Tres Pinos bronc rider qualifies to Dodge National Circuit
Finals Rodeo after taking first place last weekend in Las Vegas
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HOLLISTER
Elliot French has been practicing on staying focused at recent rodeos, not allowing his immediate surroundings or his current place in the standings to influence his next ride.
His concentration was put to the test last weekend at the Dodge California Circuit Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, where, after riding to a 78 in the first go and a 70 in the second go, the Tres Pinos resident had a chance to cross off another one of his goals as a professional bronc rider — earning a circuit finals buckle.
All he had to do was focus.
“I thought it was gonna be harder. It was kind of my first test,” said French, who rode “Boogie” to a score of 77 on his third and final go last weekend, a score that placed him first in the saddle bronc average at the California Circuit Finals Rodeo.
He’ll advance to the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo for the second straight year as a result.
“Now I know I can do it,” French added. “That’s pretty good proof for myself.”
And it’s a pretty big step in the bronc rider’s career, even though it wasn’t a guarantee that he’d even qualify to the circuit finals in Las Vegas.
The year-end rodeo takes only the top 12 riders from the regular season, and French finished in 10th place, with just $704 separating him from going to Las Vegas and competing or staying home for the weekend.
“I was pretty far down (the standings),” French said. “All I know is that I made it.”
But despite his narrow qualification, French managed to post strong numbers from start to finish in Vegas.
He tied for second with Justin Arnold on his first go with a 78, then finished out of the top four on his second go but still managed to post a respectable 70.
French’s ride on “Boogie” in the third round scored a 77, which tied him with fellow Tres Pinos resident Jeff Rianda for third place in the go, but vaulted him to the top in the average, nevertheless.
“It was one of my goals this year, so it’s a pretty big win. But there are bigger things that I want to achieve, too,” said French, who felt his first-go score supplied some momentum for the next two rounds.
In the end, all French had to do was stay on for eight seconds in the third round, as he was the only rider to finish with a three-head score. His 225 average placed him well ahead of Joaquin Real (156 on two head), Scott Miller (155 on two head) and Jess Williams (151 on two head) in the final standings.
But he did need that third-round score. If he fell short, if he was tossed from the bronc in less than eight seconds, French would have finished out of the running, and would not be attending the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo in late March.
Again, all he had to do was focus on that third go.
“I just want to ride every time and just focus on riding him the best I can,” French said. “Whatever happens, happens.”
French wanted to thank his sponsors, including his main sponsor, Caraccioli Cellars, as well as Miller Photo. The local bronc rider isn’t planning on taking any time off between now and the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo, which will be held March 31-April 3 in Oklahoma City. French will be competing this weekend at rodeos in Alexandria, La., and Fort Worth, Texas.
