FORT WORTH, Texas -- A lot happened to bareback rider Clint Laye last year.

Shortly after riding at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, he got on a plane and flew to Rapid City, South Dakota. He was having headaches and generally wasn't feeling good but thought it was from sleeping on the plane and having a crick in his neck. What he expected to get better didn't, so he took some time off.

He returned to competition at the Helldorado Days Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nevada, in May. The first bucking horse he got on fell on him in the arena, dislocating and breaking the elbow on his riding hand. That sent Laye home to recuperate, which really was a blessing in disguise. It gave him opportunity to heal, and he got to spend time with his new baby boy, Cohen, who was born in August.

Laye, who qualified for the 2015 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR), is healthy again, and it showed Thursday at the 25th performance of the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. He took the lead in the first round of competition with an 85-point ride on United Pro Rodeo's Gringo.

The bareback riding here features three rounds of competition, so Laye will get on two more horses on Friday. He has big ambitions and high hopes.

This is the first pro rodeo that I ever entered," said Laye, who joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association in 2012. "I've been coming here every year since. This rodeo is legendary. A year off gives you a lot of thinking time. My mind is really in the game and I'd love to win here.

Last September he thought about getting on bucking horses again, but the time away found him out of shape. So not only did he start working out a lot, he carried Cohen while doing squats and lunges and the baby's weight helped speed up the process. The hard work is paying off and if he stays healthy and continues to ride like he did in the Will Rogers Coliseum on Thursday night, he will be back Saturday night riding for the championship.

There were two other great bareback rides on Friday night. Reigning Fort Worth champion Tim O'Connell from Zwingle, Iowa, and Tanner Aus from Granite Falls, Minnesota, each had 82.5-point rides. After winning here last year, O'Connell went on to qualify for the 2016 edition of the NFR, where he left with the gold buckle as the world's best.


Thursday night was a special night for Fort Worth's stock contracting family. Mayor Betsy Price made a special proclamation declaring February 2 as Neal Gay Day. He was a contestant here in 1946 before becoming a stock contractor. His Rafter G Rodeo company has provided stock in Fort Worth for nearly 40 years and at 93 years old he still rides horseback in the grand entry. His son Jim Gay manages the livestock for the rodeo and his granddaughters often carry flags in opening ceremonies.


You can check out full event results here. 

The 121st Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo continues Friday with rodeo performances at 2 and 7:30 PM.

-Information Courtesy of Susan Kanode

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