Tucker Allen slides his steer to a stop during a 3.9-second run, which guided him to Thursday’s eighth-round victory at the National Finals Rodeo. It was his third round win in eight days.
(PRCA PHOTO BY LARA ST JACQUES)

 

LAS VEGAS – Nine months ago, steer wrestler Tucker Allen sealed the biggest victory of his young career when he won RodeoHouston and $72,000.

He’s more than doubled it over eight nights at the National Finals Rodeo, aided by three go-round victories, the latter of which came with a 3.9-second run during Thursday’s eighth round. That was valued at $36,668; he also won Round 2 and shared the win this past Sunday. In all, he has pocketed $148,096.

“Hopefully we’ll try to get a little more,” said Allen, a two-time NFR qualifier from Ventura, California. “That’s what you’re here for. It’s just one at a time, and that’s all that matters. There’s nowhere else that you can go for $36,000 a night, so you might as well go for it each night.”

He’s done that about as well as one can. He’s placed in two other rounds and has been the hottest bulldogger on the block with two nights remaining in the ProRodeo season.

With his winning run Thursday, Allen shot past season leader Will Lummus into the lead for the Montana Silversmiths gold buckle. He owns an $8,000 advantage over the Mississippi cowboy and is also the top dog in the aggregate race. He has wrestled eight steers in 36.6 seconds and has pushed his season earnings to $298,964.

He rides the Steer Wrestling Horse of the Year, Justin Shaffer’s Banker. That’s been a key ingredient in his success over the past eight days.

“Oh, he’s a blessing,” Allen said of the horse. “He’s truly one of a kind. Hopefully he goes out as one of the greatest, because I think he has potential and deserves all the credit. He is unreal. He’s the reason that all of this is happening. I couldn’t do it without him and could not do it without Justin.”

Shaffer also qualified for the NFR but still serves as hazer for Allen and a third bulldogger on the team, Jesse Brown.

“I think besides, obviously, my girlfriend and his wife, Justin and I are each other’s biggest fans,” he said. “I want him to do good every night, especially when I’m hazing for him. I want him to win so bad. I want him to beat me every night or vice versa. If me, him and Jesse could be one, two and three or split all of it every night, that’d be perfect.”

Things aren’t always perfect, but Allen is trying cut a clear path to rodeo’s gold.

“I told myself to go at the barrier and try to get some round money, and luckily it worked out,” Allen said.

It’s been happening a lot this week in Las Vegas.