#Thewarrior
Trey Benton, III, competed in 85 rodeos winning money in 33 to qualify for his sixth trip to the National Finals Rodeo next week. The official PRCA records list him at slightly less than $1 million in earnings. Still, if you have followed his entire pro career, you know this talented tie-down roper turned bull rider is, in reality, he past that mark if you look outside the PRCA bank of statistics.
2018 was not the NFR appearance record Trey Benton wants on his resume. When the calendar page turned to 2019, he once again staged a Benton-like comeback-solid work out routines and focus.
Trey Benton, a three time George Paul Memorial Bull Riding Champion (Del Rio) on Mike Rawson’s Lumberjack in Del Rio, Texas.
Winning the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo Xtreme Bulls was a great start to the year putting $35,250 in his PRCA World standings account, which anchored his efforts. He won six rodeo bull riding event titles and enters this year's NFR in 8th place and earnings of $122,284.
Born in Rock Island, Texas, Trey Benton was introduced to bull riding by Bad Company Rodeo legend Mack Altizer. Benton would go on to qualify for the National High School Finals Rodeo in bull riding and Tie-down roping, but Altizer’s lesson was to get on as many bulls as he could. That advice paid off when Benton’s first pro experience resulted in earning the 2012 PRCA Rookie of the Year title his first year as a pro cowboy. Benton also qualified for the National High School Finals Rodeo twice, once as a tie-down roper and once as a bull rider.
The Sam Houston State University graduate learned to multi-task while earning a mass communications degree and juggling a pro rodeo schedule. Three consecutive appearances at the NFR were followed by two tough years of heartbreaking injuries followed by surgery and a new personal format that required him to focus on quality, not the quantity of rodeos. His “to do” list of competitive selection had to change from enduring to preserving his strength in an effort to limit the risk of re-injury.
A fan favorite on and behind the chutes, Trey Benton and Tyler Taylor in Hobbs, New Mexico on the Tuff Hedeman Bull Riding Tour
Benton, who enjoys working cattle and known to be an authentic cowboy, started riding calves and sheep at five years old. He graduated from bareback horses and breakaway roping when he was nine. He can rope both ends in the team competition, but he let the buckers guide even his young career, including a second-place finish at the Junior High School National Finals in bull riding.
He is a cowboy through and through working on his father’s ranch whenever he has spare time. His topflight bull riding resume includes NFR appearances in 2012-14, and 2017-18. What that does not tell you is the pain and suffering followed by the comebacks he made in between.
Benton is the rider to challenge Kimzey at the highest level twice in their storied battles for gold buckles. In 2014, Trey Benton challenged to defend in the CBR World Finals in Cheyenne. He would close again in 2017 at the Thomas and Mack arena as the one rider to come extremely close to knocking Kimzey off the PRCA world stage with four NFR round wins (1, 4, 6, 9) at the Wrangler NFR.
National Finals Rodeo Career
2018: Won Round 1 and placed in two rounds to rank 11th in the average with 170 points on two head at the Wrangler NFR.with $40,462 and total earnings of $141,393.
2017: Finished second in the world standings with $322,208. Won Rounds 1, 4, 6, and 9 at the Wrangler NFR to rank third in the average with 530.5 points on six head. Packed a few all-around titles in that year too.•
2016: Finished 70th in the world standings with $14,976.
Persevering past double knee replacement and then a broken femur during the course of his young career, Benton has evolved into a competitor that understands the thrills and spills of the sport.
2015 Finished 98th in the world standings with $11,095
2014: Placed in three rounds of the Wrangler NFR, including a second-place result in Round 3. Finished third in the world standings with $164,471.
2013: Won Round 5 of the Wrangler NFR with a 90.5-point ride on Andrews Rodeo's Gun and Juice; finished 13th in the world standings with $91,959.
2012: Placed in two rounds of his Wrangler NFR debut and finished ninth in the world standings.