In This Release You’ll Find:
1. Veteran steer wrestler Olin Hannum wins RAM NCFR
2. Wrangler NFR 2020 moves to Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas
3. What to Watch For
4. News & Notes from the rodeo trail
5. 2020 PRCA | RAM World Standings leaders
Veteran steer wrestler Olin Hannum wins RAM NCFR
GREELEY, Colo. – Steer wrestler Olin Hannum has been to ProRodeo’s pinnacle – the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo twice.
On Sept. 13, the Malad, Idaho, cowboy added a RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo championship to his résumé.
Hannum clocked a 3.7-second run in the four-man, sudden-death finals to capture the coveted title at Island Grove Regional Park.
“I made the finals at (the RAM NCFR) in Kissimmee (Fla.), and I broke the barrier and didn’t do as well as I wanted to,” said Hannum, 42. “This year I didn’t win much money but did well right at the end.”
Hannum, who reached the NFR in 2011 and 2017, finished in a tie for third in the eight-man semifinals with Will Lummus, as each clocked 4.7-second runs. He was the first cowboy to compete in the finals and had a simple approach.
“I just wanted to get a good start and make the best run I could,” Hannum said. “Everybody there (in the final four) were really good bulldoggers and had really good horsepower. I thought some guys were going to need to stub their toes for me to have a chance.”
Stetson Jorgensen finished second with a 4.3-second run, followed by Blake Knowles (4.4) and Lummus (13.6), who broke the barrier.
Hannum rode his horse, Maverick, 15.
“This win feels just like when I made the NFR,” said Hannum, who competes in the Wilderness Circuit. “I have not been rodeoing a lot. This has been my dream to stay circuit rodeoing and come here and have a really good circuit finals. I was really disappointed because I thought we weren’t going to be able to have it (because of the COVID-19 pandemic). I feel really blessed that they were able to put it on and come here to Greeley.”
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the RAM NCFR, originally scheduled to take place in Kissimmee, Fla., in April, was moved to Greeley.
Hannum comes from a storied rodeo family. His late father, Jack, was a five-time qualifier for the Wrangler NFR, once in tie-down roping (1977) and four times in steer wrestling (1978-80, 1983). He also served as a PRCA administrator.
Olin’s late mother, Lynn, twice worked the NFR as a timer. Olin’s younger brother, Jake, qualified for the Wrangler NFR in 2007 as a tie-down roper.
Now, Olin is scaling back his rodeo schedule, but he has another saddle to add to his collection.
“I have three children, (daughters) Cheznie, 8, Kennedy, 6, and Jackson, 3, and they were here this week,” Olin said. “I just wanted to be around closer to my family and children, and I have a cabinet business (Arrowhead Cabinets) and want to keep it going.”
In addition to cash, the RAM NCFR champions won a $20,000 RAM voucher, a Cactus Saddle, a Montana Silversmiths buckle, a Polaris Ranger, a pair of Justin boots and an OtterBox cooler.
Askey wins bull riding
Bull rider Jeff Askey didn’t know he made the only qualified ride during the eight-man semifinals of the RAM NCFR on Sunday until he was walking to his interview with The Cowboy Channel.
He had an 88-point ride on Brookman Rodeo’s Hot Axe in the semifinals and he won the final round by a single point with 89.5 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Chupacabra.
Askey placed third in the first round with an 85-point ride, which kept him in the running for the semifinals when only three bull riders made qualified rounds in the second round. Askey said he’s feeling confident about qualifying for his fourth Wrangler NFR as he heads to the Xtreme Bulls Finale in Nephi, Utah, Sept. 19.
His biggest payday of the 2020 season courtesy the RAM NCFR and the stipend for a RAM pickup couldn’t have come at a better time since his van was giving him trouble, taking several minutes to get the engine started.
“That troubled van doesn’t look like it’ll be much trouble anymore,” Askey laughed. “It can be dust one day and diamonds the next. It’s easy to say no and cut corners when it’s a rough year like we’ve had, but they (the committee and sponsors) didn’t do that. They’ve stepped up, and we all really appreciate it.”
Wrangler NFR moves to Arlington, Texas for 2020
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo is moving to Texas in December.
Arlington’s Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers, will host the 2020 Wrangler NFR – the first non-baseball event at the new park. Event organizers confirmed the event, which will take place Dec. 3-12, will comply with all health and safety protocols for attendees.
“We are so pleased to be at this amazing stadium for the most celebrated event on the rodeo calendar,” PRCA CEO George Taylor said. “We are committed to delivering a spectacular event for our fans and are thrilled to be in Texas for it.”
Globe Life Field officials have emphasized that recommended health and safety standards are being met. Safety measures will include a mask requirement at all times while inside Globe Life Field. There will be additional hand-washing and sanitizing stations throughout the building.
Seats will be sold in groups of four with separation between groups. Contact-limiting measures, such as mobile tickets, have been implemented. There will also be metal-detector screenings and a no-bag policy at entries on performance nights.
Nearby Fort Worth will also play host to the annual PRCA Convention, Nov. 30 to Dec. 3, in addition to Cowboy Christmas and other fan-favorite events.
The NFR was born in Texas, and the first three years of the event were held at the Dallas State Fairgrounds beginning in 1959. Years later, the event moved to Las Vegas and has been staged at the Thomas & Mack Center at UNLV since 1985. That venue is not available for live entertainment with fans this year due to coronavirus restrictions in Nevada.
In a survey earlier this summer, rodeo fans said overwhelmingly that they wanted an NFR venue that would accommodate fans. Organizers pledge to preserve the NFR experience that fans love and that has necessitated a one-year move out of Las Vegas.
The PRCA began looking for an alternate venue earlier in the summer. The state of Texas, the Texas Rangers and Globe Life Field stepped up. Ultimately, this has been a thoughtful partnership between Texas, Globe Life Field, the cities of Arlington and Fort Worth, the Arlington Convention and Visitors Bureau, Visit Fort Worth, and the sports commissions of both Arlington and Fort Worth.
“The state of Texas knows how to do this,” Taylor said. “We’ve been impressed with how well this has come together for our rodeo cowboys and rodeo fans.”
The schedule also includes nightly Buckle Presentations, Benny Binion’s World Famous Wrangler NFR Bucking Horse Sale, the PRCA Awards Banquet and Gala, and the Pro Rodeo League of Women Style Show and Luncheon.
Tickets for the Wrangler NFR will go on sale to the public Sept. 25 via texasrangers.com/NFR. Wrangler NFR season ticket holders can purchase tickets early beginning Sept. 16. The Wrangler NFR and the PRCA awards ceremonies will be broadcast on The Cowboy Channel. The PRCA on Cowboy Channel Plus app users will be able to stream events both live and recorded.
Visit prorodeo.com for updates, frequently asked questions and Wrangler NFR coverage.
News & Notes From The Rodeo Trail
The Western Stock Show Association Board of Directors together with the National Western Stock Show management, made the decision to postpone the 115th National Western Stock Show by one year and to resume the event in January 2022.
The COVID-19 pandemic does not allow for the Stock Show to host the annual event and comply with the health and safety guidelines that are necessary to protect Coloradans and help stop the spread.
Stock Show management made the early decision due to the intense planning and expenses.
Every January, the NWSS hosts a top 10 PRCA rodeo, the livestock show and horse shows. The Stock Show draws more than 700,000 attendees during the 16 days in January and drives an economic impact of nearly $120 million that month.
For more information visit https://nationalwestern.com/
As the world’s destination for all things PRORODEO, the PRCA on The Cowboy Channel Plus App will keep fans up-to-date with their favorite PRCA rodeos and athletes, as well as provide behind-the-scenes access to livestreamed and on-demand PRCA rodeo events from around the country.
The content can be accessed via the mobile app (available on Android and iOS), as well as any browser, smart TV or device. Viewers will be able to enjoy free access to up-to-the-minute news, bios, rodeos and highlights.
Those with a subscription will unlock premium content such as up to six simultaneous live rodeo feeds, classic PRCA archived rodeos, The Cowboy Channel video-on-demand programming, and the only place viewers can stream the National Finals Rodeo.
The Cowboy Channel Plus App is available for only $9.99 a month or save up to 25% and purchase the whole year for $89.99. To sign up for the PRCA on Cowboy Channel Plus app, visit www.cowboychannelplus.com
About The PRCA
The PRCA, headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo., is recognized as the unsurpassed leader in sanctioning the sport of professional rodeo. The PRCA’s mission is to unify membership in providing an innovative fan experience, to grow the sport of professional rodeo and provide new expanded opportunities for our membership and sponsors. Since 1986, the PRCA has paid out more than $1 billion in prize money to its contestants. The PRCA offers the best cowboys and the best rodeos; delivering the best fan experience while positively impacting our communities and embracing the spirit of the West. A membership-based organization, the PRCA sanctioned 732 events in 2019, and there are more than 40 million rodeo fans in the U.S. The PRCA televises the sport’s premier events, with the world-renowned Wrangler National Finals Rodeo on The Cowboy Channel and RFD-TV and streaming on the PRCA on Cowboy Channel Plus App. The PRORODEO® Tour and RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo also air on The Cowboy Channel and RFD-TV, and the PRCA on Cowboy Channel Plus App. PRCA-sanctioned rodeos donate more than $40 million to local and national charities every year. For comprehensive coverage of the cowboy sport, read ProRodeo Sports News, the official publication of the PRCA, and make sure to check out the digital edition of PSN. The digital PSN and daily updates of news and results can be found on the PRCA’s official website, www.prorodeo.com.
By PRCA Press Release
