Sonnier Claims Stephenville Bareback Riding Title
Kade Sonnier added another victory to his exceptional year as he won the bareback riding title at the Cowboy Capital of the World PRCA Rodeo in Stephenville, Texas, which ended on Sunday.
Sonnier finished with an 84.5-point ride on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo's Fox Hole Gunner and won $1,545.
With that victory, the Carencro, La., native won or shared his seventh title of the season, including the Calgary (Alberta) Stampede, the Sandhills Stock Show & Rodeo (Odessa, Texas), the Crossett (Ark.) Riding Club, the Mountain Valley Stampede (Heber City, Utah), the Old Fort Days Rodeo (co-champion, Fort Smith, Ark.) and the Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days (co-champion).
Sonnier won just $2,041 in bareback riding last season. He entered Stephenville third in earnings this season with $154,476.63 and only added to a total that should put him in the National Finals Rodeo in December in Las Vegas.
In winning the title, he edged out the No. 2 bareback rider in the world, Leighton Berry, who finished with an 83-point ride and walked away with second place and $1,170 in winnings.
Chad Rutherford, who is among the Top 30 riders in the event this season but needs an awful lot of help to move into the Top 15, finished third with an 82-point ride and won $843.
Owen Brouillette finished fourth (81.5 points), Tim Murphy finished fifth (81 points) and Lane McGehee finished sixth (80).
Cowboy Capital Of The World PRCA Rodeo
Stephenville, Texas, Sept. 22-24
Bareback riding leaders
1. Kade Sonnier, 84.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo's Fox Hole Gunner, $1,545
2. Leighton Berry, 83, $1,170
3. Chad Rutherford, 82, $843
4. Owen Brouillette, 81.5, $562
5. Tim Murphy, 81, $328
6. Lane McGehee, 80, $234