Reeves stalking 1st saddle bronc crown

Victoria Sun

Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2001 | 9:56 a.m.

What do Phil Mickelson, Karl Malone and Tom Reeves have in common?

Mickelson has never won a major golf championship, Malone has never won an NBA title and Reeves has never won a saddle bronc riding world title.

This week at the National Finals Rodeo, Reeves may finally win a bejeweled gold and silver buckle.

Reeves scored 83 points on Surprise Party to finish second in saddle bronc riding in the fifth go-round at the Thomas & Mack Center Tuesday night behind Denny Hay, who had a 84-point ride on Mayerthorpe.

"I did what I needed to do tonight," Reeves said. "I just stayed focused, sat down and it was good solid bronc riding and I'm pleased the way it went."

Reeves has placed in four of five rounds and is fifth in the NFR average with 317 points on four rides. The $10,686 he won for second vaulted him into first place in the saddle bronc world standings with $166,931, for a slim lead over Glen O'Neill at $162,540.

"I came here hoping to win some money so I can do something with it at home," Reeves said. "You know, if I leave here with a gold buckle, that will be a bonus for me, but I'm here to make a living.

"I've been here a lot of times in the past chasing a gold buckle and I'm chasing money to buy diapers now."

A lot has changed for Reeves, 37, since he joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association in 1982.

When he was a rookie, he never thought he'd be riding for this long, and he has pondered retirement more than once.

Before he married his wife Carmin in 1997, Reeves admitted that he had become tired of the traveling and wasn't enjoying himself as much any more.

Getting married and having three daughters has helped him put his life in perspective.

"I have a lot more fun now in my personal life and everything," Reeves said. "It's a combination of keeping your priorities right and rodeoing.

"You learn (about) yourself over the years, what burns you out and what does (not). When I was young, I kept tending to do the same things that burnt me out, and now I know what they are."

One of those things was worrying about winning a world title.

Reeves has failed to take home a world champion buckle or win the NFR average in 16 previous attempts, but he has learned to appreciate all that he has done over two decades in the sport.

Reeves has finished third at the NFR in the world standings three times and ranks third in saddle bronc riding career earnings.

He recalled several times he was in the lead entering the final round of the NFR, only to leave empty-handed, most notably in 1995 when he was bucked off a horse called King's Way, and in 1986, when he needed only 44 points to win the world and got bucked off Cloud Gray.

"Of course I want to win a world championship, but being negative about it is not a way to look at it," Reeves said. "If I don't go out and win it, the way I see it, I didn't win it.

"I don't want to be bitter about it if it doesn't happen."

This may be his best chance to make it happen.

Reeves plans on entering 50-70 rodeos per year, fewer than he has in the past, and eventually retire.