MISSOURI MAN CASHES IN AT AMERICAN ROYAL ON FINAL DAY OF HIS ROOKIE SEASON

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – John Mincey and his family moved to southeastern Missouri just seven years ago because they wanted to live in cowboy country.

Now he’s a professional rodeo cowboy, and he loves it. On Saturday night, he rode Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s Black Velvet for 81 points to place fourth in bull riding, pocketing $869 in the process. That was well worth the 275-mile drive from his home in West Plains, Mo.

“When I seen that I had that big ol’ thing drawn,” he said of Black Velvet, “I was scared to death. But if you breathe and let it all hang out, God will be with you, so you just stick it on them.”

It worked out quite well for the 20-year-old cowboy, who moved to West Plains seven years ago from southern Louisiana. Now a rookie in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, Mincey is chasing his dreams on the rodeo trail.

“I finished the season strong, and I feel like I did everything I can this year, so I’m happy with it,” he said.

Mincey is one of five contestants in the final performance of the 2014 American Royal who earned money by finishing among the leaders. Saddle bronc rider Wade Sundell, a six-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Boxholm, Iowa, paved the way with an 85-point ride on Three Hills Rodeo’s Big Jet, finishing in a first-place tie with two-time world champion Taos Muncy.

Bronc rider Tyler Corrington, a three-time NFR qualifier from Hastings, Minn., placed fourth with an 83 on Stace Smith Pro Rodeos’ Hammer Cocked. Bareback rider Casey Breuer of Mandan, N.D., finished in a tie for fourth place with a 78-point ride on Three Hills Rodeo’s Heaven On Earth, and barrel racer Laura Kennedy rounded the cloverleaf pattern in 14.35 seconds to finish sixth.

For Kennedy, it was important to finish well at the final rodeo of the season, which also counts toward the Great Lakes Circuit, the ProRodeo region made up of events across the Midwest, including Missouri.

“This is very good for me, because I would love to win the circuit again this year,” said Kennedy, who won the regional title a year ago.

The Quitman, Ark., cowgirl had success on her horse, Lexus, before he was injured. On July 7, she purchased Tall Boy and has found quite a gem in the 7-year-old sorrel.

“Tall Boy is a very nice horse,” she said. “He’s been very good to me. I’ve had him almost three months, and I’ve won $22,000 on him. He’s very athletic, easy-going and wants to please.”

She certainly was pleased Saturday night.

American Royal Rodeo
Sept. 26-27
Kansas City, Mo.
Bareback riding: 1. (tie) Justin McDaniel, on Smith, Harper & Morgan’s Proud Mary, and Ryan Gray, on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s Rosana, and Jared Keylon, on Three Hills Rodeo’s Black Diamond, 80 points, $1,588 each; 4. (tie) Orin Larsen, Casey Breuer and Tyler Waltz, 78, $522 each; 7. Tilden Hooper, 77, $272; 8. Jessy Davis, 76, $204.

Steer wrestling leaders: 1. Stewart Gulager, 3.6 seconds, $2,530; 2. (tie) Cooper Shofner, Tom Lewis, Sean Santucci and Bray Armes, 3.9, $1,705 each; 6. (tie) Wade Steffen and Jon Ragatz, 4.0, $715 each; 8. (tie) Matt Koch and Tanner Brunner, 4.2, $110 each.

Team roping leaders: 1. Coleman Proctor/Jake Long, 4.2 seconds, $2,545; 2. Turtle Powell/Dakota Kirchenschlager, 4.6, $2,277; 3. (tie) Ryan Von Ahn/J.W. Beck, Clay Tryan/Jade Corkill and Trevor Brazile/Travis Graves, 4.7, $1,741 each; 6. Manny Egusquiza Jr./Martin Jucero, 4.8, $1,206; 7. Tom Richards/Cesar de la Cruz, 5.1, $938; 8. Andrew Ward/Reagan Ward, 5.3, $670; 9. (tie) Nathan McWhorter/Cole Davison and Chad Masters/Clay O’Brien Cooper, $268 each.

Saddle bronc riding: 1. Taos Muncy, on Three Hills Rodeo’s Melancoly Baby, and Wade Sundell, on Three Hills Rodeo’s Big Jet, 85 points, $1,983 each; 3. Dustin Flundra, 84, $1,272; 4. Tyler Corrington, 83, $823; 5. Sterling Crawley, 82, $524; 6. (tie) Bradley Harter, Sam Spreadborough and CoBurn Bradshaw, 81, $299.

Tie-down roping leaders: 1. (tie) Adam Gray and Cody Ohl, 7.9 seconds, $1,900 each; 3. Clint Cooper, 8.2, $1,502; 4. (tie) Timber Moore, Ryle Smith and Clint Robinson, 8.3, $972 each; 7. Blair Burk, 8.4, $442; 8. Marcos Costa, 8.5, $177.

Barrel racing leaders: 1. (tie) Polly Hagey and Michele McLeod, 14.24 seconds, $2,090 each; 3. (tie) Tana Poppino, Kimmie Wall and Shelley Morgan, 14.34, $1,356 each; 6. Laura Kennedy, 14.35, $791; 7. Fallon Taylor, 14.37, $565; 8. Sara Rose McDonald, 14.38, $452; 9. (tie) Taylor Langdon and Mary Walker, 14.39, $367 each; 11. Shelly Anzick, 14.40, $282; 12. (tie)Samantha Lynne and Ann Scott, 14.41, $113 each.

Bull riding: 1. Denton Fugate, 87 points on Smith, Harper & Morgan’s Midnigh, $2,369; 2. Ty Wallace, 85, $1,816; 3. Jordan Wacey Spears, 83, $1,342; 4. John Mincey, 81, $869; 5. Brett Stall, 78, $553; 7. (tie) Beau Hill and Jeff Askey, 76, $355 each; 7. Jesse Fischer, 75, $237.