JADE CORKILL, Fallon, Nev.
Last December, Jade Corkill marked his arrival in ProRodeo’s history in dramatic fashion.
Roping with Georgia header Kaleb Driggers, Corkill won at least a share of two go-rounds, placing in four others, at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. In all, each cowboy earned $84,660 in Las Vegas. That propelled Corkill to the No. 1 spot in the world standings and earned the Nevada heeler that elusive gold buckle.
In an ironic twist, Corkill shares the team roping gold with Chad Masters; the tandem teamed together at three of Corkill’s five NFR qualifications. But the title also serves as terrific validation for Corkill, who roped a wooden steer in his living room when he was just a year old; he won his first check roping at age 6.
A year ago, Corkill earned nine event titles, including the all-around championship in Hayward, Calif. As a high schooler, he won the Nevada High School Rodeo Association titles in both team roping and tie-down roping in 2005. A year later, he was named the PRCA Resistol Heeling Rookie of the Year.
Now he’s putting all his cards on the table, but that’s nothing new for folks from Nevada.