DUNCAN, Okla. –The first champion of the first PRCA event produced by McCoy Rodeo happened early Friday evening.
Mark Kreder rode McCoy’s Joe Bad for 79 points to claim the top score on the opening night of Cord McCoy’s ProRodeo at the Stephens County Arena in Duncan. It was a nice salute from Kreder to one of Oklahoma’s treasured cowboys, and it was a great start to the 2021 McCoy Rodeo Tour.
“I’ve known Cord my whole life,” said Kreder of Collinsville, Oklahoma. “My family knew his family, so I just grew up knowing the McCoys. When I saw that he had these rodeos, I knew I wanted to be part of it.
“It was a great rodeo. The production was great, and the horses bucked great.”
Duncan is actually home to two McCoy rodeos. The top times and scores from Friday were paid out, and Saturday’s show – which begins at 7:30 p.m. – will start fresh. No scores will roll over to the second night of action. Kreder drove the three hours back to Collinsville and will return for his second horse of the weekend. He’d also like to collect the top prize again.
“I bought my (PRCA) card in 2015, but I wound up breaking my back later that year,” he said. “I didn’t start rodeoing in the PRCA again until 2017, and I made the permit finals that year.”
Kreder has qualified for the Chisholm Trail RAM Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, which has taken place in the same arena every October since 2012. He’s proven himself in that regard, just as he has done through the other levels of rodeo. When he was 15 years old, he qualified for the International Finals Rodeo, the IPRA’s championship event. He’s followed that with seven other trips to the IFR.
“I’ve always loved the IPRA,” he said. “My dad was the 1986 world champion in the IPRA. My whole family – from my cousins to uncles to aunts – have all been involved in rodeo. I tried to be a bull rider, but that didn’t work out very well.
“I like the violence and the toughness of bareback riding. It’s like a fist fight. If you lose, you’re going to have a knot on your head, and if you win, you’re going to have a knot on your head. It’s just bred into me.”
He’ll continue to have fondness for what the IPRA has done for him and his family, but Kreder wants to test his talents against the very best bareback riders in the game. That’s why he’s focused so much on PRCA rodeo.
“I wanted to be the best I could be, so I switched. When I retire, I can’t say I rode with the best until I rode in the PRCA. I don’t want any ‘what ifs’ or ‘maybe sos.’ I want to say I did my best to compete with the best and ride the best horses.
“It was awesome to be part of the first rodeo Cord McCoy put on and be the first winner. There’s no telling what is going to happen with this deal, so I’m glad my name is on the first one.”
Cord McCoy’s ProRodeo
Duncan, Oklahoma
May 7
Bareback riding: 1. Mark Kreder, 79 points on McCoy Rodeo’s Joe Bad, $244; 2. Ty Blessing, 71.5, $183; 3. Montana Duvall, 79, $122; 4. Danny Well, 65, $61.
Steer wrestling: 1. Colton Swearingen, 5.9 seconds, $308; 2. Tory Johnson, 8.0, $231; 3. Ty Rumford, 8.1, $154; no other qualified runs.
Team roping: 1. Cash Hendrick/Luke Fenton, 5.8 seconds, $414; 2. Chase Richter/Jared Groene, 6.8, $310; 3. Eric Owens/Tanner Braden, 6.9, $207; 4. J.C. Yeahquo/L.J. Yeahquo, 10.2, $103.
Saddle bronc riding: 1. Cody Ballard, 75 points on McCoy Rodeo’s I’m No Angel, $290; 2. (tie) Dylan Stevenson and Jake Barnes, 61, $181 each; 4. Rowdy Chesser, 55, $72.
Breakaway roping: 1. Kelcie Chace, 1.9 seconds, $900; 2. Amber Crawford, 2.0, $744; 3. (tie) Taylor Munsell and Makayla Mack, 2.3, $512 each; 5. Danielle Lowman, 2.6, $279; 6. Molly Hamilton, 2.8, $155.
Tie-down roping: 1. Kater Tate, 9.5 seconds, $444; 2. Quay Howard, 10.1, $333; 3. Travis Rogers, 10.2, $222; 4. Thomas Merritt, 12.0, $111.
Barrel racing: 1. Dona Kay Rule, 15.67 seconds, $573; 2. (tie) Ari-Anna Flynn and Leslie Smalygo, 15.68, $461 each; 4. Molly Childers, 15.72, $349; 5. Rylee Shields, 15.78, $274; 6. Randee Hedrick, 15.81, $199; 7. Andrea Long, 15.82, $125; 8. (tie) Kortni McConnell and Camrin Sellers, 15.84, $25 each.
Bull riding: 1. Trey Kimzey, 80 points on McCoy Rodeo’s Judgement Day, $884.