OKLAHOMA CITY – In just five years, Tyson Durfey has gone from relative obscurity to the national spotlight, considered one of the best tie-down ropers in the world. Durfey’s list of accomplishments is growing, and he’s itching to add the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo title to his resume.

“It would be a pretty big thing for me,” said Durfey, who will make a run at the DNCFR when it runs March 31-April 3 at Jim Norick Arena at the State Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City. “I’d like to do things that I’ve never done before. I’ve never done really good at a circuit finals, so for me, it means just a whole lot. It’s great just to be able to rope and hopefully be able to bring a championship back.”

This marks the fifth time in his career that Durfey has qualified for the DNCFR, which features the top contestants in each event from the 12 ProRodeo circuits. But in a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association career that dates just eight years, the Missouri-born calf roper has qualified four straight years for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and has earned two Canadian Professional Rodeo Association tie-down roping championships.

“Making it to Oklahoma City is an accumulation of a year’s worth of work,” said Durfey, a second-generation calf roper. “That’s what everybody that goes to the circuit rodeos tries to do. I’m excited to go back to the championship and represent my circuit.”

He expects having the DNCFR in Oklahoma City will be positive for the sport and for the contestants.

“It’s going to be a new, exciting change,” Durfey said. “The finals had been in Pocatello, Idaho, for so long, and people just associated the circuit finals being there. Hopefully we’ll have warmer weather and we’ll get to see what kind of great things Oklahoma City has to offer.”