It’s National Finals Rodeo time and a Duchesne County cowboy is thrilled about his 6th place finish in bareback and the nearly $5,000 dollar cut of the pot that came his way so far. Bareback rider Dean Thompson had an 83.5-point ride in the third round and that did the trick. “It’s a new rodeo every night,” shares 21-year-old Thompson, the first-time NFR qualifier from Altamont, Utah. “I learned that before tonight, but I do think that after the first round and the second round and the third round – especially the third round – I realized that it’s a new round every night. That’s the best part of it.” Before competing, Thompson received a jumpstart from the Golden Circle of Champions event that took place to raise awareness about pediatric cancer. “When you see something like that, you realize this is just a game,” he shared. “This isn’t like a young person fighting for their life. This is a game with a lot of money, but it doesn’t compare.” Thompson happily offers his platform to help draw more eyes to those who need support.
Photo Credit NFR Hailey Rae
