Whatever happened to Jason Havens?

By JIM CNOCKAERT Chronicle Sports Writer

Jason Havens figures he'll be a whole lot smarter cowboy when he competes next month at the Wrangler Nationals Finals Rodeo.

Photo courtesy of PRCA Former Montana State cowboy Jason Havens competes on Growney Brothers Rodeo's "Sock Dancer" during the 2004 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. That's because Havens, a former Montana State rodeo cowboy, has now been there once. He says he has a better sense of how to pace himself during the event and, more important, what it takes to win there.

"You work all year to get there, and there's this big buildup, but it's really just like any other rodeo," Havens said. "The key is to relax. That's when I perform my best. If you don't get too excited, the winning takes care of itself. There are a lot of good opportunities over 10 days to win money."

The NFR is scheduled Dec. 6-15 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. Fifteen contestants qualify in each event, based on their finish in the ProRodeo Cowboys World Standings. The total purse for the rodeo is $5.5 million.

Havens, 30, who lives in Prineville, Ore., previously competed in the NFR in the 2004. He went into that rodeo ranked 12th in the bareback riding and, though he placed in half of the performances and won the 10th round, that's where he finished in the standings.

This year, Havens is in a much better position. With $87,219 in winnings, he sits fifth in the bareback standings. One of his traveling partners, Bobby Mote of Culver, Ore., has won $152,184 to lead the event.

"It's a pretty neat experience," Havens said of the NFR. "I had never been there or seen it before (2004). It's loud, and it can be a little overwhelming. After a day or so, you see how it all works, and you get comfortable with it.

"It's funny: You spend all year trying to get there, but once it starts, it goes by really fast. It's kind of like (the movie) 'Groundhog Day.' Every day is the same. You get up, work out in the morning, sign autographs, meet with people, try to get a little rest. Then it's time to go to the rodeo. Afterward, you get together with family and friends. By then, it's almost midnight."

Havens grew up in Clarkston, Wash., and liked to attend big summer rodeos such as the ones in Lewiston, Idaho, and Pendleton, Ore. He always wanted to try the sport, he says, but he didn't get on his first bucking horse until he was 15. His cousin, who competed in saddle bronc, provided Havens with all the gear he needed. He never considered any events other than rough stock, he says, because he never was much good at roping.

He had some success in high school, finishing third in the state of Washington his senior season and placing at Silver State in Nevada. That earned him an opportunity to compete for two years at Walla Walla (Wash.) Community College.

From there, he transferred to Bozeman, where he competed from 1998-99. He says he liked MSU for several reasons. He knew the rodeo program had a tradition of excellence, and he'd followed the career of another Washington native, Jason Jackson, who had won national championships at MSU in the mid-1990s. Havens also was intrigued with the school's biology program, and he eventually earned a degree in fish and wildlife biology. He met his wife, Brook, at MSU. She also competed on the rodeo team.

"I haven't done anything with (the degree) yet," he said. "But my wife and my mom will say that I use it all the time. I go fishing a lot."

Havens was the Big Sky Region bareback champion during both of his seasons at MSU. He also had some success at the College Nationals Finals Rodeo: He was leading the bareback competition his junior year until the short go.

But his college experience convinced him that he could make a living as a professional rodeo cowboy.

"You get to a point in college where you're going to be done with it or you'll try to take it to the next level," he said. "I saw where I could compete against the guys in the PRCA (Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association). It seems like when you go to the CNFR, you're competing against some of the best in the world."

After spending an extra year at MSU as an assistant rodeo coach while he completed his degree, Havens says he decided to settle in central Oregon because it was less of a hassle to travel from there. That's a huge issue, he says, because he's on the road close to 200 days a year, including the entire month of July.

Havens, who has earned more than $430,000 since joining the PRCA in 1997, says he believes the key to his success is staying in shape. He works out daily, and his routine includes sit-ups, push-ups and bike riding. He says he noticed the difference during his previous trip to the NFR: While most cowboys were wearing down by the end of the 10-day stretch, Havens was wishing the event could go another five or six nights.

"I usually don't get too sore," he said.

Havens says he learned something else during his previous NFR experience: to never count himself out in terms of winning the whole thing.

"It's going to pay around $16,000 a day, plus the average," he explained. Theoretically, you could win more than $200,000. You'd really have to have an amazing rodeo to do that, but you could win more than $100,000 easily. So there's always a chance ...

"Anything can happen, and usually does."

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