The feel-good story of this year’s Wrangler National Finals Rodeo is Steven Peebles, who just won his first bareback riding world championship by more than $10,000 over four-time reigning world titlist Kaycee Feild.

Peebles missed a good part of the season because of a serious injury in which he had to fight for his life. He battled back to earn a qualification, qualifying No. 14. He won more than $314,000 this season to claim the gold. He won at least a share of five go-round victories and won the average, also unseating Feild as the NFR average titlist.