Congratulations to Casey Meroshnekoff! The following story is courtesy of our friends at prorodeo.com (website).
Casey Meroshnekoff at Stonyford Rodeo 2013 - Photo by Dustin J Davis Olson
Photo by Dustin J. Davis Olson (link) - used with permission
"Permit holder puts up a 90 in Bakersfield"
May 6, 2013
When Casey Meroshnekoff put up a 90 on Big Stone, Moreno & Growney’s Blue Bayou to win the Kern County Sheriff’s Reserve Stampede Days Rodeo in Bakersfield, Calif., it tied him with reigning World Champion Kaycee Feild and Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier Winn Ratliff for the highest-scored bareback ride of the 2013 season.
Where Meroshnekoff is all alone this year – and just about any other year – is that he is a permit holder. No, that’s not precise enough. Meroshnekoff is a 19-year-old permit holder from Red Bluff, Calif., who just put in his paperwork with the PRCA 45 days ago.
“The highest score I’ve ever had was an 87 (at an amateur rodeo), so I was a little surprised,” Meroshnekoff said. “I mean I knew it was a good ride and I thought it would be in the 80s, but I figured I’m the new guy and it will take awhile for me to prove myself with the judges. I certainly didn’t think I’d get a 90.”
Even disregarding the eye-catching score, he’s off to good start with that whole proving himself thing. Bakersfield was his second PRCA rodeo (he was eighth in his debut two weeks ago in Lakeside, Calif.) and he came back on May 5 to win the Stonyford (Calif.) Rodeo with an 83-point ride. That’s three checks in three tries and two wins.
Meroshnekoff’s Bakersfield check for $1,223 was enough by itself to make him eligible to buy his PRCA card – and he’s decided not to wait.
“I’ll go ahead and buy it sometime in the next few days,” Meroshnekoff said, “and make a run at the Rookie of the Year award.”
Rodeo fans in California have been keenly aware of Meroshnekoff’s skill set for a while now. He won the National High School Finals Rodeo bareback riding title as a sophomore, finished fourth as a junior and won it again last year as a senior." Thank you prorodeo for the article!
As a member of the California High School Rodeo Association (website), District 1 (website) Casey was the the National High School Rodeo Association's Finals Rodeo 2010 and 2013 National Bareback Riding Champion.
NHSRA Finals Champion Bareback Rider Casey Meroshnekoff
Congratulations Casey and keep up the good work!