IPRA member, Cord Spradley at Holstein, Ontario, Canada – Emily Gethke
story by Lily Weinacht
Cord Spradley from Hoboken, Ga., is sitting in the top ten of the IPRA world standings in steer wrestling, but he intends to be a triple threat at IFR 46, with the hope of adding tie-down roping and team roping onto his qualification. The 27-year-old all-around cowboy qualified for the IFR for the first time last year and won the fourth round in steer wrestling. “It felt like a big accomplishment making it out there,” says Cord. He joined the IPRA three years ago, introduced to the association by his childhood friend and fellow steer wrestler, Justin Thigpen.
Cord and Justin, who his currently leading the steer wrestling, have been travelling together since last year. “I flew back and forth a few times to qualify for the Canadian Cup Finals in St. Tite,” says Cord, who made the 24 hour drive from Georgia to St. Tite in September. He chose steer wrestling as his primary event and the rodeo checks confirmed it was the right choice, though he grew up roping and is focusing on tie-down roping this year more than he has in the past. “Growing up, my parents and relatives got me into rodeo. In that generation, everyone went to the rodeos, and we live in a little town in Georgia where just about all the houses have a roping pen. I grew up roping with Kaleb Driggers.
“My brother, John Wayne, is one of the reasons I like to rodeo,” says Cord. “He’s in a wheelchair, and I like calling home and telling him I did good – he’s always excited. When I rodeo close to home, I get to take him with me. He’s my motivation.” Cord adds, “I like being at the finals at the end of the year – and the money. I also went to Nationals twice when I was in high school and won the short-round in steer wrestling, and I won several rounds in the tie-down at the IFYR.”
Several years later, Cord college rodeoed for Weatherford College and won the Southwest Region in the NIRA in 2008. After finishing school, Cord started his own equine dentistry business, CES Equine Dentistry Services. “I have to do a lot of travelling,” Cord explains. “I’m in Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, and southern Alabama. Sometimes my rodeos are in the same direction as my work.”
When he’s not on the road, Cord is practicing. In the steer wrestling, he rides a gelding named Joker, which he started just before the finals in January and ended up riding during IFR 45. “He’s done really good, and we also took him to St. Tite,” says Cord, adding, “Our hazing horse is a mare named Bucky that we started last year. She’s getting really good.” For roping, Cord will often mount out, though he’ll occasionally rope on Chesney or his heel horse, Six. Cord and his horses make their home on 100 acres outside of town, the perfect spot that’s far enough away from town, yet close enough to have pizza delivered.
In his very spare time, Cord enjoys fishing, though he admits, “I mostly like boating. I don’t care too much about fishing – I just like riding in the boat. Sometimes I’ll take friends out boating. This summer, we went down to Florida and drove the boat back to Georgia.”
Cord finishes, “My goal is to make it to the IFR in all three events, and I really want to thank my mom and dad and brother for always being behind me. You’ve got to have someone who has your back when you’re on the road.”
