Does It Matter?
Calf ropers who get into Sioux Falls—the richest rodeo in South Dakota history—are eligible for massive payouts in the final weekend of the ProRodeo regular season—with a $1-million payout across the events.
This weekend marks the final weekend of Cinch Playoff Series events that qualify contestants for Sioux Falls, with Abilene’s West Texas Fair & Rodeo and the Pendleton Roundup the last two stops.
The Governor’s Cup will allow the 12 qualifying contestants to compete in rounds one and two of competition.
Those rounds will have the following current and unofficial projected payout from the PRCA.:
- $10,000
- $7,500
- $5,000
- $2,500
After the first two full rounds, the top eight teams on two head will advance to Saturday’s round. In Saturday’s clean-slate round, the top four fastest times will advance to a four-man short round. The four-man shootout round wil pay the following amounts as the current and unofficial projected payout from the PRCA.
- $25,000
- $19,000
- $12,000
- $6,000
- $2,555
- $2,555
- $2,555
- $2,555
Who’s set up to make it to Sioux Falls?
The calf ropers who finished in the top four in Puyallup will meet up with the top eight in the 2023 PRCA Playoff Series standings (on the year) and head to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for the 2023 Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup.
Here’s who advanced from Puyallup:
Trevor Hale is currently No. 22 in the world with $84,915 in earnings, meaning a handful of checks from Sioux Falls could push him into bubble contention.
Here’s the top 10 ropers in the PRCA Playoff Series (Eight will advance)
- Riley Webb, 1691 points
- Shane Hanchey, 1468 points
- Ty Harris, 1011 points
- Shad Mayfield, 975 points (already qualified)
- Kincade Henry, 961 points
- John Douch, 910 points
- Haven Meged, 906 points
- Cory Solomon, 898 points
- Westyn Hughes, 886 point
- Luke Potter, 856 points
Luke Potter is sitting one spot out of qualifying for Sioux Falls, and with his No. 15 position in the world standings, he’s on a mission to make sure he’s in. As of Wednesday, Sept. 15, Potter hasn’t caught a check at the Pendleton Round-Up or the West Texas Fair & Rodeo in Abilene, Texas.
Other ropers jostling to advance to Sioux Falls via the Playoff Series include Zach Jongbloed, who is sitting No. 11 in the Playoff Series standings with 842 points. Jongbloed—who is No. 14 in the world—caught a $507 check during the first round in Pendleton, but since Playoff Series points are awarded in the aggregate, he won’t see a gain in his points.
Blane Cox is sitting No. 13 in the Playoff standings with 768 points, and has a steep climb of more than 130 points to make in order to advance to Sioux Falls. He’s making a solid showing at the Pendleton Round-Up, though, currently sitting No. 3 in the average with a 19.3 on two head.
The Pendleton Round-Up is a “middle tier” Playoff Series event, meaning the average champion will be awarded 750 points, and the points will decrease for each subsequent spot. If Cox can continue to stay in aggregate contention in Pendleton, he may advance to Sioux Falls. Cox is No. 13 in the world standings, so advancing to Sioux Falls would further cement his place in the Top 15.
Kincade Henry is currently 19th with $91,719.00 won, but he’s solidly into Sioux Falls at fifth in the playoff series standings and currently second in the average in Pendleton heading into the short round with a 19.0 on two head—just .3 ahead of Cox but 1.7 seconds behind Mayfield.
Thank you to Rattler Rope for supporting calf roping coverage all season long.
