Hudson’s Hope cowboy claims Saddle Bronc victory at NILE

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Hudson’s Hope cowboy Jake Watson took home first place in saddle bronc at the Northern International Livestock Exposition (NILE) Rodeo in Billings, Montana last weekend.

The event is sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and first became a pro event in the 1970s.

Before a crowd of nearly 3,000 fans at the First Interstate Arena at MetraPark, Watson rode to an 85-point score in the saddle bronc competition on horse Loaded Deck. 

Watson collected $2,267 for his efforts. He has historically done well in Montana, scoring an 82.5 at the Chase Hawks Rodeo in 2015.

By season’s end, the top 15 riders in each rodeo event qualify for the National Finals Rodeo (NFR), the annual championship in Nevada. 

The purse for the 2024 NFR, scheduled for December, is set at $11.5 million. 

While the PRCA 2024 regular season concluded last month, the NILE results count toward the 2025 pro rodeo standings.

Watson has qualified for the NFR in Las Vegas twice, in 2016 and 2019. 

Watson finished fifth in the world in 2016 and sixth in 2019. Last year, he placed 49th on the PRCA’s leaderboard.

Watson has earned $718,113 overall in his career.  

Full results about the NILE rodeo and information about the PRCA are available through their website.