ROPING FOR A LIVING DURING A PANDEMIC
Team roping for a living during a pandemic is uncharted territory. And because it’s unprecedented, there’s been no playbook. But it’s proven to be tough stuff—more travel and expense with a lot less opportunity to win big money. Starting with RodeoHouston in March, virtually every major rodeo has been cancelled. Who better to tell the tale of what life’s really been like on the 2020 rodeo trail than some of the guys who’ve lived to tell about it.
JOSEPH HARRISON
Joseph Harrison is headed to his fourth-straight Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, thanks largely to his $103,000 win—$53,000 of which counted toward the world standings—heeling for Luke Brown at The American in March. Harrison—who would not be in the top 50 without that American money—won the balance of his regular-season earnings with Lane Ivy (at Fort Worth) and Wyatt Imus. Harrison will heel for Brown at NFR 2020.
“I’ve heard people say that this year should have been easier, because there weren’t as many rodeos to go to. But that’s what’s made it harder,” Harrison said. “Instead of easing around and going to 60-65 rodeos, where the weakest link of rodeos we would go to would have $5,000 to $6,000 a side added—with most of them more like $8,000 to $10,000 and above
