Copyright ? Las Vegas Review-Journal
Jeter takes hard journey back to illustrious NFR
Bareback rider overcomes injuries for berth in event
By JEFF WOLF
REVIEW-JOURNAL
DALLAS -- Jason Jeter admitted Sunday that he didn't believe he'd make it to his fifth straight National Finals Rodeo next month.
However, that wasn't his biggest concern of the weekend.
Hobbled by injuries, the bareback rider hadn't competed for more than a month and just wanted to make some money in the last major event of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association's regular season.
When the ProRodeo Tour's Pace Classic concluded its three-day run in American Airlines Center on Sunday, Jeter had filled his pockets and also earned a spot in the Dec. 2-11 NFR at Thomas & Mack Center.
"If I wasn't born a cowboy, I'd have cried in the arena when I was doing my interview, but that's not cool," Jeter said of his fifth straight trip to the NFR.
"It's kind of surreal right now. It makes me appreciate more the times that I've qualified for the NFR because it's been so easy before."
He started the event 19th in the PRCA world standings and nearly $12,000 out of 15th place.
Only the top 15 in each of the eight rodeo categories are invited to Las Vegas for the world championships.
Jeter, of nearby Mansfield, Texas, was nearly perfect as he closed the event by winning the championship round with an 89 on River Boat Annie that was worth $10,575 for taking the round. He won $21,737 in the event.
"It was just going to be another rodeo for me," Jeter said.
"I'd kind of given up on making the NFR. I'd won $20,000 at another Tour event one time and I thought, hell, if I do that again it would be great. But I just needed to make some money. I hadn't rodeoed in a month."
Jeter has a torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee, and a floating bone chip in his right elbow.
"I'd never had a bone chip like that. It's fine now. I've gotten used to it. But I cut my knee brace off before I rode (Sunday) because I wanted to have as much movement as I could."
The only other contestant to make the NFR on the final day of the Dallas event is rider Ryan Jarrett of Summerville, Ga.
His total winnings of $22,129 pushed him into the top 15 in steer wrestling after he started the rodeo 20th in season earnings.
This will be his first year competing in the NFR but he knew he was going to be in the Finals before he arrived in Dallas. Jarrett, 21, had already locked up a spot in calf roping.
He won three of the four Dallas rounds in steer wrestling.
"I've been blessed this weekend, that's for sure," Jarrett said. "I let the money take care of itself. I try not to focus on that. I knew Friday I had to get it on."
Minor rodeos in California and New York took place over the weekend so the PRCA will not release official season standings until early this week.
But it's certain that Jeter and Jarrett bumped their ways into the NFR.
Other winners of Classic titles are: Steve Purcella (Hereford, Texas) and Britt Bockius (Claremore, Okla.), team roping; Dan Mortensen (Billings, Mont.) and Cody Demoss (Crowville, La.), tied in saddle bronc riding; Mike Johnson (Henryetta, Okla.), calf roping; Sherry Cervi (Marana, Ariz.), barrel racing; and Bryan Richardson (Dallas), bull riding.
Source: http://reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/Nov-14-Mon-2005/sports/4293625.html?imw=Y
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