Consistency has Canadian saddle bronc veteran riding high

Rod Hay insists his only focus is on each go-round of the National Finals Rodeo.

The veteran Canadian saddle bronc rider insists he's not looking further than that.

And the last thing on his mind is how much money he might win.

That's probably the mantra for all the Finals contestants, but the four Canadian competitors have added reason not to look at the pay window: The currency exchange rate values the Canadian dollar a fraction of a penny higher than the American dollar.

"Truthfully, it's a big cut in pay for me," he said. "The dollar and cents of it really isn't that great."

Hay said when the U.S. dollar was at its strongest, he'd get about 50 percent more at home, so $100,000 American would become $150,000.

That means a lot less Canadian jingle in his britches considering the $41,778 he's won the past four nights at the Thomas & Mack Center has put him past the $2 million mark -- American -- for his Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association 18-year career.

But those bucks are not what's on Hay's mind unless someone brings it up.

"It's not even a thought for me now," he said. "I'll worry about the money when this thing is over.

"The (world championship) buckle won't devalue one bit."

Hay, 38, is competing in his 18th NFR and still is chasing an American world championship in saddle bronc riding to go along with the eight Canadian titles he's won.

Heading into today's halfway mark of the 49th annual rodeo, he is the only saddle bronc rider to have completed each of his rides and leave with a check.

He's closing in on leader Cody Wright of Milford, Utah.

Wright and Louisiana's Cody DeMoss sit first and second, respectively, in the world money standings, but each has been bucked off twice. That could hurt when the event's aggregate bonuses are paid, including the $42,043 for each rodeo category's top performer.

Were the rodeo to end today, that bonus would go to Hay.

His $41,778 so far in the rodeo is the most won among the 118 Finals contestants.

Hay won the second go-round after finishing second on opening night. The resident of Wildwood, Alberta, won $5,552 by tying for fourth Sunday before a crowd of 17,303.

Consistency and making it to the buzzer each night is his focus.

He scored 81.5 on JS Rodeo's Black Market in the go-round. A score of 86.5 won the round when Cody DeMoss' younger brother, NFR rookie Heath DeMoss of Crowville, La., won for the first time in the Finals.

The horse ridden by Hay is owned by Montana's John Smith, who won a Canadian saddle bronc championship two years before Hay won his first of eight in 1988.

"I think (Smith) was as nervous as I was," Hay said. "I only saw the horse one time (at a rodeo) this year. He definitely was a bucky little horse. He got me in a little trouble."

After each of Hay's previous Finals, he has headed across the border with nice paychecks but also busted dreams.

He's finished the American season as high as third three times.

Hay was not seen as a major threat to win the world title when the NFR began. He started the rodeo with $74,025, around $46,000 behind Wright, the regular-season money leader.

The field was relatively close, with the fifth-place rider only $11,000 out of first.

Hay, whose brother in law is 2002 saddle bronc champ Glen O'Neill, has tightened it further with his hot start.

Contact reporter Jeff Wolf at jwolf@reviewjournal.com or (702) 383-0247.