PRCA end-of-year standings mix-up costs Utah cowboy a trip to NFR
Three Utah rodeo cowboys narrowly missed qualifying for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo to be held in Las Vegas next month. A steer wrestler, saddle bronc rider and the defending world champion bareback rider barely missed making the qualifying spots for NFR. Each cowboy missed making the NFR cut by less than two positions in the end-of-year standings.
Brock Andrus of St. George finished 17th in the steer wrestling standings to miss the trip to Las Vegas by a mere two slots as only the top-15 money earners are invited to the Wrangler NFR each year. Cody Wright of Milford battled back from a broken leg only to wind up, one spot out of the money in the saddle bronc standings at the end of the year.
For dending world champion bareback rider Lan LaJeunnesse, the disappointment of not making the cut for NFR was delayed for a weekend with a "he is in - he is out" process issued by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association as they released the field for NFR 2002 last week.
A media release issued by the PRCA on Nov. 4 named LaJeunesse as the final qualifier in the bareback standings with a margin of victory amounting to $26 in prize money. The PRCA media release read as follows: "For some, it's what we pay for a favorite magazine or newspaper subscription. For others, it might be what one pays the parking meter each month. But for reigning and two-time world bareback riding champion Lan LaJeunesse, it was $26 that separated him from fellow world champion Mark Gomes, giving LaJeunesse a chance to defend his title at the 44th Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, Dec. 6-15, in Las Vegas. The final Jack Daniel's World Standings were released Monday, though unofficial, shed some light on who will ride and rope at Thomas & Mack arena next month and who will be left to watching it on television. In by far this year's closest margin between Nos. 15 and 16, LaJeunesse came in at $58,749, just ahead of Gomes' $58,733. LaJeunesse was one of several cowboys to rally on the final weekend of the regular season to snag a Wrangler NFR berth."
The PRCA statement was later reversed on Nov. 6 after the PRCA re-tabulated the end-of-year totals and announced that Gomes would fill the 15th and final slot in the bareback standings and it would be the defending champion who would be ranked 16th officially and watching the event from home.
LaJeunesse responded to the PRCA announcement with his familiar high level of composure and professionalism as the two-time world champion said that this was part of rodeo and that there was nothing he could do about it but get ready for next year. The Morgan native also said he had reason to be proud of his accomplishments from the past year, which included a World Championship, Olympic Gold Medal, and Dodge National Circuit Finals title.
So, after the PRCA recanted their original field of 119 contestants to compete in the Wrangler NFR, LaJeunesse was out and Gomes was in. Andrus and Wright would also be watching the event from their Utah homes this year, leaving Blue Stone of Ogden in the bull riding event and Danyelle Campbell of St. George in barrel racing as the lone Utah representatives in Las Vegas during NFR this winter.
Stone is the defending world champion in the bull riding event and Campbell has made prior visits to the Wrangler NFR in the past. The remaining Utah frontrunners will now wait for the recently rescheduled Wilderness Circuit Finals, which will now be held in Ogden on New Year's Eve.
The Wilderness Circuit Finals to be held on New Years Eve this year will determine the circuit champions and the qualifiers for the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo which is held in nearby Pocatello, Idaho each year in March.