Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2002 | 9:51 a.m.
Calf roper Ricky Canton, 37, began his 12th Wrangler National Finals Rodeo last Friday with career winnings of $993,000.
By Monday, he had earned $3,593, so the inevitable seven-figure milestone he's about to reach has him giddy with anticipation, right?
Not exactly.
Repeatedly careful not to disparage the sport he cares so much about, Canton, a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association member since 1987, said million-dollar earnings look great on paper.
However, the reality of a pro cowboy's world is that, on average, he breaks even. Canton, who lives in Cleveland, Texas, with his wife and daughter, has made $69,224 this year. He said he has spent about $20,000 on entry fees alone in 2002.
"That doesn't include fuel," he said. "Fuel doubles that, probably. With no bills, you'd make a little money. Coming in here, if you have bills or a family, it pretty much takes everything to keep going.
"This (the NFR) is where you make the money. If you have a bad 10 days, you just have to regroup and start over next year. I haven't done well here, but it can turn around and you can win $30,000 in the next two go-rounds. It's not over until the last go-round, when you can still win $14,000. That ain't a bad pay day."
For his last two years, a sponsor has helped Canton with expenses. Still, he said he is not in position to truly retire when he retires from the rodeo life.
"I hate to put rodeo down, but that's pretty much a fact," Canton said. "Probably only a few guys who retire from rodeo actually retire. You spend a lot of money. I've been so-so here. A man needs to win $50,000 here to really make the year come out good. Mine are usually in the 30s or 20s. It kind of all washes out.
"But it pays the bills, and I guess you can say that I don't have to do a nine-to-five job."
Not yet, anyway.
He has pocketed $29,013 over the last four days to bring his yearly earnings to $105,900, second on the money charts behind Bobby Mote, with $113,446.
"Unbelievable," Lowe said in a Thomas & Mack tunnel. "A year ago, I was just dreaming what it would be like to be here."
Monday, it was revealed that Etbauer also sustained a collapsed lung and will not return to action.
Justin Andrade, a bull rider from Livermore, Calif., left the NFR for good during the first round Friday after getting tossed by Sippin Super Cool. He suffered a disc herniation at the C-5 and C-6 vertebrae in his neck, along with spinal cord compression and bruising.
A PRCA official said Andrade is pondering having the vertebrae fused.
In addition, Tammy Key had claimed the first three barrel races until Melanie Southard-White, in what could be called an upset, beat Key's run of 13.94 seconds with a 13.83. Southard-White, of Cushing, Okla., was the last rider in the round.
Key, though, has earned $52,772, more than double Southard-White's $24,926. Duarte is also doing well, having won $31,663 in Las Vegas. Three other bull riders have claimed about $25,000.
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