Cinch tie-down roper Shane Hanchey snuck into the field of 15 to make his 16th straight appearance at the National Finals Rodeo. He is the 2013 world champion and a two-time NFR average titlist.
(PRCA PHOTO BY HAILEY RAE)

 

Cinch tie-down roper secures 16th straight trip to grand finale

Shane Hanchey utilizes a simple approach to his job.

As one of the elite tie-down ropers in professional rodeo, the Cinch cowboy has thrived in the spotlight over the years. The 2013 world champion, Hanchey will make his 16th straight appearance at the National Finals Rodeo, set for Dec. 4-13 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

“I literally treat each year as my first one and try to make the finals each year,” said Hanchey, 36, of Sulphur, Louisiana. “This year was a little more difficult than years past.

“I’ve only been on the bubble (to make the NFR) a handful of times, thankfully. I’ve always told myself it’s a lot funner watching the bubble than participating in it.”

With only 15 spots open for the NFR, Hanchey snuck into the final position with $127,000 earned through the regular season. The $4,000 he earned on the final weekend at Sioux Falls, South Dakota, shot him into the finale by just $1,600 over the No. 16 man, Texan Quade Hiatt.

“I put a lot of pressure on myself to make it, because it would’ve been foreign to me had I not made it,” he said, noting that he would still be in Nevada next week because he is the tie-down roping director for the PRCA. “I think this one is more rewarding; 16 in a row is a major accomplishment, but I try not to think about it.

“When people ask about it, it’s hard not to go back all those years. There were a lot of all-night drives and a lot of sleepless nights getting to the next rodeo to make the NFR 16 years in a row.”

Of the field, 11 calf ropers are part of the Cinch team, including two-time reigning world champion Riley Webb of Denton, Texas; Kincade Henry of Mt. Pleasant, Texas; John Douch of Huntsville, Texas; Riley Pruitt of Gering, Nebraska; Marty Yates of Stephenville, Texas; Brushton Minton of Witter Springs, California; Joel Harris and Ty Harris of San Angelo, Texas; Zach Jongbloed of Iowa, Louisiana; and 2019 titlist Haven Meged of Miles City, Montana.

“Cinch is the only way to go,” said Hanchey, the 2009 Tie-Down Roping Rookie of the Year. “That company’s backed me since my rookie year, and I haven’t looked back. That company is all about values and all about the top competitors.

“Now, we’ve got all these young up-and-comers that are wearing Cinch on their sleeves just goes to show what kind of company we represent. They look out for the right guys. It’s sort of like Derek Jeter being with the Yankees his whole playing career; I plan on being with Cinch my whole career, too.”

This field of tie-down ropers features four world champions: Hanchey, Meged, Webb and New Mexican Shad Mayfield, who has one in tie-down roping and one in the all-around. The foursome accounts for six Montana Silversmiths gold buckles, and the Cinch men own three-fourths of them.

They’ll battle for the top prize in 2025 over the 10-day championship, which features a purse of $13.5 million with go-round winners securing nearly $37,000 per night. When Hanchey won the world title in 2013, he also won the NFR aggregate title, which paid just shy of $48,000. This year’s average winner will walk away with a bonus of $94,036, almost double.

It’s a big-time opportunity for Sin City cash, but it’s also where champions will be crowned the final Saturday night. In rodeo, money not only covers expenses that come with the job, but also dollars equal championship points. The contestants in each event with the most money won during the campaign will win rodeo’s gold.

Webb leads the charge, just as he did the past two seasons. He’s earned more than $305,000 through the regular season, which concluded Sept. 30. He owns a lead of nearly $50,000 over the field.

“I’m looking forward to just letting loose,” said Hanchey, who lives near Carmine, Texas, with his wife, Taylor (a two-time NFR qualifier in barrel racing and a two-time qualifier to the National Finals Breakaway Roping), and their 18-month-old son, Stran; the couple is expecting a little girl in June. “I’ve had the mindset of preparing, working out and practicing, but I have nothing to lose going in 15th.

“I wouldn’t even say I have a long shot to win the world title. I don’t think it’s possible for the 14 guys besides Riley Webb, because he’s on a different planet right now. There’s so much money to be won that I want to let loose and win some of those $37,000 rounds, have some fun and show them that I’ve still got it.”