BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
Jake Long and partner Clint Summers were two of the standouts of the 2023 NFR. They won four rounds, including the first three and made a grand total of $182,517 in Las Vegas to help Long finish No. 2, the best mark of his career.
In 2024, Long put himself in position for back-to-back Top 5 finishes for the first time since 2016 and 2017 as he enters the NFR No. 4 in the World Standings.
He’s now at 14 appearances, holding the second-most of any heeler.
San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, $17,500
Long and partner Clint Summers got as close as possible to winning the rodeo in San Antonio, splitting the Finals with Begay/Todd with a 3.8-second run, but losing out on the title based on total money earned.
Summers/Long also made the Finals in Fort Worth at the first Texas Swing rodeo.
La Fiesta De Los Vaqueros, $10,295
Long and Summers notched another five-figure payday at Playoff Series Rodeo in the Arizona desert when they were 5.5 and 6.3 seconds to finish third in the Average. They were 1.5 seconds off the pace set by Cody Snow/Hunter Koch.
It was the first time Long had competed at this event since 2020.
RodeoHouston, $12,000
Summers and Long grabbed the last spot in the Semifinals out of Super Series 2 and went on to make it all the way to the Championship Shootout, where they finished third to collect $7,750.
Long last made the Four-Man in 2022, when he partnered with Clay Tryan to get the win.
San Angelo Cinch Chute Out, $7,500
Long capped off a terrific Texas Swing witth runs of 3.8 and 4.2 seconds to win the Chute Out, the two fastest runs of the rodeo.
Long and Summers bested Marcus Theriot/Cole Curry and Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira in the Short Round.
At the end of the Texas Swing, Long was No. 2 in the PRCA World Standings.
Oakley Independence Day Rodeo, $3,751
In a competitive one-header, Long and Summers were 4.4 to tie for third. They were one of eith teams to be 4.5 seconds or faster.
Over Cowboy Christmas, they also took fifth at the Black Hills Roundup and third in Round 2 at the St. Paul Rodeo.
Cinch Playoffs Puyallup, $4,951
With runs of 4.6 and 4.8 seconds on their first two, Summers and Long advanced to the Semifinals, where a no time ended their stay in Puyallup.
Governor’s Cup, $22,500
Three of Long’s four runs at the $1 million rodeo to close the season were 4.6 or faster and he and Summers saved the best for last with a 4.1 in the Short Round to take second to Andrew Ward/Kollin VonAhn’s 3.9.
Summers/Long have finished second both times the Governor’s Cup was staged, although last year the paycheck was “only” $19,000.
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