OKLAHOMA BRONC BUSTER WINS TIGHT RACY BY SHARING FINAL-ROUND TITLE

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sean Prater and Shawn Minor have been locked in a dogfight for the International Professional Rodeo Association’s saddle bronc riding world title.

The battle waged all the way through the final day of the season Sunday afternoon during the fourth go-round of International Finals Rodeo 45. Prater posted 79.5-point ride on Southern Rodeo’s Little Eddie to put the pressure on Minor, the final bronc rider of the afternoon. When Minor bucked off Southern’s Big Jill, Prater gathered his third gold buckle, matching the titles he earned in the 2008 and 2012 seasons.

“I didn’t even start off my year to win a world championship,” said Prater of Muskogee, Okla. “I was just taking my family down the road rodeoing. My wife is a barrel racer, so we just stick around Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas, southwest Missouri and, occasionally we get off out east.”

That’s quite a different tale than the one told by Minor, a 23-time world champion who on Sunday clinched gold buckles in bareback riding and the all-around to close the gap on Dan Daily as the most decorated champion in IPRA history. Minor, of Camden, Ohio, competes for a living, while Prater spends most of his time on a ranch in eastern Oklahoma.

“I have a ranching job, so the IPRA allows me to go to good rodeos throughout the week and still tend to things on the ranch,” said Prater, an 11-time qualifier who first qualified for the IFR at 15 years of age. “It still gives me a chance to qualify for a good finals in the wintertime.”

His work at the finals made it pretty good. He won two go-rounds and pocketed nearly $3,600 in the process to pass Minor.

“It’s hard for me to be in that position, because I don’t go to as many rodeos,” said Prater, who first qualified for the IFR at the age of 15.

He earned the title by performing well enough at the rodeos in which he competed to be in position. It helps quite a bit that Prater rides well.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever had a bad year,” he said. “Some are just better than others.”

This marks the conclusion of one of the better seasons for Prater, who serves as the saddle bronc riding director on the IPRA board. He continues to compete because of a true passion he has.

“I love to ride good horses, and I have a passion for the association,” he said. “My family’s been part of it for a long time. The IPRA’s been good to me and my family for a lot of years.”

Prater owns the gold buckles to prove it.

International Finals Rodeo
Jim Norick State Fair Arena
Fourth Go-Round
Jan. 18, 2015

All-around champion: Shawn Minor, Camden, Ohio, $68,204

Bareback riding: 1. Shawn Minor, 81 points on Three Bar J Rodeo’s Smoke This, $1,792; 2. Joshua Michael Cregar, 79.75, $1,344; 3. Brian Leddy, 77.5, $896; 4. Pascal Isaelle, 76.5, $448. Average: 1. Shawn Minor, 312.25 points on four rides, $3,583; 2. Mark Justin Kreder, 208.35, $2,688; 3. Billy Griffin, 306.75, $1,792; 4. Spur Lacasse, 305.25, $896. World champion: Shawn Minor, $41,912.

Steer wrestling: 1. Cord Spradley, 3.9 seconds, $1,792; 2. Brian Barefoot, 4.6, $1,344; 3. Danian Nutt, 5.0, $896; 4. Tim Kemp, 5.1, $448. Average: 1. Ronnie Fields, 16.5 seconds on four runs, $3,583; 2. Tim Kemp, 19.1, $2,688; 3. Brad Stewart, 26.9, $1,792; 4. Danell Tipton, 31.3, $896. World champion: Cody Mousseau, $19,395.

Team roping: 1. Eric Flurry/Wesley Moss, 4.8 seconds, $1,792; 2. Justin Thigpen/Lane Mitchell, 4.9, $1,344; 3. Chris Chandler/Cooper Bruce, 7.8, $896; 4. Cody Mousseau/Tyler Kidd, 9.2, $448. Average: 1. Cody Mousseau/Tyler Kidd, 29.8 seconds on four runs, $3,583; 2. J.D. Young/Alex Brooks, 40.2, $2,688; 3. Hadley Deshazo/Jeri Rhine, 54.5, $1,792; 4. Jesse Stipes/Casey Stipes, 22.8 seconds on three runs, $896. World champion header: Cody Mousseau, $23,362. World champion heeler: Caleb Anderson, $21,146.

Saddle bronc riding: 1. Sean Prater, 79.50 points on Southern Rodeo’s Little Eddie, $1,792; 2. Shane Hand, 76.5, $1,344; 3. Travis Deal, 74, $896; 4. Dave Doyon, 72.5, $448. Average: 1. Shane Hand, 235.5 points on three rides, $3,583; 2. Jet McCoy, 233.35, $2,688; 3. Travis Deal, 218.25, $1,792; 4. Louis Hemart, 206.5, $896. World champion: Sean Prater, $36,386.

Tie-down roping: 1. Jared Kempker, 7.7 seconds, $1,792; 2. Cody McCartney, 8.1, $1,344; 3. Justin Thigpen, 8.4, $896; 4. (tie) Walt White and Ethan Hill, 8.8, $224. Average: 1. Ethan Hill, 37.8 seconds on three runs, $3,583; 2. Justin Thigpen, 38.5, $2,688; 3. (tie) Hadley Deshazo and Cody Mousseau, 40.4, $1,344 each. World champion: Justin Thigpen, $24,442

Breakaway roping: 1. Jamie Ellsworth, 2.3 seconds, $667; 2. Robi Jo Treat, 2.5, $500; 3. (tie) Emily Arnold and Megan Rinehart, 2.6, $250 each. Average: 1. Megan Rinehart, 11.2 on four runs, $1,333; 2. Samantha Herbert, 9.0 seconds on three runs, $1,000; 3. Paige Pursel, 9.3, $667; 4. Tina Hamilton, 12.6, $333. World champion: Amanda Stewart, $11,592.

Barrel racing: 1. Amber Mostoller, 15.237, $1,792; 2. Barbara Jimison, 15.280, $1,344; 3. Gabrielle Oder, 15.498, $896; 4. Tyrney Steinhoff, 15.528, $448. Average: 1. Amber Mostoller, 61.617 seconds on four runs, $3,583; 2. Gabrielle Oder, 61.715, $2,688; 3. Natalie Overholt, 62.455, $1,792; 4. Jessica Gauthier, 62.489, $896. World champion: Natalie Overholt, $26,009

Bull riding: 1. Garrett Tribble, 80.25 points on Ken Treadway Rodeo’s Fast’N Furious, $4,479; no other qualified rides. Average: 1. Garrett Tribble, 252.5 points on three rides, $3,583; 2. A.J. Vaal, 156.75 points on two rides, $2,687; 3. Jason Tinsman, 82.75 points on one ride, $1,792; 4. Winston Quesenberry, 82, $896. World champion: Garrett Tribble, $52,103.