HEMPSTEAD, Texas – A week ago, Cole Franks closed out his 2022 regular season by winning the bareback riding title in Stephenville, Texas, on a Pete Carr Pro Rodeo bucking horse.

He repeated his fortune a bit Saturday night by riding Carr’s Painted River for 86.5 points to win the first event of the 2023 campaign at the Waller County Fair and Rodeo. It’s a positive step for a young cowboy trying to make his name in the game.

“I’ve seen her quite a bit, but I’ve never been on her,” said Franks, 21, of Clarendon, Texas. “Those first three or four jumps were really cool with her going back and forth. It was a little bit more than I was expecting. I knew she was going to have some move, but they were a little more honkey than I thought they’d be, and it could mess you up a little bit.

“Other than that, it felt really good. That horse is just cool”

The mare helped him to a $1,839 payday and gave the 2021 Resistol Rookie of the Year a great start to his third season in ProRodeo. Like Franks, Painted River is a second-generation NFR competitor. She’s sired by Korczak and out of River Boat Annie, two Carr animals that have performed at ProRodeo’s grand finale.

Franks is the son of Bret Franks, a three-time NFR qualifier in saddle bronc riding. The Frankses have had a longstanding relationship with the Carr firm, and that’s come into play over the course of Cole Franks’ young career.

“I’ve been a round Pete and all his horses since I was born,” he said. “He’s pretty much family to us. It’s cool to come to his rodeos all the time and do good.

“Making the NFR is stuff you dream about when you’re little, and it’s awesome to see it come to fruition. I never would have guessed it would have come this early in my career.”

He made his first trip a year ago during his inaugural season. To say 2021 was great is only tipping the iceberg. He started it off by winning the intercollegiate bareback riding and all-around titles while helping Clarendon College to the men’s team title. He followed that by being named the top bareback riding rookie, making the NFR and finishing third in the world standings.

Returning to the sport’s grand finale in his sophomore season is just further proof of the talent he possesses. Staying active in October is important to keep his body in shape for Las Vegas, where he will get on 10 of the best bucking horses in the world.

“Right now, I’m just trying to get the momentum early and try to keep it going,” Franks said. “It’s always good to just keep getting on. We’ve been rodeoing all year, and it can wear you out pretty fast. I feel like if I can keep going now, I can get on 10 in a row pretty easy.

“I feel good, for the most part. I’m ready for a little bit of a break. It’ll be good to do stuff at home and take a couple weeks off instead of worrying about the next rodeo, but I feel good going into the NFR.”  

Waller County Fair and Rodeo
Sept. 29-Oct. 1
Hempstead, Texas
All-around: Nelson Wyatt, $2,962 in tie-down roping and team roping.

Bareback riding: 1. Cole Franks, 86.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Painted River, $1,839; 2. Bradlee Miller, 85, $1,410; 3. Leighton Berry, 84.5, $1,042; 4. Mason Stuller, 82.5, $674; 5. Sam Petersen, 82, $429; 6. Dean Thompson, 81.5, $306; 7. Kade Sonnier, 78.5, $245; 8. A.J. Ruth, 74, $184.

Steer wrestling: 1. Tyler Ravenscroft, 3.2 seconds, $2,573; 2. Jacob Talley, 3.4, $2,237; 3. Cash Robb, 3.7, $1,902; 4. (tie) Riley Duvall and Rowdy Parrott, 3.8, $1,398 each; 6. (tie) Jacob Edler and Denell Henderson, 3.9, $727 each; 8. (tie) Cade Goodman and Logan Lemmel, 4.0, $112 each.

Team roping: 1. Jake Orman/Corey Hedrick, 4.1 seconds, $2,968; 2. (tie) Pedro Egurrola/James Flake, Forrest Fisher/Heath Kocurek and Cory Kidd/Lane Mitchell, 4.2, $2,544 each; 5. Clint Keller/Michael Jones, 4.3, $2,120; 6. Manny Equsquiza/Cutter Thomison, 4.5, $1,908; 7. Cory Clark/Blaine Vick, 4.6, $1,696; 8. Garrett Tonozzi/Dustin Davis, 4.7$1,484; 9. (tie) Shay Carrolll/Evan Arnold and Payden Emmett/Lucas Falconer, 4.8, $1,166 each; 11. (tie) Curry Kirchner/Reagan Ward and Billy Bob Brown/James Blankenship, 4.9, $530 each.  

Saddle bronc riding: 1. Zac Dallas, 86 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Pretty Woman, $2,200; 2. Sterling Crawley, 84, $1,686; 3. (tie) Jacobs Crawley and Dean Wadsworth, 82.5, $1,026 each; 5. Jake Burwash, 81.5, $513; 6. (tie) Jace Angus and Dylan Hancock, 80, $330 each; 8. Isaac Richard, 79, $220.

Tie-down roping: 1. Blane Cox, 7.8 seconds, $3,518; 2. (tie) Kyle Lucas and William Wyatt, 8.2, $2,963 each; 4. Richard Newton, 8.4, $2,407; 5. Treg Schaack, 8.6, $2,037; 6. Andrew Burks, 8.9, $1,667; 7. Cheyenne Stanley, 9.0, $1,296; 8. Jerry Adamson, 9.1, $925; 9. (tie) Brock Beckham and Clay McCuistion, 9.2, $370 each.

Breakaway roping: 1. (tie) Taylor Hanchey and Tibba Smith, 2.2 seconds, $2,464 each; 3. Brandy Gilbert, 2.5, $1,895; 4. (tie) Jordan Jo Hollabaugh and Brandi Good, 2.6, $1,453 each; 6. Cheyenne Britain, 2.8, $1,011; 7. Chelsea Putnam, 2.9, $758; 8. McKaitlin McKee, 3.0, $505; 9. Jordi Edens, 3.1, $379; 10. Cassidy Boggs, 3.3, $253.

Barrel racing: 1. Ilyssa Riley, 15.51 seconds, $3,224; 2. Kelly Allen, 15.58, $2,579; 3. Laura Mote, 15.51, $2,096; 4. Natalie Bland, 15.66, $1,612; 5. Sissy Winn, 15.68, $1,290; 6. Rainey Skelton, 15.72, $967; 7. Suzanne Brooks, 15.74, $806; 8. Savannah Woodvin, 15.79, $725; 9. Jetti Lorenz, 15.80, $645; 10. Tiany Schuster, 15.83, $564; 11. Bryana Lehrmann, 15.88, $484; 12. Sadie Wolaver, 15.89, $403; 13. Jackie Jatzlau, 15.91, $322; 14. Victoria Procter, 15.94, $242; 15. (tie) Kendall Kennedy and Presley Smith, 15.97, $81 each.

Steer roping: First round: 1. Cash Myers, 10.6 seconds, $1,018; 2. Clay Long, 11.4, $842; 3. (tie) Vin Fisher Jr. and Tony Reina, 11.8, $579 each; 5. Neal Wood, 12.2, $316; 6. Taylor Santos, 12.7, $175. Second round: 1. Cole Patterson, 9.8 seconds, $1,018; 2. Blake Deckard, 10.2, $842; 3. Landon McClaugherty, 10.3, $667; 4. Logan Curie, 10.9, $491; 5. Neal Wood, 11.0, $316; 6. Will Eddleman, 11.3, $175. Third round 1. Dalton Walker, 9.2 seconds, $1,018; 2. Cody Lee, 9.8, $842; 3. Clay Long, 9.9, $667; 4. Hudson Wallace, 10.2, $491; 5. Cole Patterson, 10.5, $316; 6. (tie) Mark Milner and Ryan Willberg, 11.3, $88 each. Average: 1. Vin Fisher Jr., 35.4 seconds on three runs, $1,527; 2. Tony Reina, 36.1, $1,263; 3. Taylor Santos, 37.1, $1,000; 4. Martin Poindexter, 37.3, $737; 5. Neal Wood, 38.1, $474; 6. Will Eddleman, 38.3, $263.  

Bull riding: 1. T. Parker, 86.5 points on Lancaster & Jones Pro Rodeo’s Mr. Quick, $7,204; no other qualified rides.