Rodeo: Hancock battling to get career back on track

In the history of the National Finals Rodeo, just one competitor had come from 15th position entering the 10-day competition to emerge at the other end as a world champion — team roper Allen Bach in 1990.

In 2000, Cody Hancock gave him some company, just three years into his professional career.

Traveling to Las Vegas in 15th spot in the bull riding standings, the then-NFR rookie bulled his way up the standings and found himself at the top of the heap when the competition ended.

Then, to make sure that anyone who had missed his performance in 2000, Hancock returned to the Thomas and Mack Center in 2001 and covered legendary bull Mr. USA for 96 points, an arena record that stands to this day.

The former world champion was in the Permian Basin to compete Thursday at the 75th SandHills Stock Show and Rodeo, climbing aboard Born to Boogie — and boogie is just what Hancock did.

Settling in quickly as the bull spun to the right out of the gate, Hancock used his left leg to spur the animal on. When the bull decided to reverse itself and spin to the left, Hancock never flinched, riding to the whistle for an 85-point score that has him in third with two performances remaining.

Logan Knibbe leads with an 88-point effort, also on Thursday, with Seth Glause in second at 86 points.

“It was a good bull,” said Hancock, who has stops in Denver, Fort Worth, San Antonio and Houston in his future.

“It’s always good to start the year off with a good ride because it gives you a lot of confidence early in the season.”

Since his title in 2000 and return in 2001, Hancock, from Taylor, Ariz., has battled through injury-filled seasons that have curtailed his appearances at the NFR.

He returned to the event last year and earned more than $42,000, but the years between allowed him to become much more familiar with the inner workings of the sport.

While rehabbing an injury at the beginning of the 2004 season, the PRCA asked Hancock to help oversee the bulls used in the events, which pits the top cowboys against the rankest bulls the stock contractors can provide.

He did that for two years and then used that knowledge and experience to put together the first Cody Hancock Bullriding Invitational in Taylor in 2007. Hancock also has competed on the Professional Bull Riders circuit.

“I’ve been fortunate to be able to do something that I love and make a living at it,” Hancock said. “And, it was great to be able to put on the invitational because we had some of the top riders in the world there. Hopefully it’s something that continues to grow each year.”