O’Connell chasing another world title

Tim O’Connell has already won three Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) world bareback riding titles and he’s on track to win another but this generation of cowboys is a totally different breed with a work schedule that would make any normal person cringe.

Friday night at the 85th Annual Lawton Rangers Rodeo O’Connell rode Hollywood Hills for an 88 to surge into the bareback riding lead and take the title and a good check for his efforts.

“I rode that horse at the (National) Finals so I remember that horse,” he said. ”When you draw that horse you know if you do your job you are going to get a check. I’m one of those guys that when I see a horse one time I’m going to be able to do is picture an image of how that horse is going to buck.”

Part of that knowledge comes from being in a family with a brother who is a stock contractor but much of it has been at rodeos and watching video.

O’Connell is one of the few rough-stock contestants who are making the southern swing instead of going to the northwest region for a couple of big rodeos in that area. He came to Lawton because it’s closer to his Iowa home and because of good history in Lawton.

“I will always remember that ride here in 2019 on Molly Bee,” he said before Friday’s performance. “I’d never seen a horse go that vertical. If I hadn’t had my toes pointed out and been spurring, she’d have bucked me off.”

Those great rides come from a great horse but the cowboy has to do his part and there are few in bareback riding as solid as the world champ but he works even harder out of the arena to be ready for those challenges.

O’Connell has the frame that any linebacker would love to have and beyond the muscles his body-fat number has to be lower than most men his age.

“The last couple of years I’ve had some injuries that kept me out, so conditioning has become even more important for me,” he said. “My NFR (Wrangler National Finals Rodeo) prep involves a month of work where I spend about an hour-and-half with my trainer and that includes weight work and then an hour of cardio work.

“Then it is all about recovery with ice baths and yoga. These younger riders are pushing all of us and we have to train just as hard as they do.”

O’Connell has had injuries like most cowboys but this training program has sure helped him this season.

“Having injuries always makes it tough but right now it’s late in the season and sometimes we just have to grit it out and get on horses. I think I’ve ridden 55 or 60 horses this year, so it’s nice to be able to pull back some and not have to go to that many rodeos when you are sitting in good position.”

O’Connell is currently fifth with earnings of $124,835, however, the PRCA has been fighting a ransom-ware battle and some results have yet to be added to the totals.

Saturday’s performance was completed between storms and Tucker Alberts had the best time in the steer wrestling with a 4.7 that helping moved into second in the average as well as the second go-round, which will give him three checks after last night’s final performance.

In breakaway roping Sequin Brewer took the title on the final night with a 2.3 time to edge out a trio of women who had posted 2.6 times earlier in the rodeo.

The saddle bronc riding had a pair of major changes at the top as Ryder Sanford rode Rage for an 87 and just minutes later Tegan Smith rode Hammerstone for the same score to leave them splitting first and second money.

There was no movement in tie-down roping and that left Caleb Smidt taking the first go-round with a 7.8 and Lane Livingston won the second go-round with an 8.2. Smidt, a three-time world champion won the average with 17.4 on two head. He will take three checks away from the purse of more than $136,000.

Team roping had a couple of teams get into the money but Erich Rogers and Paul Eaves won the first go with a 5.0 and were sixth in the average. Curry Kirchner and Billie Jack Saebens and Clint Summers and Jake Long shared first in the second go. Nelson Wyatt and Chase Tryan were the average champs with a 10.6 on two head.

Due to weather in the area, the rodeo was still being contested at press time.