Timberman wraps his first NFR
LAS VEGAS – The two years he spent at Clarendon (Texas) College taught bareback rider Weston Timberman a lot about life, gave him experiences to cherish and prepared him for a career in professional rodeo. He continued his education over the past two weeks during his inaugural qualification to the National Finals Rodeo, where the […]
Franks wraps another good NFR
LAS VEGAS – Looking at the final numbers, Cole Franks had a fantastic run at the National Finals Rodeo. He led the aggregate standings most of the way, only to be surpassed on the final night by world champion Dean Thompson, but Franks still produced at a high rate over the 10-day championship. He finished […]
Pope closes NFR in fifth place
LAS VEGAS – The big, bad gray gelding, Virgil, was named the Bareback Horse of the National Finals Rodeo. Jess Pope can testify to the incredible power the two-time bucking horse of the year possesses. Pope rode the C5 Rodeo horse for 87 points to close out his fifth straight NFR during Saturday’s 10th round […]
Wells ready to roll after NFR
LAS VEGAS – There’s a lot to being a rodeo cowboy. It’s not just riding or roping. It’s being a businessman, knowing how to plan a schedule and take care of all the little things that come with it. It’s being a driver, someone who travels tens of thousands of miles to get from one […]
Casper wins NFR average title
LAS VEGAS – Wyatt Casper didn’t have a lot of time to reflect, but he knew he’d just done something special. He closed out his fifth National Finals Rodeo with an 85.5-point ride on Kirsten Vold’s Captain Hook. Though he didn’t place in the 10th round, he did finish the rodeo with a cumulative score […]
Thompson wins world title
LAS VEGAS – The tiny town of Altamont, Utah, has plenty of reason to celebrate. Two of its 249 inhabitants came away from the National Finals Rodeo with two major titles and a boatload of money. Bareback rider Dean Thompson won the NFR aggregate title and the world championship, while steer wrestler Cash Robb staked […]
Struxness grabs gold buckle
LAS VEGAS – Most of the time in Las Vegas, the smart money is on the safe bet. Don’t hit when the dealer is showing a bust hand in blackjack. Bet odds or evens, maybe red or black, instead of putting all your chips on a specific number in roulette. Sometimes, though, the rewards are […]
Champion eager for more at NFR
LAS VEGAS – The National Finals Rodeo is a roller coaster of emotions. There are peaks and valleys, and the climb is sometimes the best part. Bareback rider Richmond Champion is still hoping for a ride to the top. He rode Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s Risky Business for 86 points to finish in a three-way […]
Struxness hunting for world title
LAS VEGAS – He’s not wearing camouflage, but J.D. Struxness is definitely a hunter. He’s not trapsing through the woods in search of food; he’s in Las Vegas, and his prey is the steer wrestling world standings. He’s been stalking for nine nights, and he’s closing in on his target with one round remaining at […]
Miller in world-title contention
LAS VEGAS – The truth for bareback rider Bradlee Miller is that he has to play the game he loves in some serious pain. He suffered a neck injury during his fifth-round ride, and it’s cause extreme discomfort. As with anything to do with the spine, there are some side affects that aren’t helping either. […]
Pope takes advantage on Night 9
LAS VEGAS – With the right horses under him, 2022 world champion bareback rider Jess Pope shines, especially at the National Finals Rodeo. He’s a three-time winner of the NFR’s average championship and finished second a year ago. The computer-generated drawing system hasn’t been quite as kind to Pope in 2024. He’s had two rounds […]
Proctor takes all-around lead
LAS VEGAS – The first thing header Coleman Proctor must do after he backs into the timed-event box is get a good start; it’s a vital piece of the puzzle that is team roping. Sometimes, though, it’s more about the finish. “I’ve taken a lot of great tarts here and not finished very well, and […]
Casper having a fantastic NFR
LAS VEGAS – This is exactly what Wyatt Casper has been looking for. He’s a five-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier whose inaugural run at ProRodeo’s championship event took place at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, during COVID. This year marks his fourth trip to Las Vegas for the NFR, and it’s the best finale […]
Re-ride pays off for Timberman
LAS VEGAS – Cliffhanger was not in a mood to play, and Weston Timberman might have gotten the worst of the ordeal. During Thursday’s eighth round of the National Finals Rodeo, the Beutler & Son Rodeo bronc slid down and turned in the chute after Timberman had wedged his left hand into the rigging. Already […]
Struxness wrestling for rodeo gold
LAS VEGAS – It’s sometimes hard to figure how J.D. Struxness never won a state wrestling championship while at Lac qui Parle Valley High School in Madison, Minnesota He was a two-time runner up, settling for silver instead of gold, but he’s trying to make up for lost time at the National Finals Rodeo. He […]
Wells adds another round check
LAS VEGAS – There are a lot of rodeos throughout the year where an 84-point saddle bronc ride will win the title. That’s rarely the case at the National Finals Rodeo. Brody Wells of Powell, Wyoming, has ridden strong at his first championship. He matched moves with Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Uptuck for 84 points […]
Franks still adding Vegas money
LAS VEGAS – Cole Franks has more influence than he thought. When visiting with the rest of the bareback riders about the horses that had been featured the first five nights, he recommended that Championship Pro Rodeo’s Ranch & Crow Interiors be switched from the fifth and 10th rounds’ “TV pens” to the “eliminator pen,” […]
Proctor going all out for gold
LAS VEGAS – For a man in a couple of world-title races, Coleman Proctor is focused on something rather sophomoric. “It got pretty simple after we missed the second steer of this week,” said Proctor, who is fourth in the heading standings and third in the all-around hunt. “If we didn’t win, it wasn’t going […]
Thompson making A’s at NFR
LAS VEGAS – If the National Finals Rodeo was a class, Dean Thompson would be a straight-A student. He’s not just in town to ride bucking horses; he’s paying attention to all the details. This is the sport’s championship event, and he understands the business that goes into it isn’t just spurring broncs. He didn’t […]
Yeahquo having a blast in Vegas
LAS VEGAS – In his first week of competition in Sin City, J.C. Yeahquo has learned that there’s a lot more to do than gamble and party. “It’s been fun out here,” said Yeahquo, a first-time National Finals Rodeo qualifying header from Stephenville, Texas. “When I’m riding into the box, that’s the most fun I […]
Ankle injury not slowing Casper
LAS VEGAS – The race for a world championship is more of a marathon, a year-long battle that began in October 2023. The track meanders across North America at outposts like Gillette, Wyoming; Salinas, California; and Regina, Saskatchewan. Those are just a few of the places Wyatt Casper won titles in 2024, and they’re a […]
Franks hits slots in 7th round
LAS VEGAS – Sometimes the penny slots cans still offer nice rewards. After failing to find the pay window for three rounds at the National Finals Rodeo, bareback rider Cole Franks pulled the handle on an old campaigner and came up winner. It may not have been three 7s as he’d hoped, but his 84.5-point […]
Timberman riding through pain
LAS VEGAS – Professional athletes have been known to play with pain. Bareback rider Weston Timberman is proving that during his first National Finals Rodeo. “In the second round, I acquired some pretty gnarly forearm splits; it’s like shin splits in your forearm,” said Timberman, 20, of Columbus, Montana. “It’s been a pretty serious thing […]
Champion breaks ice at the NFR
LAS VEGAS – It’s hard to not be frustrated when things aren’t going right. Richmond Champion has battled that during his ninth National Finals Rodeo. He’s been angered to a point but continued to remind himself that he’s earned the right to be in Las Vegas for the 10-round affair and that some things are […]