Casper returns to NFR payday
LAS VEGAS – When the best broncs in the world are featured at the National Finals Rodeo, everyone expects big moments and even bigger scores. Saddle bronc rider Wyatt Casper was in the mix, riding Calgary Stampede’s Xena Warrior for 87.5 points to finish in a tie for fourth place in Tuesday’s fifth round. That […]
Clements returns to NFR payday
LAS VEGAS – The training he received at the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls provided the perfect foundation for bareback rider Mason Clements. He’s built upon it and has been one of the top cowboys in the game since. A four-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Spanish Fork, Utah, Clements rode J-Bar-J Pro […]
Anderson wins fourth round
LAS VEGAS – There are a lot of thrills that come with competing at the National Finals Rodeo. It’s the world’s richest rodeo, with go-rounds paying nearly $100,000 for 10 performances. Bridger Anderson is getting to experience many of them in his first NFR at Las Vegas; his first qualification came in 2020, when the […]
Proctor is rolling in Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS – Coleman Proctor is no stranger to the nuances of the National Finals Rodeo. “It’s funny how you win money here once or win a go-round, and things just come back in your favor,” he said after Monday’s run of 4.3 seconds to finish fourth on Night 4 of team roping with his […]
Cowboys recall fateful day
Cinch NFR qualifiers recount the day of the UNLV shooting It was a typical Wednesday, the day before the start of the National Finals Rodeo. One-hundred-nineteen contestants were at the Thomas & Mack Center with family members and friends, rehearsing for the event’s grand entry. Shots rang out in the Frank and Estella Beam Hall, […]
Struxness stays hot in Round 4
LAS VEGAS – J.D. Struxness may have stumbled a bit during the third round of the National Finals Rodeo, but it didn’t keep him down. He rebounded with a 3.9-second run during Monday’s fourth go-round to finish second, earning $24,268. In all, he has earned $58,041 since arriving in Las Vegas. He is still very […]
Berry wins NFR’s fourth round
LAS VEGAS – On his way to Las Vegas a week ago, Leighton Berry started showing flu-like symptoms. By the time he arrived, his fever was high. Body aches and other nastiness came. He still wasn’t feeling well when the first round began Friday night. He wasn’t much better Saturday, Still, he placed in both […]
Thompson grabs first NFR check
LAS VEGAS – In the grand scheme of the National Finals Rodeo, a sixth-place finish is better than most of the 15 in the field, but it’s small in comparison to round winners’ share of nearly $31,000. For bareback rider Dean Thompson, his 83.5-point ride on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s On Your Own was just what […]
Clements wins NFR’s third round
LAS VEGAS – Every cowboy who makes a living in rodeo keeps plenty busy. They travel extensively just to make a living, covering tens of thousands of miles a year going from one rodeo to another. They only make money when they finish better than most in the field. First place is always the goal, […]
Proctor, Medlin win Round 3
LAS VEGAS – Coleman Proctor has done this dance before. He and his partner, heeler Logan Medlin of Tatum, New Mexico, suffered no-times in the first two go-rounds of the National Finals Rodeo. It’s frustrating and disappointing, but it’s also part of the sport. They didn’t dwell on it. In fact, they built off it. […]
Anderson earns first NFR check
LAS VEGAS – Bridger Anderson has found his rhythm at the National Finals Rodeo. After suffering two no-times to kickstart ProRodeo’s grand championship, he bounced back with a 4.7-second run to finish fourth in Sunday’s third go-round, pocketing $12, 877 and earned some well-timed momentum in Las Vegas. “It’s not the way we wanted to […]
Pope remains in the NFR money
LAS VEGAS – Whether it’s on a football field in Pendleton, Oregon, or a baseball diamond in Arlington, Texas, or t a basketball arena in the City of Lights, Jess Pope will ride bucking horses anywhere. On Sunday night, he rode Championship Pro Rodeo’s Meat Cracker for 84.5 points to finish sixth in the third […]
Casper grabs Round 3 money
LAS VEGAS – When cowboys arrive at in Sin City, they know the competition will be tough. Only the top 15 contestants in each event qualify for the National Finals Rodeo, so it’s a showcase of the sport’s elite from that year. Now in his fourth trip to the championship, Wyatt Casper understands that well. […]
Culling captures 2nd-place payday
LAS VEGAS – At the National Finals Rodeo, momentum can swing in either direction. It’s trending upward for steer wrestler Stephen Culling, who grappled his animal to the ground in 4.3 seconds to finish in a tie for second place during Sunday’s third round. That was worth $21,296 and pushed his Sin City earnings to […]
Culling off to a good start at NFR
LAS VEGAS – It wasn’t much, Stephen Culling was able to exhale just a little. It was a sigh of relief, and it matched the intensity he has felt over the first two nights of his first National Finals Rodeo. Culling wrestled his steer to the ground in 4.4 seconds to finish in a tie […]
Pope cashes in during Round 2
LAS VEGAS – While most people come to this shiny, desert town for fun and frivolity, reigning world champion bareback rider Jess Pope considers it a business trip. He’s definitely doing his job inside the Thomas & Mack Center during the opening two days of the National Finals Rodeo. He has finished third two nights […]
Aus finding his rhythm at NFR
LAS VEGAS – When Tanner Aus was a little boy, he watched his dad ride bareback horses and thought about how much fun it would be to follow in those footsteps. In the years since, he’s been one of the very best in the game, having qualified for ProRodeo’s championship event, the National Finals Rodeo, […]
Struxness hits big on NFR Night 2
LAS VEGAS – While he gets all the glory when things go right and takes the blame when they don’t, J.D. Struxness isn’t competing alone this week. He has a large team that supports him, but also he has a handful to help him, including Ty Erickson, who owns Crush, the horse Struxness is riding, […]
Champion snags another check
LAS VEGAS – Just looking at Big Stone Rodeo’s Fired Up, Richmond Champion felt the nerves creeping up. “He’s kind of intimidating,” said Champion, a bareback rider from Stevensville, Montana. “He looks like there’s a lot going on, but Caleb (Bennett) told me today, ‘Dude, that horse feels so good. He’s fast, and it feels […]
Pope gets off to quick start at NFR
LAS VEGAS – The Thomas & Mack Center can be an intimidating place. Those yellow bucking chutes hold thousands of stories that explain rodeo’s history. It’s been a lot like home for Jess Pope, the defending world champion bareback rider from Waverly, Kansas. He’s won the National Finals Rodeo average title at all three of […]
Champion returns to NFR in style
LAS VEGAS – When Richmond Champion arrived the Nevada desert to compete at his eighth National Finals Rodeo, he just wanted to keep climbing. He snuck his way into the top 15 in order to compete at the 10-round championship and wants to make a statement about his place among the elite bareback riders in […]
Struxness breaks the ice at NFR
LAS VEGAS – For steer wrestlers at the National Finals Rodeo, it’s all about the start. In order to post fast times, they need to time the beginning of their runs in conjunction with the steer leaving the chute. The better the timing, the better the run. In Las Vegas, it also is important to […]
Program offers competitive edge
Cinch teams with Rodeo Performance Network to help NFR athletes Injuries are just part of any athletic endeavor, whether it’s football or the sport of rodeo. The Rodeo Performance Network has been built to try to stop that pain before it happens. It’s a matter of building the body in intricate ways to help athletes […]
NFR to begin Friday
Canceled first-round performance will be made up next Wednesday morning While Thursday’s performance of the National Finals Rodeo was canceled because of the shooting that took place on the UNLV campus, the show will go on. The PRCA and Las Vegas Events boards met Thursday morning to hammer out the details, which are: The first […]