A landmark announcement was made, a rodeo celebrated a special anniversary, and a cowboy could be on the way to breaking one of the few records he has yet to attain in his event. 

Here is how the numbers broke down in May:

1 Exciting Announcement

On May 29, it was announced that the 2019 edition of RFD-TV’s the American would be making some exciting changes including an adjusted format, the addition of breakaway roping, and a numbered team roping, increased payout and that the event would now be sanctioned by the PRCA for the first time.

Read all the details HERE.

9 Season Leaders

Of the nine season leader races (including the all-around and steer roping), all nine leaders were able to hold their spots at No. 1 by the end of the month of May. 

All-Around: Tuf Cooper $104,565.84

Bareback: Caleb Bennett $70,933.20

Steer Wrestling: Cole Edge $50,865.84

Team Roping Heading: Clay Smith $56,537.02

Team Roping Heeling: Paul Eaves $56,537.02

Saddle Bronc: Jacobs Crawley $96,411.36

Tie-Down Roping: Tyson Durfey $62,641.32

Barrel Racing: Hailey Kinsel $94,142.65

Bull Riding: Sage Kimzey $132,829.68

Steer Roping: Tuf Cooper $50,912.51

10 Finning Pro Tour Events

The Canadian Pro Tour announced a title sponsor in the month of May that will cover all nine premier rodeo events of the CPRA season, plus the pro tour finals in Armstrong, British Columbia. The tour—which consists of the Wainwright Stampede, Ponoka Stampede, Edmonton’s K-Days Rodeo, Medicine Hat Stampede, Strathmore Stampede, Williams Lake Stampede, Dawson Creek Exhibition and Stampede and IPE and Stampede in Armstrong—offers an over $1.25 million payout to rodeo competitors.

49 Rodeos

The number of PRCA rodeos in the month of May. Of those 49, the Guymon Pioneer Days in Guymon, Oklahoma, paid the highest at $233,874 in total purse. 

100 Years

2018 marked the Falkland Stampede’s 100th anniversary. The British Columbia rodeo has been a staple for CPRA rodeo competitors every spring and, while it is not the largest rodeo of the year, it is one that competitors enjoy making the trek to, including reigning Canadian champion bronc rider Layton Green, who won the 100th-anniversary buckle this year for his 87.5-point effort.

“Yeah, that’s pretty cool,” Green told the CPRA. “Anytime you win one of those anniversary rodeos it means a lot, especially when you think about the fact that you’re the only person who will ever have that buckle. It’s pretty exciting to win one like that.”

Film & Edit: Adam Buchanan

1677.5 Points

The month of May was a battle in the PBR Canada National Standings. Over the course of the month, Brock Radford had the No. 1 position, lost it, then got it back again by month’s end with his season total of 1677.5 Canadian points. 

Radford also sits in the No. 31 spot in the PBR World Standings with 517.5 world points.

$132,318.32

Sage Kimzey, the highest earning cowboy so far in the 2018 PRCA rodeo season, has earned a total of $132,318.32. He sits nearly $40,000 ahead of his nearest competition and nearly $100,000 ahead of the No. 15 cowboy in the standings.

What could be exciting about this number, though, is that it puts him on track to possibly breaking the regular season earnings record in the PRCA. In 2005, Matt Austin won $228,386 in the regular season to set the record. 

With all the money coming up in the summer run, Kimzey could be knocking on the door of that record sooner rather than later.

© Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

$2.3 Million Payout

The month of May paid out more than $2.3 million to PRCA, WPRA (barrel racing) and CPRA competitors alike.