Four-time World Champion Caleb Smidt is headed back to Las Vegas as he secured his 10th National Finals Rodeo qualification in 2023.
Smidt sits No. 7 in the PRCA World Standings, but enters the NFR with many positive signs - he has more Go-Round Wins (17) than the last two years combined (16) and also improved from four runs of 7.5 Seconds or Faster to 10.
BIGGEST PAYOUTS
Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup (South Dakota), $19,000
After stopping the clock in 7 flat, Smidt won Round 2 of the Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup. Smidt’s Go-Round winning run secured him a check for $10,000 to finish out the regular season with an additional $19,000 in total earnings in Sioux Falls.
California Rodeo Salinas, $10,884
Smidt won the Average with an aggregate time of 32.4 seconds on three head and sealed it with a needed 10 second flat run at Salinas’ long start in the Finals. Smidt split the win with fellow Texas cowboy and NFR qualifier Ty Harris.
Sheridan WYO Rodeo, $10,765
Smidt stayed consistent in Sheridan as he turned in an 8.3-second run in both Rounds 1 and 2, claiming third place and first place respectively in each round. An aggregate time of 16.6 seconds secured Smidt the No. 1 spot in the Average, 1.5 seconds ahead of World No. 4 Shane Hanchey.
Puyallup Cinch Playoffs (Washington), $9,850
An aggregate time of 17.7 on two head secured Smidt the No. 2 spot on the leaderboard as he advanced into the Semifinals where he stopped the clock at 8.1 seconds. Smidt continued on into the Final Round, where turned in a run of 9.1 seconds to claim third place overall in the first leg of the Playoffs.
FASTEST TIMES
The Calgary Stampede, 7.2 Seconds
While his true fastest time of the year came in Sioux Falls, Smidt still had plenty of other blazing runs as he set a personal best with his 10 of 7.5 Seconds or Faster, more than he’s had the previous two years combined. In Calgary, he 7.2 in Round 3 of his pool, which actually took second behind Riley Webb’s 7.1.
The Calgary Stampede, 7.3 Seconds
The round prior, Smidt got a Go-Round win himself north of the border, sharing it with Riley Pruitt. Each cowboy won $6,250 on the day.
Snake River Stampede (Idaho), 7.4 Seconds
Smidt won Round 1 of one Idaho’s highest-paying rodeos which came with a payday north of $4,000. It came the weekend after his big Sheridan payday in the middle of July.
RodeoHouston, 7.5 Seconds
Smidt showed out the highest paying rodeo in Canada and the US, winning Round 3 with his back against the wall to advance to the Semifinals, where he capitalized with another Go-Round win.
NOTABLE WINS
Cowboy Capital of the World PRCA Rodeo (Texas), 7.8 Seconds
In his home state of Texas, Smidt locked in the win at the Cowboy Capital of the World PRCA Rodeo in Stephenville with a run of 7.8 seconds, which was the magic time for him that weekend as he also won Amarillo with a 7.8 .
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