Beech Creek native earns spot at world rodeo championship
By LaKeshia Knarr
ATHENS, TEX – After spending 15 years preparing, 28-year-old bull-rider Jeff Askey has earned a top spot in his profession – he ranks third in Weather Guard Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) World Standings. Now, he is about to take the ride of his life, as he is riding in the 56th Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR), set for December 1-10.
The Beech Creek native began his rodeo journey when he was 13, learning to ride from a friend whose father also rode bulls. Prior he had spent time riding horses, but bull riding was something special for him – so he sought out opportunities to ride.
After graduating from Central Mountain High School in 2006, Askey earned a rodeo scholarship at the University of Tennessee-Martin, where he earned a degree in animal science.
Now living in Athens, Texas, he travels throughout much of the year for professional rodeo.
Askey is looking forward to the WNFR, dubbed “the Super Bowl of rodeo,” partially because he’s come so close in the past. By the end of the 2015 season, he ranked 16th – he missed the WNFR by just one place and only 207 points.
Qualification for the WNFR is based on points (equivalent to earned money, $1,000 = 1,000 points) earned during a season. The regular season begins October 1 and runs through the following September 3, with rodeos held all over the county. Different rodeos offer different pay scales, and those earnings accumulate of the season. The top 15 bull riders at the end of the season qualify for the WNFR. The qualifying amount, according to Askey, is generally around $75,000.
The 10-day competition is held in the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas each year.
There is one rodeo and one payout each day. At the end of the 10 days, there is a separate prize payout based on overall score averages that is also highly coveted by riders.
“There’s a lot of big money on the line and you have a chance to win big,” Askey said, adding that some riders leave the championship with $100,000 and top riders could leave with $200,000.
The sport takes grit, determination and investment, Askey will tell you. He has overcome industry injuries and learned that winning competitions is vital to supporting the journey.
Traveling expenses and entry fees add up for riders.
“It’s a rough sport and you only make a living if you’re winning,” Askey said. “As I progressed, I realized this could be my career.”
In the bull-riding industry, “it’s not a question of if you get hurt, it’s when and how bad,” he said.
Generally speaking, Askey’s been fortunate – enduring occasional concussions, aches and sprains, and just one hospitalization incident so far.
In 2013, when he was ranked 21st in the world, Askey broke his leg, causing him to miss some of the season. After healing, he made a quick recovery, ranking 16th at the end of the 2015 season – and now 3rd.
It’s not uncommon for riders to quit the sport because of injuries, or the risk of them. For others, the rewards are too high to quit.
“A lot of guys kind of get scared off after their first time getting seriously hurt,” Askey said, adding that as riders get better and earn more money, they accept the risks for the rewards and overall experience.
“It’s just like a football player who likes to play football… I’m passionate about it just like any good athlete is about their sport,” he said. “There’s a little bit of a thrill that’s, like, man versus beast. It’s the thrill of the challenge.”
Askey is ready for the championship competition ahead.
“It’s definitely a relief to be going in, especially kind of high up … You’ve got to go and do well consistently all 10 days,” he said. “The position I’m on ¬¬– go in there and have a good time. There’s a good chance to go in there and win the World Championship. Everybody has a shot. It’s tough. But that’s going to be everybody’s goal going in there.”
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Learn how you can stream the 10-day event online at www.nationalfinalsrodeolivestream.com.
