Proctor Earns Another Big NFR Check

LAS VEGAS – A little history lesson on Monday night helped Coleman Proctor handle his business during the fifth round of the National Finals Rodeo.
“I had a steer that was like my first-round steer,” said Proctor, who, with partner Ryan Motes, stopped the clock in 4.4 seconds to share second place on the fifth night of ProRodeo’s championship. “Chad Masters had him and said that the steer didn’t score good and that I needed to take a normal start. That’s what I did.
“The great thing about our sport is the comradery; everybody’s trying to help everybody win. I tried to take the right start. Heisman hit the nail on the start. I can’t be an inch closer. That’s Lady Luck right there.”
Masters is a two-time world champion who had the steer in Friday’s second round, so his scouting report gave Proctor all the information needed. With that, he earned his second straight paycheck of this year’s NFR, this one worth $18,129. He has pushed his NFR earnings to $48,923 and his season earnings to $153,241. He is fourth in the world standings.
“That steer hit wild and was long down the pen, and Motesy did a great job of finishing it off,” said Proctor, a five-time NFR qualifier in heading from Pryor, Oklahoma. “If you’re rockin’ a pink goatee, how can you not be a full-size man when you heel one like that?”
Monday’s round was Pink Night at the NFR, a designation to help support the fight against cancer. It’s happened on the fifth night of the finale for more than a decade, and Proctor has had plenty of success in the fifth round; that includes two go-round wins. Motes always dyes his facial hair to go along with the special night.
After a slow start in the opening three rounds, Proctor and Motes have cashed in strong each of the past two nights; they were second in the fourth round, too. Both remain in the hunt for a world championship, though Proctor’s focus now is to try to secure that Montana Silversmiths gold buckle for his partner.
“I told my wife, ‘Wow, what a difference 48 hours makes,’ ” he said. “I appreciate all the concern and the worrying about me, but our preparation and ground work were laid, and I have played with what brought us here. We stuck to what we do. Motesy is going to have a great chance to win the world at the end of the week.
“I’m just sticking to what I know. I knew I was lucky when I started this game, and I feel like everything’s going to go our way these next five rounds.”