GOODING, Idaho – The life of a bucking-horse rider isn’t always glamourous.
There are all-night drives and bad convenience-store food, and there are nights that broncs don’t do their jobs. When the opportunities rise, the elite cowboys take advantage it.
“It’s been a little slow the last couple of weeks, but to have a horse that you can show off on and feel good about your riding and gain some confidence is great,” said Cole Reiner, who rode Summit Pro Rodeo’s Game Trail for 91 points Wednesday night to take the bareback riding lead at the Gooding Pro Rodeo. “You think when you qualify for the (National Finals Rodeo) for the first time, you think you’re never going to have a lack of confidence or have a bad day.
“Sometimes even the top guys need a good horse underneath you to feel good and ride good, and that’s the opportunity that horse gives you.”
Game Trail has been selected to buck at the NFR, the sport’s grand finale. Reiner’s been there each of the last four years and is actually on the bubble for qualifying for a fifth straight time. He is 15th in the world standings with $86,178, and only the top 15 on the money list at the end of the regular season advance to the championship.
He needs everything to go his way in the final eight weeks of the season to secure another trip in December to Las Vegas.
“I’ve got another great horse on Friday in Canby (Oregon), and that’s going to be my week,” said Reiner, 25, of Buffalo, Wyoming. “I just want to stay healthy, stay feeling good and stay really positive for the rest of the year.”
Of course, his confidence was boosted days before he arrived in this southern Idaho hamlet. He learned over the weekend that he’d been matched with Game Trail, a horse he’d ridden for 87 points during the fifth round of the 2023 NFR.
“It sounds bad when you say I had to settle for fifth place in Vegas, but it’s still good money, and I’m still grateful to be there,” he said. “That is one of the top 10 horses in the world right now and to have a Wyoming bucking horse and a guy from Wyoming to be 91 in Gooding is pretty special. I’m getting into the second time around on that horse, but that’s a great one for guys to be able to really show off on.”
He won’t rest on his laurels. In fact, he’s got his mind on being in the middle of a long race, and Reiner has his gas pedal mashed to the floor.
“I’m entered in a lot of rodeos, and I’m 15th in the world right now,” said Reiner, who trails the world-standings leader, Keenan Hayes, by $95,000. “Every dollar counts right now. This time I’m on the offensive. I don’t know if it something a lot of guys love to do, but I like the idea of putting it all on my shoulders and being the chaser. I’m going to get in the top 10 before it’s all said and done.
“I have a chance to get within striking distance of Keenan at No. 1. I’m making sure that I keep that in mind and keep that kind of mindset and then riding is super key. I’m really looking forward to the next seven or eight weeks.”
Gooding Pro Rodeo
Aug. 14-17
Bareback riding: 1. Cole Reiner, 91 points on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Game Trail; 2. Keenan Hayes, 88.5; 3. Cooper Cooke, 86; 4. Lane McGehee, 84.5; 6. Mason Clements, 83; 7. Taylor Broussard, 81.5; 8. Richmond Champion, 81.
Saddle bronc riding: 1. Zac Dallas, 87.5 points on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Big John; 2. Wyatt Casper, 86; 3. Noel Johnson, 83.5; 4. Traylin Martin, 81.5; 5. Brady Hill, 81; 6. Leon Fountain, 80.5; 7. Sterling Crawley, 80; 8. (tie) Bailey Small and Ross Griffin, 74.5.
Breakaway roping: 1. Addy Hill, 2.1 seconds; 2. Shai Schaefer, 2.7; 3. Brylee Smith, 2.9; 4. Janey Nicholson, 3.0; 5. Dally Mendenhall, 4.4; 6. Sidney Nelson, 11.9; 7. Jetta Bott, 12.0; 8. Marvel Murphy, 12.6; 9. Jessica Brinkerhoff, 12.8; no other qualified runs.
Bull riding: 1. Stephan Tonita, 85.5 points on Macza Pro Rodeo’s Big River; 2. Trevor Reiste, 83.5; 3. Jeff Bertus, 83; 4. Mason Moody, 80; no other qualified rides.