Caldwell Victory Keeps Saddle Bronc Rider Zac Dallas in the Hunt for NFR Berth

The veteran rider recorded a pair of big scores to take home more than $13,000 in earnings, helping him jump to No. 15 in the World Standings.

Zac Dallas got a huge boost in his hunt for an NFR berth, winning more than $13,000 at the Caldwell Night Rodeo over the weekend. | Caldwell Night Rodeo photo by Hailey Rae

When it mattered most, Zac Dallas rose to the occasion. 

Coming into the Caldwell (Idaho) Night Rodeo, the Las Cruces, N.M., saddle bronc rider was battling a bit of a lull. During the first weekend of August, he captured the one-ride Lea County PRCA Rodeo championship in Lovington, N.M., giving him a nearly $7,000 payday. 

Since that victory, he’d earned less than $1,000, with numerous scoring rides that failed to place high enough to garner a check. The results pushed Dallas to the wrong side of the top 15 cutline in the PRCA Saddle Bronc World Standings. 

In Caldwell, he got back on track. 

Dallas won his opening battle to secure a spot in the short round. He then took the top spot yet again, giving him two round wins, the average title, and a much-needed $13,658 payday. 

“You’re always hoping for that big score or to get some money won. It was fun,” Dallas said of his time in Caldwell. “I have a hard time celebrating unless I feel like I made the best ride I could. I definitely felt like that on both of them, so that was fulfilling.”

His first round draw had a fortuitous feeling as he matched up with C5 Rodeo’s Devil’s Son. During his early days in the sport, Dallas had been mentored by legendary cowboy Milo DeWitt.

DeWitt, who passed away back in July, had a pen of practice horses on his ranch in Rio Rico, Ariz., including one named Sun Devil. That horse turned out to be the sire of Dallas’ first ride in Caldwell, Devil’s Son. The matchup got Dallas off to a good start as he posted the only 90-point ride of the first round to set the tone. 

The finals were a different beast entirely. Looking over the day sheet, Dallas realized the field, which featured a host of Wrangler National Finals Rodeo veterans and former World Champions, was littered with matchups against high-end bucking horses. Five other cowboys finished with rides of 90 points or higher in the short go. 

C5 Rodeo’s Hangover Face presented a big challenge, but Dallas pushed through, going for 92 points to edge out Sage Newman’s 91 and win the round. His 182 points on two head put him just ahead of Ryder Wright and Newman, who each went for 179.5. His 92-point ride also set the Caldwell Night Rodeo arena record.

“There were a lot of really good matchups in the short round. Everyone made really good rides, so I was just blessed to come out on top,” Dallas said. 

For the third straight year, Dallas has cleared $100,000 in earnings, but he still has work to do if he wants to make his third consecutive NFR. 

With just shy of $114,500 amassed so far during the regular season, the win moved him up three spots to No. 15 in the PRCA World Standings. It’s an uncomfortable place to be, but with a little over a month left on the schedule, Dallas is focused on pushing to the finish line. 

“I try not to even look at the standings or anything. I just know I’m going to give 100 percent and got to show up at every rodeo I go to,” Dallas said. “It’s a grind. A guy’s got to just make sure he’s doing everything right to stay fresh and healthy and be able to go to the next one.”