Monday, June 10, 2019

Taos Muncy finds groove, wins Sisters Rodeo again

SISTERS, Ore. – Make it three for Taos Muncy.
The two-time world champion saddle bronc rider now has three Sisters (Ore.) Rodeo titles on his resume.
Muncy captured his latest crown with an 86-point ride on Big Bend Rodeo's Majorhuckleberry at the 2019 edition of the Sisters Rodeo, which concluded Sunday.
Muncy won world titles in 2007 and 2011 and claimed titles in Sisters in 2015 and 2017.
And this trip on Majorhuckleberry ended much better than the first time he climbed aboard the horse.
“I got on him one other time, I believe it was a couple of years ago and he tore my groin and ripped the rein out of my hand,” said Muncy, 31. “It was a bad deal. I’m just glad I rode him this time. The first time I got him I didn’t go with the right rein, I went pretty short. That horse is really big and strong, and he just jerked the rein out of my hand and kind of manhandled me. I talked to quite a few guys and they said to go with more rein, and he had a really nice day. He circled around there to the left and was everything a guy could ask for.”
Muncy entered the week 31st in the 2019 PRCA | RAM World Standings with $18,944. He will add to that total after earning $4,174 in Sisters. Muncy, who joined the PRCA in 2006, has qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo seven times – 2008, 2010-13, 2015 and 2018.
“It’s really important to get a confidence boost like this at Sisters,” Muncy said. “I didn’t have a very good Finals and it has kind of been a struggle (this season). I’ve been home, and I’ve been working at it just trying to get my head ready. Any time you can be over 85 points you did something right. It feels good. We are fixing to be going to a bunch of rodeos now, and it’s nice to get the ball rolling (at Sisters). I’m ready to get rocking and rolling.”
A year ago, Muncy finished 15th in the world standings and placed in just one round, sixth in Round 6.
“It was just mental,” Muncy said about his poor performance in Las Vegas. “This is all I have been doing for a long time, but it is just rodeo. There are lots of ups and downs and you have to learn to deal with all of it. (To get back to the Finals), I just need to remember to have fun and remember why I do it.”
Muncy’s focus is the upcoming summer run.
“This is what you look forward to all year,” Muncy said. “You get to go to a rodeo every day in a different place, and you’re driving down the interstate and they are shooting off fireworks everywhere. You can’t beat it, and there’s a lot of money to go after.”
Muncy said leaving his home in Corona, N.M., and his wife, Marissa, daughter, Marley, 7, and son, Shooter, 3, is difficult.
“It’s tough being away from them, but I feel really fortunate because I get to do what I love to do,” Muncy said. “Also, when I’m home, I’m home completely. I don’t have a 9-to-5 job and be gone all day. I might be gone for two weeks, but when I’m home I’m with my family everyday so I feel really fortunate and blessed.”
Other winners at the $155,934 rodeo were all-around cowboy Tyler Forsberg ($1,852, tie-down roping and team roping); bareback rider Tilden Hooper (87 points on Big Bend Rodeo's James Bond); steer wrestler Mike McGinn (8.9 seconds on two head); team ropers Dustin Bird/Trey Yates (5.2 seconds); tie-down ropers Westyn Hughes and Jake Pratt (19.3 seconds on two head); barrel racer Meka Farr (17.29 seconds); and bull rider Parker Breding (86 points on Corey & Lange Rodeo's American Grit).
To read more about the Sisters (Ore.) Rodeo, check out the June 14 edition of ProRodeo Sports News.

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