Last year, Eli Lord was running extra steers and watching his brother, Levi, compete at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. This year, Eli is looking to back into the Wrangler NFR box as a competitor.
After a win at the Deadwood (S.D.) Days of ’76 Rodeo, Lord is well on his way to meeting his goal.
Lord’s first run put him in a tie for sixth place, making his second run crucial. With the pressure on, he ran a 3.8, good for second in the round and first overall with 8.1 seconds on two head, earning $5,802.
“I didn’t know a lot about the steer, and I got a great start,” Lord said. “The steer led off right and it ended up working out really well.”
The Days of ’76 Rodeo is just down the street from Lord’s hometown of Sturgis, making this win special.
Between runs in Deadwood, Lord hit the road for Cheyenne, Wyo., where he tried his luck at “the Daddy of ’em all,” taking fourth in the fourth performance. Next, he’ll head to Preston, Idaho, and Phillipsburg, Kan.
Entering Deadwood 12th in the PRCA | RAM World Standings, Lord hopes to stay in that NFR qualifying spot in the coming weeks.
The Lord brothers not only grew up rodeoing together, but learning from their dad J.B., a long-time PRCA member and team roper. After seeing his brother qualify for the NFR last year, Eli said that making the event a family affair would mean the world.
“Everybody that rodeos, that’s what we’re all trying to do out here,” Lord said. “And it’s extremely hard to do.
“Everybody says it, but it’s kind of an indescribable feeling that you’re shooting for, that you’re trying to obtain.”
Other winners at the $263,214 rodeo were bareback rider Jess Pope (87 points on Harper & Morgan Rodeo Co’s Sippin Firewater); team ropers Tyler Wade/Trey Yates (9.4 seconds on two head); saddle bronc rider Jacob Kammerer (91 points on Sutton Rodeos’ South Point); tie-down roper Chance Oftedahl (14.9 seconds on two head); barrel racer Molly Otto (16.58 seconds); steer roper Scott Snedecor (34.8 seconds on three head); and bull rider Chance Schott (90 points on Bar T Rodeo’s Too Good). Clay Smith was the all-around cowboy ($3,475, team roping and steer roping).
Source: ProRodeo
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