Templeton resident wins rodeo championship
–Blaine Jones, 26, of Templeton, was named the 2015 Ram Professional Rodeo Cowboy’s Association California Circuit Steer Wrestling Champion at the California Circuit Finals Rodeo, held in Lancaster Oct.16-18. Jones will travel to the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo, or RNCFR, in Kissimmee, Fla. in April to compete in the steer wrestling event.
Jones is a 2007 graduate of Templeton High School and received his bachelor’s degree from Cal Poly in agricultural systems management and a minor in agricultural business in 2013. He was on the Cal Poly Rodeo Team and previously represented Cuesta Community College in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association and District 7 in the High School Rodeo Association.
Lane Santos Karney, another well-known local competitor, will also be making the trek to Kissimmee in April. Karney is the California Circuit Finals Rodeo Team Roping Average Winner along with his partner, Jordan Ketscher from Squaw Valley. Originally from Creston, Karney is also a Templeton High School and Cal Poly graduate in agricultural communications. He is currently the Assistant Rodeo Coach at Feather River Community College in Quincy and is concurrently pursuing his master’s degree through Colorado State University along with his coaching duties and competing in the PRCA.
More about the Professional Rodeo Cowboy’s Association
The PRCA has 12 circuits. The circuits can include one state, such as California, Texas and Montana circuits, to as many as 13 states within a circuit. In 2012 Ram, a division of the Chrysler Group, began a sponsorship of 12 PRCA Circuit Finals Rodeos and the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo was established.
As the regular season ends, top competitors from each event qualify to compete in their circuit finals rodeos. Year-end circuit champions and rodeo average winners from each of the 12 finals are then invited to Kissimmee to vie for RNCFR championships.
The tournament-style RNFCR determines the national circuit champions in each event. All 24 qualifiers from the 12 circuits compete in the two preliminary rounds of the rodeo. The top eight contestants from each event advance to the semifinal round, with all previous scores and times thrown out. The top four move on to the final round – a sudden-death competition that determines the national circuit champion in each event. Because the top four contestants begin with a clean slate in the Wrangler Round, each one has an equal opportunity to claim a RNCFR title.
Event winners at the RNFCR receive a $20,000 voucher for a new Ram vehicle, a Polaris Ranger UTV, a pair of exotic boots from Justin Boots, trophy saddle from Cactus Saddlery, and a Montana Silversmith buckle, in addition to their monetary winnings.
Follow favorite cowboys and cowgirls online by going to prorodeo.com and clicking on Standings.
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