Cannon sees end of the trail
Houston favorite and two-time bareback champ eyes retirement
This isn’t his first rodeo. It was, most likely, the last RodeoHouston for Waller’s Clint Cannon, a two-time bareback riding champion and fan favorite in Houston.
“It’s very emotional,” Cannon said. “(Bill Tutor) won the round (Saturday) night, and he looked at me and said, ‘Are you going to miss us?’ And I’m like, ‘This could be my last time to run my hand in a rigging here at RodeoHouston,’ in front of all of these people, and it makes you kind of sad when that starts setting in.”
Cannon didn’t win anything in Super Series II, so he tipped his hat to the hometown crowd for the final time Sunday.
Tutor ($6,000), who honed his craft at Cannon’s rodeo school, took the series win.
Farewell tour
NRG Stadium was the first stop on Cannon’s farewell tour. The 38-year-old is making a final round of his favorite rodeos — where he had fun and made the most money during his 15-year career — after a serious head injury forced him to miss nearly two years. He’s bringing the family — wife, Lindsey, and kids Kaitlyn and Carson — this time.
“I spent my whole rodeo career going solo to cut costs, so I could have some money left over and build some type of retirement for when I got kicked too many times and gave it up,” Cannon said.
The last straw was a blow to the head in 2015 at the National Finals Rodeo.
Cannon was knocked out and suffered a serious concussion that affected his ability to focus and tolerate bright light for six months. He says it’s under control, but he’s not taking chances. This tour is about soaking in each moment. The injuries, including nine broken bones in his riding hand, made the decision to retire a little easier.
“It’s hard to give it up because the lifestyle’s going to completely change,” Cannon said. “I’m used to blowing and going, and rodeoing and doing whatever I want — waking up in California and going to bed in New York, then waking back up in California again … and then the adrenaline of riding bucking horses.”
For now, Cannon’s pouring his passion and energy into his family and familyowned landscaping business, Cannon Companies, which he started with the money from his first win in Houston. He’s made more than $1 million in his career, which includes five NFR qualifications and a reserve world title in 2009.
Another fan favorite
Cypress native Fred Whitfield — an eight-time world champ who turns 50 in August — won the tiedown series. The two-time Houston winner advanced with $4,750.
Josh Peek placed first in the steer wrestling series with $4,000, Taos Muncy ($5,000) mustered a win in saddle bronc, and Neil Holmes, from Cleveland was the top bull rider, which was worth 6,000.
Kelly Tovar won the barrel racing series moments after the rodeo announced three-time Houston cham- pion Nancy Hunter (201315) died Sunday morning after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
Joel Bach and Dalton Pearce emerged in team roping, splitting $10,000.