New Reward from Cinch Chute Out Keeps Competition Red-Hot

SAN ANGELO, TX -- For the first time in the seven-year history of the Cinch Chute Out, more was on the line than just money. The winnings from the fast-paced rodeo would contribute to the PRCA world standings which determines who goes to Las Vegas for the NFR in December.

So, cowboys and cowgirls from across the country took to the Coliseum floor in hopes of bolstering their winter runs.

For saddle bronc winner Chase Brooks, the thoughts of the potential benefit of winning weren’t in his head.

“I try not to think about that,” Brooks said. “You know, it’s a lot of money, it makes a lot of difference in the standings. But if I think about that, I tend to fall off. So, I just put that behind me. It’s pretty cool when it works out.”

Brooks qualified as the top rider from the first round with a 90.5-point ride on Pete Carr’s Blame It on Me. That set up a meeting with Pete Carr’s Get Smart, the same horse Wade Sundell rode for 90 points last year en route to a world title.

A second 90.5-point ride gave the win to Brooks, who hopes history repeats for him.

“It’s been a good week here in San Angelo,” the Montana cowboy said. “I’ve had a chance to get on some really great horses. Gettin’ on that ole’ Get Smart, I knew that horse was gonna buck and test me. It’s nice to know if I can ride that one, I can ride just about any of ‘em.”

Clayton Biglow, coming off a solid showing in the PRCA rodeo the past two nights, won the $7,500 prize in bareback riding. The California native was seeded second after a 90.5-point ride in the first round on Pete Carr’s Scarlett Web. He followed that with an arena record-tying 93-point ride on Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Top Notch.

That forced the hand of Canadian cowboy Pascal Isabelle, who needed a nearly flawless ride on Pickett’s Top Flight. Isabelle was bucked off before the eight seconds was up, giving the win to Biglow.

After a blistering 3.8-second run in the first round of steer wrestling, first time competitor Blake Mindemann threw down his second steer in 4.0 seconds to claim the win.

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Lon Danley won bull riding with an 86.5-point ride in both the first and championship round of the Chute Out.

Clay Smith and Paul Eaves, who won the San Angelo Rodeo en route to a world title last year, returned for their first run together since Smith opted to run with Jake Long in 2019. The duo picked up where they left off in Vegas by winning the Chute Out.

Jessica Routier won barrel racing with a final run of 14.08 seconds.

Justin Thigpen was the tie down roping champ.