COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Four more rodeos and four more paychecks over the Aug. 14-16 weekend allowed bareback rider Clint Cannon to break the PRCA regular-season earnings record for his event — with six weeks still left on the 2009 schedule.

Cannon, of Waller, Texas, needed just $43 to surpass Bobby Mote's two-year-old record of $152,184, and Cannon earned $2,494 by placing in rodeos at Hermiston, Ore., Coffeyville, Kan.; Sonora, Texas, and Mesquite, Texas.

"I'm riding at the top of my game right now," Cannon said. "I'm very competitive and enjoying riding right now. The record means a lot. I'm excited to be at this level.

"Bobby Mote is one of the best bareback riders ever to walk the face of the earth. I'm in awe every time I see him ride, the way he gets in rhythm and the way he spurs. I want to be recognized in that same way."

A new, more positive attitude about his sport, a ferocious work ethic and growing confidence have produced what has been a dream season for Cannon, with 10 wins in PRCA rodeos and a steady succession of checks that now total $154,192.

Cannon has cashed in 11 consecutive rodeos, missing the pay window only once this month, at Phillipsburg, Kan.

"I was looking at my books the other day," Cannon said, "and I haven't been bucked off all season. I haven't missed out, slapped off, or been bucked off all year."

That record of consistency covers 97 rodeos — 75 of which count officially toward his world rankings total. Cannon, 30, has been competing in four rodeos a week pretty steadily all season, and he considers that workload part of his physical training, along with the 100 push-ups and 100-200 sit-ups he does every morning.

"It keeps my mind strong and on task," he said. "I might lose focus if I weren't going hard every week. I want to people to look at me at the (Wrangler) National Finals Rodeo and say, 'This guy's a contender.'

"I was doing an interview, and the guy said, 'there's a lot of pressure on you now.' And I just said, 'Pressure is pleasure.' You only have pressure if you are doing well, and that's what you are competing for — the chance to be under pressure."