KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Rob and Dan Webb had a good night at the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo March 25 – even putting themselves in position to make a little history – and they were fairly certain their dad, Kirk, didn’t get to see any of it on the WranglerNetwork.com webcast.
“You can bet he was out feeding the cattle,” said Dan Webb, with a grin, “taking care of the farm’s 400 mother cows. Our mom (Stevia) might have watched us, but dad was pretty sure to be out there working.”
That’s how it has always been on the Webb farm in Wendell, Idaho. Work comes first. Rob and Dan learned their work ethic and how to rodeo from their dad, a nine-time RNCFR qualifier. Even if Kirk’s not watching, he’s present in their every run.
It’s part of the reason that Rob, 26, and Dan, 31, have become the best team roping pair in Idaho and are now in position to make a run at becoming the first team in Wilderness Circuit history to win a title at the RNCFR. They took the first-round lead on Wednesday night with a 4.9-second run.
There is reason for the Webb brothers to draw extra inspiration from their dad these days. He had a really bad horse wreck a couple of years back and ended up in a coma. The first weeks were rough. Doctors weren’t sure he was going to make it.
“But now he’s back driving and working,” Dan said. “It’s been great.”
The Webb brothers feel like they were born into their rodeo life. They live across a hay field from each other in Wendell, practice their roping on a regular schedule while balancing farm work, developing Rob’s fencing company and other endeavors.
“I was probably in middle school when we started roping together full time,” said Rob Webb, “and we’ve just stayed with it.”
They had their best year in 2014 when they finished second at the Reno (Nev.) Rodeo and split a round at the Pendleton (Ore.) Round-Up. Rob finished No. 47 among headers in the Windham Weaponry High Performance PRCA World Standings, and Dan was No. 56 among heelers.
They won the Wilderness Circuit year-end title and the RAM Wilderness Circuit Finals Rodeo.
Other first-round leaders to come out of Wednesday night’s performance at the Silver Spurs Arena were bareback rider Tim O’Connell (83 points on Silver Spurs Club’s Ned Ross), steer wrestler Beau Clark (4.6 seconds), saddle bronc rider Jacobs Crawley (84 points on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s Famous Dave’s), tie-down ropers Ryan Jarrett and Jesse Clark (8.0 seconds), barrel racer Lindsay Kruse (16.45 seconds) and bull rider Joe Frost (76 points on Smith, Harper & Morgan Rodeo’s Nutcase).
Crawley is the defending champion and is trying to join Jesse Wright (2010-11) as the only cowboys to win back-to-back saddle bronc riding titles in the 29-year history of this rodeo.
The tournament-style RNFCR format 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 then 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 that final round with a clean slate, each one has an equal opportunity to claim an RNCFR title.
Event winners each receive a $20,000 voucher toward the purchase of a new RAM Truck and a Polaris Ranger utility vehicle in addition to their winnings.
Wrangler Network is airing live webcasts of the rodeo’s first four performances and, after the event, highlights from the RNCFR will be televised on CBS Sports Net; see ProRodeo.com/TV for the telecast schedule.
RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo
Kissimmee, Fla., March 25-28
Bareback riding: First round leaders: 1. Tim O’Connell, 83 points on Silver Spurs Club’s Ned Ross; 2. Joe Gunderson, 80; 3. Jessy Davis, 79; 4. (tie) Micky Downare and Austin Foss, 78 each; 6. Andy Carter, 74
Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Beau Clark, 4.6 seconds; 2. Tooter Silver, 4.9; 3. Josh Peek, 5.2; 4. Austin Manning, 5.6; 5. Jacob Shofner, 6.3; 6. Eli Lord, 8.3
Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Rob Webb/Dan Webb, 4.9 seconds; 2. Coleman Proctor/Billie Jack Saebens, 5.0; 3. (tie) Zach Kilgus/Justin Yost and Blake Hirdes/Joseph Shawnego, 5.2 each; 5. Jason Carlson/Sam Levine, 5.4; 6. Ty Blasingame/J.W. Borrego, 5.8
Saddle bronc riding: First round leaders: 1. Jacobs Crawley, 84 points on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s Famous Dave’s; 2. Wade Sundell, 83; 3. Jesse Wright, 80; 4. Cody Taton, 79; 5. (tie) Jeremy Meeks and Jace Angus, 78
Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. (tie) Jesse Clark and Ryan Jarrett, 8.0 seconds each; 3. Riley Pruitt, 9.0; 4. Blake Ash, 12.1; 5. Ryle Smith, 12.4; 6. Josh Peek, 15.4
Barrel racing: First round leaders: 1. Lindsay Kruse, 16.45 seconds; 2. Cheyenne Schnelle, 16.59; 3. Mary Walker, 16.65; 4. (tie) Ann Scott and Sarah McDonald, 16.70 each; 6. Sarah Griffin, 16.77
Bull riding: First round leaders: 1. Joe Frost, 76 points on Smith, Harper & Morgan Rodeo’s Nutcase; no other qualified rides
Total payoff: $749,316. Stock contractors: 4L & Diamond S Rodeo, Barnes PRCA Rodeo, Cowtown Rodeo, Klein Brothers Rodeo, Korkow Rodeos, MJM Rodeo, Painted Pony Championship Rodeo, Pete Carr Pro Rodeo, Pete Carr’s Classic ProRodeo, Rafter H Rodeo Livestock, Rocky Mountain Rodeo, Silver Spurs Club, Smith, Harper & Morgan Rodeo, Stace Smith Pro Rodeo, Sutton Rodeo, Three Hills Rodeo and United ProRodeo. Rodeo secretary: Carole Martinez. Officials: Skip Emmett, George Gibbs, Cliff Overstreet and Glenn Sullivan. Timers: Amy Muller and Mary Borgen. Announcers: Bob Tallman and Roger Mooney. Specialty act: Troy Lerwill. Bullfighters: Lucas Littles and Josh Rivinius. Clown/barrelman: Dennis Halstead. Flankman: Various. Chute boss: Gerry Byrn. Pickup men: Jeremy Willis and Shawn Calhoun.