Loading ...By TED HARBIN
LAS VEGAS – The moral of the story is to roll with the punches.
Justin McDaniel is doing that, and it’s paid off pretty well so far. Through six go-rounds at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, the Porum, Okla., cowboy has earned $37,412. He’s shared the victories in two rounds and placed in two others.
“I think I can ride better,” he said.
There are four nights left in ProRodeo’s championship. The reigning world champion and three-time NFR qualifier, McDaniel knows what can come his way the rest of the week. His shot at a world title are slim to none at this point, but there’s plenty of money for him to earn the rest of this week.
“I’m going to go for every go-round,” he said. “I’m not going to safety up.”
After being penalized with a no time during Sunday’s fourth go-round, McDaniel placed Monday and Tuesday.
“It ticked me off,” he said of the penalty, which was called when he didn’t set the heels over the horse’s shoulders on the first leap out of the chute. “It was my own fault. I changed to a new rigging that night. It set al little higher, and I didn’t have any weight on my feet. Probably the stupidest thing I’ve ever done looking back at it.”
Then it was payback. On Monday, he rode Classic Pro Rodeo’s Scarlett’s Web for 86.5 points to finish in a tie for fourth place in the round. On Tuesday, he rode Gold Buckle Rodeo’s Jail House Rock for 82 points finish in a tie for sixth place in the round.
Combined, he won more than $6,700 for those two nights worth of work. If it’s not McDaniel who understands the ins and outs of playing on the sport’s biggest stage, it’s D.V. Fennell, his friend, traveling partner and a first-time NFR qualifier.
“This is a great rodeo, and there’s definitely the electricity in that building,” Fennell said of the Thomas & Mack Center, now in its 25th year hosting the championship. “Then you get to watch your best friend nod his head at the NFR and to throw them down … that’s pretty cool.”
McDaniel, who split victories in Rounds 1 and 3 with Oregon cowboy Jason Havens, has moved his 2009 earnings to $161,696, which is third in the world-standings race. He trails standings leader Clint Cannon by $74,204.
McDaniel knows he’s got his work cut out for him if he’s going to catch Cannon and defend his title. Magic’s going to have to happen, and he knows it. Of course, it doesn’t help that McDaniel is trying to ride the rankest bucking horses in the business with an injured sacroiliac joint.
“I’m ready to get healthy and be 100 percent,” McDaniel said. “About halfway through the ride, I just lose strength.
“It hurts a little when I get off the horse. I try to tell myself it don’t hurt, but you can’t lie to yourself.”
But for the rest of the NFR, he’ll put mind over matter.
“We don’t wear these (cowboy) hats for nothing,” he said. “You’ve just got to pull it down for four more nights.”
