PRCA permit holder wins Saddle Bronc at Old Fort Days Rodeo

permit holder Riggin Smith wins Old Fort Days Rodeo

Permit holder Riggin Smith topped some of the PRCA’s best saddle bronc riders at the Old Fort Days Rodeo in Fort Smith, Ark., June 1. An 85-point ride on Hampton Pro Rodeo’s Desert Stomper was worth the biggest check of his career and a major confidence boost for this rising star in ProRodeo competition.

Winning the Old Fort Days Rodeo came at the perfect time as the 20-year-old cowboy heads to the College National Finals Rodeo next week, and then into a summer of PRCA competition. 

“It means I’m starting off on the right track,” Smith said. “That’s my first time at that rodeo and for a permit guy that’s a big deal. It’s crazy – when I heard I was 85, I was like ‘oh man, I could win this rodeo.’ I’m getting chills just thinking about it.”

Prior to winning $2,544 at the Old Fort Days Rodeo, Smith was ranked seventh in the 2019 Ram Rodeo Permit Standings for saddle bronc riding with $3,868. Fort Smith is by far the largest win Smith’s had since starting his permit in 2017 when he finished the season with $776. He went on to rank 15th in the 2018 permit standings with $5,226, and now he’s won more than his entire season earnings before the summer run begins.

"The money hasn’t sunk in yet at all,” Smith said. “You’re just like, ‘oh yeah, that’s a dollar amount on there,’ but I don’t know that I’ve ever seen that much go into my account at one time. You just thank God for it.”

Acts of God also played a role in the Fort Smith, Ark., area as historic levels of flooding hit the region just as the rodeo was starting. Fortunately for Smith and his traveling partner Briar Dittmer, they were already at the rodeo grounds before road closures began.

“We could see the water and it looked bad,” Smith said. “But if you closed your eyes you would have thought the place was packed. The crowd was crazy, and it was awesome.”

With a name like Riggin, this Iowa cowboy was born for rodeo as the son of former PRCA bronc rider Jmijon Smith (pronounced Jimmy John) – and now he’s proving the name fits.

“He always thought that Riggin was kind of different and cool, so he named me that,” Smith laughed.

With $119,676 up for grabs, Smith was up against competitors often found at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

“I tried not to think about the competition, just what I had to do to get as many points as I could,” Smith said. “But it’s really cool seeing your name up against guys with gold buckles.”

Smith’s keeping a level head about his recent win as he’s planning on holding off on his rookie year until the 2020 season.

“This year isn’t my statement year, it’s my name year,” Smith said. “I want to get my name out there so everyone knows me by the time I’m a rookie.”

Smith will finish the 2019-20 school-year at Clarendon (Texas) College while getting pointers from saddle bronc rider Bret Franks, a three-time qualifier for the Wrangler NFR (1997-98, 2000).

“He has been a huge help,” Smith said. “I still send him all my videos, even throughout the summer. He’s definitely one of my rodeo heroes.”

Looking ahead, Smith is shooting for the 2019 Permit Members of the Year Challenge with his eyes on next spring’s RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo.

“That will set me up for really good things next year, and how I plan on making that happen is by working harder than everyone else,” Smith said.        ~ PRCA Media 

PepperStewart.com