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Weston Patterson closed out his first National Finals Rodeo in a big way. He placed in three of the final four nights, including an 87.75-point ride on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Larry Culpepper to finish fifth during Saturday’s 10th round. (PHOTO BY GREG WESTFALL)   LAS VEGAS – The National Finals Rodeo can be a strange place. Take saddle bronc rider Weston Patterson. He entered the sport’s Super Bowl 11th in the world standings, then accumulated $94,573 in wealth. Still, he dropped two spots on the money list to No. 13. His final payday came during Saturday’s 10th go-round, where he rode Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Larry Culpepper for 87.75 points to finish fifth, worth $9,463. He finished the year with $268,308. “It was a very fun 10 days of my life, and I’m never going to forget it,” said Patterson, a first-time NFR qualifier from Waverly, Kansas. “I really can’t complain. Obviously, I could be greedy and say I wanted more, but I’m very thankful to have it go this way. I’m very appreciative.” He should be. Only the top 15 bronc busters on the money list at the end of the regular season get to play on this stage. Patterson kicked off his Las Vegas adventure by finishing second on opening night, Dec. 4. He had another fifth-place finish in Round 7, then won the eighth night. It’s still a windfall, even though others cashed in their NFR slots for more cash. World champion Statler Wright earned $274,000 inside the Thomas & Mack Center. This was a building block. A ride like he produced on the final night of the 2025 campaign would win most rodeos. At the NFR, he settled for fifth. Just like when he finished second at the College National Finals Rodeo in 2021, he was part of the Clarendon (Texas) men’s team that won the national title. He knows what it’s like to be a winner, but he’s also just two years removed from his rookie season. Every phase in life can be a learning tool, and this is just another rung on his ladder toward longstanding success. “One thing I learned is it’s a long week,” Patterson said. “Everybody says, ‘Take it one horse at a time,’ and that ain’t no lie. It can get cold and get real hot real fast. You just need to keep your head down. There’s obviously a reason why every one of us is here. “You just have to keep going after them one after another and believe in yourself.”

Jess Pope added another $76,000 to his National Finals Rodeo earnings this year by finishing second in the average. He has earned nearly $1.2 million at the NFR over his six qualifications. (PRCA PHOTO BY LARA ST JACQUES)   LAS VEGAS – Mr. Las Vegas was at it again over the last week and a half of National Finals Rodeo competition. Bareback rider Jess Pope placed in six rounds, including two wins, and finished second in the aggregate race by riding 10 horses for a cumulative score of 853.75 points – in the first year of the quarter-point system at the NFR, he lost the average title by just .25 points to Montana cowboy Sam Petersen. That runner-up finish was still valued at more than $76,000, and it pushed his NFR earnings to $215,814. He finished the year with $419,443 and was third in the world standings. “I felt like I rode everything the best I could,” said Pope, the 2022 world champion from Waverly, Kansas. “I didn’t draw the best in some of the rounds, but that is part of rodeo.” He paused and pondered the difference between him and Petersen after 10 rounds. “I like the half points better, because it’s a little easier to swallow a half point than it does a quarter point for (about) $20,000,” he said with a smile spreading across his cheeks when talking about the difference in payouts from first to second. The competitor wants to win at every level, but that kind of money is a valuable thing. He’s done it quite a bit in his six qualifications to ProRodeo’s grand finale. Over his 60 rounds inside the Thomas & Mack Center, Pope has earned $1,174,968 and has never finished worse than fifth in aggregate points. “I feel really confident getting on 10 head in a row,” said Pope, who won the average title three consecutive years (2020-22). “I might not have the flashiest spur stroke and be able to win on the little hoppers (the easiest to ride broncs in rodeo), but if you put 10 head of every caliber of horse, I feel like I’m going to handle every one of them the best way I can.” That’s why he’s so successful once he arrives in Sin City. “At the end of the day, I’m just here excited to be making a living in rodeo,” he said. “There are a lot of people who wish they were in my shoes. That average buckle, that gold buckle … it doesn’t define who I am as a person, but I can walk out of this building confidently that I showed up, rode the best that I felt like I could and enjoyed every moment of it. “To be able to come out here and make that kind of money is great. I bought a skid loader before I came out here, and I’ll be able to go home now and buy some attachments and just try to set myself up for later in life. It is truly a blessing to be able to be here and ride for the money that we do and hopefully be here for another seven to 10 years.” When he returns to the City of Entertainment next year, he’ll have another fan with him. Pope and his wife, Sydney, are expecting their first child in May. He’s already making plans for how to prepare for that blessing. “I think I’m going to pull a Tim O’Connell,” he said, referring to the three-time world titlist from Iowa and one of Pope’s best friends. “We’re going to have a big keg party in my shop, and the only way you can get a cup is if you bring a box of diapers. Hopefully I don’t have to buy diapers for nine or 10 months.”

Tucker Allen of Ventura, California, has plenty of reasons to celebrate after a dominating performance at the National Finals Rodeo, where he earned $248,000 in 10 days to claim the steer wrestling world championship. (PRCA PHOTO BY CLICK THOMPSON)   He is 1st California bulldogger to win world title since Branquinho LAS VEGAS – Tucker Allen was keeping his emotions in check. He had just dominated the steer wrestling competition at the National Finals Rodeo, winning three go-rounds and lapping the field with a 10-round cumulative time of 46.4 seconds to claim the average title and run away with the world championship. He was as happy as he could be as he made his way around the Thomas & Mack Center. Then he ran into one of his rodeo heroes and mentors, five-time titlist Luke Branqhinho, the last Californian to win a Montana Silversmiths gold buckle in 2014. “My emotions that were held in all week and just kind of doing my job,” said Allen, who earned $94,036 for winning the average to increase his NFR earnings to $248,046. “It didn’t really set in until I ran into Luke Branqinho in the hallway. We both broke down. It was a long time coming.” It was an eventful week. He won the second round, and while celebrating his big night and receiving his trophies at the South Point Casino eight miles south of the arena, his pickup truck was stolen. The $36,668 might have made the downpayment on a new one, but he wasn’t done. He won two more rounds – he shared the fourth-round with Mississippi cowboy Will Lummus – and placed six times in all. Of his stay in Vegas, almost $154,000 came in the go-rounds. The final bump was the surge that came from beating the best in the world through 10 December nights. He finished the 2025 season with $398,931, beating the field by $65,000. Allen was just one of four bulldoggers to cross the $300,00 barrier in earnings, joined by Lummus, Oregonian Jesse Brown and Louisianan Rowdy Parrott. Brown is one of Allen’s teammates. They traveled with Texan Justin Shaffer, who owned the Horse of the Year, Banker. Shaffer won Friday’s ninth round to add to the excitement. Brown finished fifth in the aggregate, and Shaffer was sixth. Combined, the trio earned almost $530,000 on Banker’s back at the NFR. “This has been the funnest week of my life,” said Allen, 26, of Ventura, California. “I’ll never forget this. I’m truly blessed to be able to do this. This whole performance is dedicated to every single person that was in my life that has helped me. “There’s a village of them. I’m just so blessed to be able to perform on this stage and represent them.”

Jess Pope rides Frontier Rodeo’s Painted Smoke for 84.5 points to place in Friday’s ninth round of the National Finals Rodeo. It was the third night in a row he has earned NFR money and sixth time overall. He will ride for a world championship Saturday night. (PRCA PHOTO BY LARA ST JACQUES)   LAS VEGAS – Jess Pope’s somewhat cold experience at his sixth National Finals Rodeo heated in a hurry. It’s good timing. He’s placed in six go-rounds, including the last three in a row, two of which were victories paying $36,668 each. He also added a $2,957 payday after posting an 84.5-point ride on Frontier Rodeo’s Painted Smoke to finish in a tie for sixth place in Friday’s ninth round. The result is simple: Pope is in the middle of another bareback riding world-championship race heading into Saturday’s 10th round, the final night of the 2025 ProRodeo season. “I feel really good heading into tomorrow,” he said Friday night. “I feel like I’ve been riding well. I did the best I could on that horse tonight, and that’s all I can do. It feels good to get another check, so we’ll just try to keep that going.” Pope has earned $139,521 so far at this year’s NFR. He’s third in the world standings with $343,150. He trails the standings leader, Rocker Steiner, by $103,000 but is just behind the No. 2 man, Sam Petersen, by just $5,600. There’s a caveat, though. Pope, a three-time NFR average champion (2020-22), leads the aggregate race with a nine-ride cumulative score of 769 points. He has a 2.5-point lead over Petersen heading into the 10th round. That’s a valuable position. The cowboy that wins the aggregate will earn an additional $94,036; second-place pays a hair more than $76,000. “I just need to focus on my job and put on the best spur ride I can on the horse I have drawn,” said Pope, a six-time NFR qualifier and the 2022 world champion from Waverly, Kansas. “I can’t control how the horse bucks, and I can write down my own scores, so I’m just going to focus on doing what I can. “This thing’s going to end how it’s supposed to end. We’ll see how it all shakes out come tomorrow night.” Steiner, too, is in position to add an average check. It’s going to come down to who finishes off this rugged, 10-day finale the best to see who will win the Montana Silversmiths gold buckle. Pope will be matched with Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Top Notch as he closes out his campaign. “Yeah, it’s exciting, but at the same time, I’m here to do a job to the best of my ability every night,” Pope said. “I want to win the round and see what happens after that. The rest is out of my control.”

Waylon Bourgeois’ first National Finals Rodeo hasn’t been all that dreams are made of, but it’s been pretty good. He has earned $131,000, the most recent of which came from finishing in a tie for second place during Friday’s ninth round with an 85.75-point ride on Penthouse Pro Rodeo’s Cosmic Stardust. (PHOTO BY GREG WESTFALL)   LAS VEGAS – A little reminder is a good thing. Bareback rider Waylon Bourgeois must’ve needed one, so Penthouse Pro Rodeo’s Cosmic Stardust provided it during their 85.75-point ride in Friday’s ninth round of the National Finals Rodeo. He finished tied for second and reeled in another Las Vegas payday worth $25,431. “I got on that horse at Cheyenne in the short round there in July, and I aced her,” he said, referring to a great personal performance. “It made it seem a lot easier than what she really is. (Friday’s round) is our one pen, a little bit easier horses, so I had that thought in my head. So, I nod my head, got a really good mark out, and she hit me (with her rump). “I’m so glad she did, because it reminded me, ‘Hey, it’s time to go to work.’ I did.” The unexpected jolt provided the perfect lift as this year’s NFR winds to a close. With his Friday night paycheck, Bourgeois increased his Sin City earnings to $131,044. “Getting another check over here at the NFR is what we dream about doing,” said Bourgeois, competing at the championship for the first time. “That’s what we’re here for is to come in and do our best and win as much as possible.” It’s not as easy as it seems. The competition is fierce, with only the top 15 bareback riders from the regular season earning the right to compete in Las Vegas. The Church Point, Louisiana, cowboy entered the fray 12th in the world standings. He’s climbed to sixth with $258,907 with one night remaining on the season. The challenge is further exacerbated by the best 105 horses selected to perform at the NFR. They’re set up in five pens, from easy like Friday’s herd to the most difficult, “the eliminators,” which were featured Thursday. “Yeah, these horses were a lot easier than last night,” he said Friday. “Last night’s were ‘the eliminators’ and tonight were ‘the hoppers,’ and there’s a super big difference in those two pens.” The best in the business should be able to ride a variety of bucking horses, and the NFR offers a test to prove it. He will be matched with Frontier Rodeo’s Breaking News during Saturday’s final go-round of this year’s NFR. “I’m just trying to soak it in, because these 10 days have just flown by,” Bourgeois said. “I can’t remember all the rounds because they’ve flown by so fast. I’m feeling super confident in my riding. The more you get on, the better you feel. “The money feels super good, and it’s not over. I got my first go-round buckle win (in the third round), and I wasn’t done then. I want another one. It feels good to have that money in my pocket, but I’m still hungry and ready for more.”

Tucker Allen may have the lead in the National Finals Rodeo average race, but he plans to make a run at 10th-round victory anyway. He posted a 4.0-second run to finish sixth during Friday’s ninth round in Las Vegas and owns a 12.4-second lead in the aggregate. (PHOTO BY GREG WESTFALL)   LAS VEGAS – It’s time for steer wrestler Tucker Allen to nitpick his runs. That’s what happens after a week and a half of success in Las Vegas. Allen placed for the sixth time at this year’s National Finals Rodeo, stopping the clock in 4.0 seconds to finish sixth during Friday’s ninth round. That $5,914 check pushed his finale earnings to $154,101. “I should have been quicker,” said Allen, a two-time NFR qualifier from Ventura, California. “I got a decent start, but that steer kind of fell flat, but I think if I reached earlier, I could have made him hit. I think if I were to rerun him again, I’d change some stuff, but I’ll take it.” He has wrestled nine steers to the ground in a cumulative time of 40.6 seconds. He is No. 1 in the average race and owns a 12.4-second advantage over the No. 2 man in the aggregate, Rowdy Parrott. Allen’s run and placing, combined with Mississippian Will Lummus’ finish in a three-way tie for second, flip-flopped the leaderboard. Lummus is the top dog in the world standings but is only $8,073 ahead of Allen, the No. 2 man with $304,878. The tale of the night for Allen, though, was his traveling partner, Justin Shaffer, who won the round, his first in the two years he’s played on rodeo’s biggest stage. The $36,668 the Texan earned was his biggest pay of this year’s championship, and he placed for just the fourth time in nine days. Shaffer is Allen’s hazer when Allen runs, and the roles switch when it’s Shaffer’s turn. “I’m very pumped for him,” Allen said, a grin spreading across his cheeks. “That’s a long time coming.” Allen will roll into Saturday’s 10th round with a world championship on the line. He has the advantages, namely because of his place in the average race. The aggregate winner will pocket $94,036, which will go a long way toward deciding who will be awarded the Montana Silversmiths gold buckle. Don’t look for Allen to do anything different. He hopes to have the kind of steer that will give him an opportunity to win on the final night of the ProRodeo campaign. He’s just following the advice of another California bulldogger, five-time titlist Luke Branquinho. “He always says to never back off, ever,” Allen said. “Just keep going at them. If it don’t work, then it don’t work. If it works, then it works great. “Being aggressive just makes everything a little bit easier. It simplifies it so much.” A year’s worth of travel, time and effort have led to this moment, and whether he walks away from Las Vegas with gold in his hands will come down to one final run. “This is just one of the deals where hard work pays off, and it’s fun to get to do this with your friends,” he said.

Bridger Anderson placed for the sixth time with his 3.8-second run to finish in a three-way tie for second during Friday’s ninth round of the National Finals Rodeo. This is the most he’s placed at an NFR in his three qualifications. (PHOTO BY GREG WESTFALL)   LAS VEGAS – The communication between teammates is vital in sports. Quarterbacks call a play in the huddle, then use phrases, signals and motions to make adjustments to the offense. Steer wrestler Bridger Anderson is doing something similar with his hazer, 2017 world champion Tyler Pearson. It’s paying off to the tune of $111,625 earned over nine nights at the National Finals Rodeo, the latest payday coming Friday night when he grappled his cow to the ground in 3.8 seconds to finish in a three-way tie for second place. “We’ve got a system,” Anderson said of the duo’s silent code. “When I grab the saddle horn, he takes off because I’m about to nod, and he’s got my tell down to where I’ve got 100 percent confidence he’s going to serve that steer up in the hardest place ever to haze. He just does a heck of a job, and I’m sure happy he’s here. “I would argue that Pearson’s the best guy going right now and the best in this yellow pen with Metallica.” It’s certainly been advantageous. With Anderson on his horse, Whiskers, and Pearson riding his horse, Metallica, Anderson has placed six times, with his most recent coming in at $22,080. The bulldogger is sixth in the world standings with $220,953, so half his season earnings have come inside the tight confines of the Thomas & Mack Center. “This is the most times I’ve ever placed in an NFR, and we’re not even done yet,” said Anderson, a three-time qualifier from Carrington, North Dakota. “We’ve got one more round. It’s been a good week so far. Other than a couple of things that I could have changed and probably (getting a better start) a little more, we could have placed deeper. “You can’t complain when you get to run 10 steers in this yellow pen.” No, just advancing to ProRodeo’s grand finale is an accomplishment. Placing on two-thirds of the first nine rounds is just icing on the cake. “We finally drew on the better end tonight,” he said. “I’ve had some decent ones this wee but none of the ones you really want, the great ones. This one tonight was outstanding. I blased the barrier and made a good run. “For (Saturday night), I wouldn’t mind drawing on the good end again and just finish this deal out strong. I’d love to win the round and hopefully take home some hardware.”

Bullfighters – Dusty Tuckness, foreground; Cody Webster, right; and Austin Ashley, background – try to gain the attention of Andrews Rodeos’ Buckin Hippie to keep everyone in the arena out of harm’s way during the opening round of the National Finals Rodeo. Ashley is working the NFR for the first time alongside his two mentors. (PRCA PHOTO BY MALLORY BEINBORN)   Cinch bullfighter Ashley working his first National Finals Rodeo LAS VEGAS – Austin Ashley will lock Dec. 4, 2025, in his memory bank. It was opening night, his first go-round at the National Finals Rodeo as one of the three bullfighters selected to protect bull riders during the 10-day championship. “When Steve Knowles (with the PRCA) called back in October with the good news, I was really emotional,” said Ashley, 24, of Wynnewood, Oklahoma, a community of about 1,700 people 65 miles south of Oklahoma City. “I might have shed a few tears about the whole thing. It was just a big weight lifted off my chest to know that I finally did it.” Ashley is rocking and rolling in Las Vegas, a protective shield for the top 15 bull riders in the world. They selected him, alongside veterans Cody Webster and fellow Cinch endorsee Dusty Tuckness – between them, Webster and Tuckness own the last 16 titles for PRCA Bullfighter of the Year. Webster is from Wayne, Oklahoma; Tuckness, though originally from Meeteetse, Wyoming, has lived in central Oklahoma for years. “Those two guys have had a huge impact on my career, growing up underneath them and as much help as they’ve given me over the years,” said Ashley, who was introduced alongside them Dec. 2 during the “Welcome Reception,” otherwise known as the back-number ceremony. “To stand up there next to them and receive that buckle I’ve dreamed about since I was a little kid was pretty danged cool.” He has worked alongside his mentors, stepping into the middle of wreck after wreck to keep everyone safe. The rounds are continuing, and the world champions will be crowned Saturday night. If the NCAA Tournament is college basketball’s “One Shining Moment,” the NFR is “Rhinestone Cowboy,” where the year’s greatest play the game in search of rodeo gold. Ashley is one of them. “The bullfighting world is loaded with talent, and the top five is pretty stacked,” he said, referring to the men who were nominated to work the NFR. “There are another three or four guys that are just as deserving to be on the list. To be chosen for the top five guys to fight at the finals last year, I thought that was a dream come true. Then the news comes out on who made it and who didn’t, and that really lit that much more of a fire underneath me to go out there and put my best foot forward and keep every guy as safe as I can.” Once the nominations are in, the cowboys who have earned the right to ride bulls in Las Vegas then choose the three men they want to protect them. That makes the honor more special. The three men will work in unison to make sure everyone in the arena is free of harm’s way. “As soon as that latch cracks, you’re watching the ride,” Ashley said. “It’s like reading a book. You’re watching it unfold right there before your eyes. From the way the bull is bucking to how the rider’s riding, those are the key details that help decide what your next step’s about to be. “It’s easier for me coming in and working with Dusty and Cody. I’ve been around them my whole career.” The training started early for the Oklahoma man. He took to the dangerous task like it was destiny. He has had a considerable amount of tutelage from some f the greatest to have ever tied on the cleats. “I can remember the first time getting to work when Web (Webster) when I was 14 years old,” he said. “I remember thinking, ‘This guy’s the real deal,’ just how sharp and correct he was on everything. Then fast-forward to now: I’ve had eight years to work with a guy and try to match his level of talent. I think it’s been a big, revolving door of being around the best of the best over the years. “From where I live, the best bullfighters in the world have always been around me: Frank Newsom, Cody Webster, Dusty Tuckness, Nathan Harp. The list goes on. I’ve always had a great circle of people to help me.” That means he can pick and choose what to take from each. It’s allowed Ashley to define his own style with the idea of stepping into the middle of the wreck to keep everyone as safe as possible. “I feel like there’s even more pressure on me to come back and do it,” Ashley said. “This is Cody’s 13th time, and this is the 17th time for Dusty. It’s going to be a long, hard road, but I’m willing to chase it.”

Dean Thompson spurs C5 Rodeo’s Winning Rose for 86.25 points to finish third during Thursday’s eighth go-round of the National Finals Rodeo. (PHOTO BY GREG WESTFALL)   LAS VEGAS – Reigning world champion bareback rider Dean Thompson is still waiting for something big to happen in his third appearance at the National Finals Rodeo. He’s placed in five of eight rounds so far, but the paydays haven’t been what he had hoped. A year ago, Thompson placed eight times, including two round wins. He surged over the last few days and powered his way to the Montana Silversmiths gold buckle. By this time 12 months ago, he had already pocketed $122,000. He’s halfway there in 2025. He scored the biggest check of his Las Vegas stay with an 86.25-point ride on C5 Rodeo’s Winning Rose to finish third during Thursday’s eighth round – he also finished third on Night 2. He is sitting at $64,312 with two nights left in this year’s finale and is ninth in the world standings with $230,848. Thompson has a cumulative score of 591.75 points on eight rides and is ninth in the average race. A season ago, he claimed the average championship, and that $86,000 payday cleared the way for him to take rodeo’s gold back to his home in Altamont, Utah. In all, Thompson earned just shy of $240,000 at the NFR. That’s not going to happen this December, but he’s still had a solid week. Anytime a cowboy can compete in this elite field and against the best broncs in the sport, it’s an accomplishment. To earn money in most of the rounds is a big deal. Only the top six places in a go-round earn money in Las Vegas. Being steady is also opening the door for Thompson when it comes to Saturday night. Should he move up one spot in the average race to eighth, he will incur an $8,900 bonus. In a sport where dollars equal championship points, every dollar counts. That’s what Thompson is counting on as he prepares for the final two go-rounds.

Cole Franks grimaces as he battles Rosser Rodeo’s Right On Q for 83.75 points to finish sixth during Thursday’s eighth round of the National Finals Rodeo. (PHOTO BY GREG WESTFALL)   LAS VEGAS – Bareback rider Cole Franks stretched his right hand, rolled his neck around and winced. It looked like he’d just been in a fist fight. Whether he’d won is still up in the air. There was victory, as much as one can have when he tangles with 1,200 of wild, bucking flesh, but there was that look. Franks had just packed a whale of a punch on Rosser Rodeo’s Right On Q for 83.75 points. It was good enough for sixth place in Thursday’s eighth round of the National Finals Rodeo and picked up $5,914. He might need that for an ice bath. “I feel very glad that the next two horses I’m getting on are going to be fun,” said Franks, a four-time NFR qualifier from Clarendon, Texas. “It should be fun, so hopefully it is.” ProRodeo’s premier championship is a slugfest for bareback riders. They are challenged by a variety of bucking horses, from the “hoppers,” the easiest to ride, to the “eliminators,” which is self-descriptive. Right On Q was part of the latter. The powerful, red explosive device was anything but fun. “That horse was a little bit more than I expected,” Franks said. “I knew it was going to be hard, and I knew it was going to buck. I’m not really sure what happened, but I got set up right at the start, and he stepped ahead a little bit and hit me in the back of the head pretty hard, and it kind of rang my bell. I was just fighting the whole rest of the time, trying to stay caught up with him. “I pretty much dropped the ball a little bit again tonight.” The goal is to spur from in front of the horse’s shoulders and back to the rigging, then extend the feet back to the front before the bronc’s front feet hit the ground again. Judges are going to mark half the score based on how well the animal performs, and the other half on how well the cowboy spurs in rhythm with the horse’s bucking motion. The tougher the bronc, the harder it is to do that. Still, Franks has ridden seven horses for a cumulative 676.75 points and is fourth in the average race. He has amassed $63,426 in eight rounds and sits sixth in the world standings with $256,787. Money for placing in the aggregate will be added Saturday night; as it stands, he has potential to add $44,356 to his pockets. But this has been a rather slow NFR compared to his three previous. A year ago, he earned more than $156,000 over 10 nights. “It’s not what I’m used to, but it’s adding up,” Franks said. “I mean once that average sinks in, it’ll be close and will even out a little bit. Hopefully the next two rounds will be $37,000 a night.” Go-round winners earn $36,668, so he still has a chance at more than $73,000 in round money along with his average payout. It’s a big opportunity to cash out big in Vegas.

Waylon Bourgeois felt everything that Championship Pro Rodeo’s Hooey Rocks threw at him, but he overcame the torture to finish fifth in Thursday’s eighth round of the National Finals Rodeo. (PRCA PHOTO BY LARA ST JACQUES)   LAS VEGAS – The confines of the dirt-filled arena inside the Thomas & Mack Center are tight, and that can affect things at the National Finals Rodeo. It’s not just the timed events, where contestants have to be fast in order to earn money. It can also affect how well bucking horses perform. Take Championship Pro Rodeo’s Hooey Rocks, one of the broncs in the “eliminator pen” of bucking horses. Waylon Bourgeois felt ever jump, every kick of the powerful sorrel during his 84-point ride to finish fifth in Thursday’s eighth round, worth $9,463. “I’ve seen that horse a bunch of times,” said Bourgeois, competing at ProRodeo’s grand finale for the first time in his career. “I watched Jess (Pope) win Dodge City on her, and I watched Rocker (Steiner) get on her in the third round. “I knew it was a bucker, and that horse is easier in an open arena where she’s got room to move. I knew in this small arena, she was going to come back to the bucking chutes. When she turned that way, I knew it was going to get hard, and I was exactly right.” The power of the hardest-to-ride horses in rodeo was evident in Hooey Rocks. “She took a little scoot, hit off the wall and broke, and when she broke that first jump, it felt really good, but she catches you by surprise,” he said. “As she comes around, it gets harder and harder, and by the end of it, it was all I wanted.” It’s a good thing a qualified ride only lasts eight seconds, because just after the whistle blew, the cowboy hit the ground. “That’s part of the eliminator pen,” said Bourgeois, 26, of Church Point, Louisiana. “That’s part of the eliminators. They buck hard enough where you’re probably not going to be there for nine seconds.” With that ride, Bourgeois increased his NFR earnings to $105,613 and sits eighth in the world standings with $243,476. He has two nights remaining in the Nevada desert to collect as much Las Vegas cash as he can. The bareback riders are tested by five levels of bucking horses, and Thursday was the most difficult. There’s a break Friday with the “hopper pen,” a grouping of horses that are considered the easiest to manage. The 10-day finale will close with the “TV pen,” the most electric broncs in rodeo. “I think for world titles, you ought to have to get on all of them, the eliminators and the hoppers,” he said. “You’ve got to be able to ride both of them the best, and that’s what a world champion is.” This is a rugged sport that tests athleticism and mentality. After eight nights of riding bucking horses, cowboys are battered and bruised, but that’s not stopping them. “This is the funnest thing I’ve ever done,” Bourgeois said. “This is the pinnacle of our sport, and it’s a blessing to be out here in Las Vegas.”

After his steer struggled in the chute, J.D. Struxness made a solid, 4.4-second run to finish sixth during Thursday’s eighth round of the National Finals Rodeo. (PRCA PHOTO BY LARA ST JACQUES)   LAS VEGAS – Steer wrestler J.D. Struxness wanted to finish higher. He needed to finish higher. But that wasn’t in the cards during Thursday’s eighth round of the National Finals Rodeo, where he knocked his steer down in 4.4 seconds to finish sixth, worth $5,914. Any paychecks are important in rodeo, especially in Las Vegas. Struxness is fifth in the world standings with $212,545 but trails the leader, Tucker Allen, by more than $86,000 heading into the final two nights of ProRodeo’s grand finale. Some things need to happen if Struxness hopes to defend his world championship this season. “There’s still about $72,000 on the table, and then you can look at the average checks after that,” he said, referring to go-round winners earning better than $36,000 per night. “We’re just picking away at it. “I liked our steer a little better tonight. He just fought the chute a little bit there, and then tried on after that. It just makes it hard here, because the starts are so fast. When those steers fight the chute, it gets tough, and you try to squeeze off and time the start that you have to have out here.” The Thomas & Mack Center is a fast setup for the timed events. Even stopping the clock in 4.4, he was a half-second off the pace set by Allen, who won his third round Thursday. Everything needs to come together to make a blistering run, and it didn’t for Struxness. “I was hoping to get a better start and be faster on him, but we took a check home tonight, so we’ll take getting by one and see what we have tomorrow,” he said. Allen leads the average race with an eight-run cumulative time of 36.6 seconds. He is almost 10 seconds faster than the No. 2 man, Rowdy Parrott, and has a 16.3-second advantage over Struxness. When winning runs take close to 4 seconds, that’s an eternity. The average champion will pocket $94,000, but third place still pays more than $62,000. If circumstances change and Struxness can make up ground on Parrott over the final two nights of the season, a second-place average check is more than $76,000. “We’ve climbed back up in the average and are sitting good to get a check out of that,” said Struxness, a seven-time NFR qualifier from Milan, Minnesota. “We’re going to go gather up as much money as we can, and then we’ll just see where the cards fall after that. We just have to see what other guys do, and all we can do is just try to gather up what we can. “At the end of the day, we come out here to make money. We need to look at it going into these last two rounds, then go ahead and finish strong and take home as much money as we can to feed the family.” Struxness has earned nearly $74,000 over eight nights in Sin City, and he has a shot to more than double it in the final two days of the season. That would buy a lot of groceries.

Bridger Anderson has placed five times over the course of the National Finals Rodeo, his most recent coming with a 4.2-second run to finish fourth in Thursday’s eighth round. (PRCA PHOTO BY CLICK THOMPSON)   LAS VEGAS – Slowly but surely, Bridger Anderson is having a solid run at the National Finals Rodeo. He has yet to win a go-round, but he’s gathered paychecks five times so far. His most recent came during Thursday’s eighth round when he tipped his steer over in 4.2 seconds to finish fourth, worth $15.377. He’s amassed $89,546 with two nights remaining, with fourth-place-or-better finishes four times. “I’m trying to win the round,” said Anderson, a three-time NFR qualifier from Carrington, North Dakota. “I think (Thursday) was the second best start we got all week. We had a steer that we knew we had to bear down, do things right on the ground and get them down in a decent fashion, and I felt like we did a good. “My horse felt great, probably the best he’s felt all week. Dad put some shoes on him today while I was doing some other stuff. He’s feeling good, and I’m excited for the next two nights.” His best finish came in Round 3, when he posted a 3.9 to finish second. That was worth $28,980, but he also claimed third-place paydays on Nights 2 and 7. A key ingredient is Whiskers, a 16-year-old bay gelding that has been a crucial part of Anderson’s success. “It’s insanely hard trying to get the start here, because the arena is so short and the barrier is so short that it’s something we don’t see for the rest of the year,” said Anderson, who pushed his season earnings to $198,873; he is ninth in the world standings. “The start is crucial. If you miss it at all here, you’ll end up at the back fence, and there’s no money down there.” Anderson has stayed away. He did suffer two no-times – in Rounds 1 and 5 – and just missed out on a payday on the fourth night; he finished seventh, but only the top six earn money in Las Vegas. He knows the key to success comes with placing in the rounds. Two years ago during his last venture the NFR, he cleared about $120,000 in 10 days. He’s on his way to doing something similar, but it will depend on how he finishes this week. This is, after all, the best opportunity he has to make a lot of money in a hurry. He’s just been steady in his approach.

Weston Patterson spurs Summit Pro Rodeo’s Cowboy Fool for 89 points to win Thursday’s eighth round of the National Finals Rodeo. Patterson comes from the small town of Waverly, Kansas, population 526. He joined another hometown boy, bareback rider Jess Pope, in the winner’s circle Thursday. (PRCA PHOTO BY LARA ST JACQUES)   LAS VEGAS – In the Kansas Flint Hills, being a cowboy is more of a way of life than a job description. The small town of Waverly, Kansas, has a population of 526 souls, and everyone’s eyes are on the bright lights of Las Vegas. A sign on the edge of town boasts of it being home to world champion bareback rider Jess Pope. The community might have to add another sign. Saddle bronc rider Weston Patterson might just join him there. It won’t happen this year, but Patterson is doing some big things during his first qualification to the National Finals Rodeo, and the biggest came during Thursday’s eighth round. Patterson rode Summit Pro Rodeo’s Cowboy Fool for 89 points to win the night and a $36,668 paycheck, surging his NFR earnings to $85,110. “It was a great horse,” said Patterson, 24. “He’s a bucker. They’ve won on him all yar long, so I knew I had a chance.” “I had a great draw tonight. I knew I had a great chance as long as I did my job, and I did that. It turned out how I wanted it to.” After a great start to his inaugural business trip to the City of Entertainment – he finished second during the Dec. 4 opening night – the success rate was put on pause. He failed to place for five straight nights, then got back into the groove in Round 7. He made his adventure even better on Cowboy Fool. “Winning a round is just icing on the cake for me,” said Patterson, who was part of the men’s intercollegiate national championship while competing for Clarendon (Texas) College in 2021. “We’ve still got two more rounds heating up, so hopefully we can do it again.” With the win, winners take part in the go-round buckle presentation that happens nightly at the South Point, a casino eight miles south of the Thomas & Mack Center. He and Pope took Waverly to the big stage, with Pope winning the round in bareback riding for the second straight night. The showroom stage was filled with folks from the Coffey County community. Jess Pope is three years older than Patterson, who graduated the same year with Ty Pope, the world champion’s middle brother, in a class of 12. When Patterson took his turn on stage, the Pope family was with him. “Since we were in about first grade, Ty and I’ve been hip and hip until we went off to college,” Patterson said. The night, though, belonged to Patterson. He has increased his season earnings to $258,846 and sits 10th in the world standings. He credits his success to his dad, Ed, and his traveling partners, Wyatt Casper, Kade Bruno and Jake Clark. He also recognized the importance of quality coaching he received from Bret Franks, the Clarendon rodeo coach who also qualified for the NFR three times. “If you want to be a bronc rider, that’s the place you’ve got to be,” Patterson said. “You’ll learn how to win there inside the arena and outside the arena. It’s not just to be a good bronc rider but being a good person. I think Bret was a big part of my success early on getting out of college not just learning how to ride bucking horses but what it takes outside of the arena to be a good, professional athlete.”

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.

Jess Pope smiles to the crowd during his victory lap after winning Thursday’s eighth round of the National Finals Rodeo. It was his second straight round win this NFR. (PRCA PHOTO BY CLICK THOMPSON)   LAS VEGAS – Jess Pope was 20 the first time he arrived in this desert city with a love for bucking horses and dreams of being a ProRodeo champion. He was competing in the PRCA’s Permit Challenge at the South Point Equestrian Center as one of the top young guns in bareback riding. He won the title at that event that December 2018 weekend, and he did so on the back of a Midwest bucking horse named Deep Springs. The two already had a history. Pope first rode the powerful gray to win the ProRodeo in Marshall, Minnesota, in August 2017. By the time he arrived in Sin City the next December, he knew what to expect. The old foes returned to the ring again during Thursday’s eighth round of the National Finals Rodeo. The winning continued. Pope scored 88.25 points on the Four Star Rodeo bronc to win for the second straight night and propel him directly into world-title contention with two nights remaining in the ProRodeo season. “We got the draw (Wednesday) night before we went on stage at the South Point, and I was really excited to have him,” said Pope, a six-time NFR qualifier – and the 2022 world champion – from Waverly, Kansas. “I’ve been on him a bunch. I knew it was a really good shot to win a go-round. “I think I’ve been on that horse nine or 10 times, maybe more than that.” It was worth another $36,668 and helped increase his NFR earnings to $136,564 in just eight days of competition. Pope has ridden eight broncs for a cumulative score of 684.5 points and sits first in the average race. He has moved to third in the world standings with $340,193 and trails the standings leader, Texan Rocker Steiner, by $81,000. Also in the mix for the Montana Silversmiths gold buckle is Montanan Sam Petersen, who is second and has nearly a $9,000 advantage over Pope. With just Rounds 9 and 10 remaining, it will be a race to the top. Pope might have an advantage, not just in the aggregate race but also in experience. Steiner is eighth in the average, and Petersen is second. It might come down to which cowboy has the best two-night series. Pope is a three-time average champion, having won the title consecutively from 2020-22; he finished second in 2023 and fifth last year. He also has one gold buckle already, so that experience has been paying off. “It took me a while to get heated up here, but I finally drew good, finally drew right,” Pope said. “We’ll see where the cards lay at the end of the week. I feel pretty confident about it.”

By finishing in a three-way tie for fifth place in Wednesday’s seventh round of the National Finals Rodeo, J.D. Struxness remains in the hunt to defend his world championship. (PHOTO BY GREG WESTFALL)   LAS VEGAS – J.D. Struxness is stalking his prey. He’s sixth in the steer wrestling world standings with $206,631, but he’s in position to pounce. He produced a solid run of 4.4 seconds to finish in a three-way tie for fifth place during Wednesday’s seventh round of the National Finals Rodeo, adding $5,126 to his pockets and increasing his Las Vegas earnings to $67,959. He’s fourth in the aggregate standings with a seven-run cumulative time of 48.5 seconds, and that includes two runs in which he was saddled with 10-second penalties, so there’s room to grow. “That’s just a little bit of premature situation stuff just to see where we’re at and know what we need to game plan for as we go into the rest of the week,” said Struxness, 31, of Milan, Minnesota. “It’s just been a weird NFR with the steers and the guys and everything else. I don’t know what it is, but with two broken barriers, we’re still facing an average check. “Something funky is going on out there.” Louisianan Rowdy Parrott won the round Wednesday with a 4.0-second run. The night before, Montanan Ty Erickson won with a 3.5. This isn’t the typical NFR, where fast times rule the roost. “I don’t know if I’ve ever been out here and seen 4.0 win a round as many times as it has this year,” said Struxness, the 2016 intercollegiate champion at Northwestern Oklahoma State University and a seven-time NFR qualifier. “Thes steers just aren’t as snappy as usually, but it definitely keeps you on your toes.” A year ago, the Minnesota cowboy parlayed a fantastic 10-day run in Las Vegas to his first world championship. He’s ready to make some things happen over the final three nights of the season to see if he can defend that gold buckle. “From a show basis, (producers of the NFR) want us to be fast, but it doesn’t matter as long as guys are placing in the right order on the steers they draw,” he said. Struxness is sixth in the world standings and trails the leader, Will Lummus, by nearly $85,000. Alas, go-round winners will pocket almost $37,000 per night, and there are three remaining at this NFR. There is also the aggregate to consider, where the top eight cumulative times through 10 rounds will receive a bonus; the winner will pocket $94,000. If Struxness maintains his place in the average, fourth will earn $44,000. “We’re going to keep doing what we’re doing and hope we draw some of those top steers each night and see what happens,” he said.

Bridger Anderson scored a 4.3-second run to finish in a tie for third place during Wednesday’s seventh round of the National Finals Rodeo. (PRCA PHOTO BY KATHRYN COLEMAN)   LAS VEGAS – When half the equation in rodeo involves livestock, there’s never a guaranteed outcome. The steer wrestlers found that out during Wednesday’s seventh round of the National Finals Rodeo. The steers were big and strong, and times reflected it. Bridger Anderson knew he had a powerful steer, but he handled business during a 4.3-second run to finish tied for third, worth $18,630. “That steer really tried, but I knew it was going to be good on the ground,” said Anderson, a three-time NFR qualifier from Carrington, North Dakota. “I got a pretty good start and rode up in there to him. That was probably the best run I made all week.” Confidence is brewing in the 27-year-old cowboy, the 2019 intercollegiate bulldogging champion while competing at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. “We had to run that steer down there a little ways, but it worked out,” said Anderson, who busted into a tie for first after his run, then watched two of the last three cowboys surpass him; Rowdy Parrott won the round in 4.0 seconds, and Tucker Allen was second with a 4.2. “Tuck came back and bumped me, then Rowdy made a stud run right there. “It just teases you there after a while. You keep watching, and you’re thinking, ‘Gosh, 4.3 shouldn’t win first, but we’re running out of guys to beat it.’ It was pretty excited. Hopefully in the next couple of nights, we draw one of them slower steers and might find ourselves making at trip to the South Point.” The casino and resort eight miles south of the Thomas & Mack Center on Las Vegas Boulevard hosts the nightly go-round awards, and winners will add a Montana Silversmiths buckle and other trinkets to their prizes during an hour-long stage show. Anderson has earned $74,169 over seven nights in Las Vegas. He is 10th in the world standings with $183,496, but he has been saddled with two no-times. With three pens of cattle set for the 10 rounds, all the steers have been seen. Wednesday’s performance marked the third time for that grouping of animals to be in the mix. That means the bulldoggers know what to expect. Like other athletes, they do their homework, study video and try to see trends. They also pay attention to what others may have done, and it’s how they build confidence in themselves and their performance. “J.D. (Struxness) made a good run on that steer in the first performance,” Anderson said. “Justin Shaffer ran him in the fourth performance, and (the steer) was just a touch off to the right. We knew he was going to run, but (the bulldoggers) have thrown him a bunch, and we knew he was just going to be an honest steer and good on the ground. “All I had to do was make sure I hit the start and make a good run.” That’s the game plan for the final three nights of the 2025 ProRodeo season.

Bradlee Miller had his work cut out for him during an 84-point ride on Brookman Rodeo’s SOS during Wednesday’s seventh round of the National Finals Rodeo. (PHOTO BY GREG WESTFALL)   LAS VEGAS – The reality of the National Finals Rodeo is that it’s an incredible competition stretched out over a week and a half in the Nevada desert. It can be grueling, especially for men like Bradlee Miller, who rides bareback horses for a living. This is the sport’s championship event, so it’s meant to be a test for the cowboys that play the game. Miller has certainly been tested. He rode Brookman Rodeo’s SOS for 84 points to finish fifth during Wednesday’s seventh round, pocketing $9,413. It was just his third paycheck after scratching some money in Rounds 1 and 5, and his Las Vegas total is $36,614. It’s a far cry from what he was doing 12 months ago during his first NFR qualification, when he had earned more than $178,000 through seven nights. “I almost wish it was flip-flopped a little bit,” said Miller, 22, of Huntsville, Texas. “My expectations last year were low, and I exceeded them by a lot. This year, my expectations are high, and the results have been pretty underwhelming. “I’ll just keep doing my best. I’ve ridden all my horses the best that I can. It just hasn’t worked out in my favor yet, but my time’s coming. I don’t know if that’s tomorrow or next year, but it’s coming.” The mind is a powerful tool, and it can be the deciding factor in an athlete’s success. “It’s frustrating when you watch $37,000 a night slip through your fingers whenever things don’t go your way,” said Miller, who has accrued $244,088 this season and sits seventh in the world standings. “But just to be here in this atmosphere and with this caliber of rodeo athletes, it’s a dream come true, so I try to look at it as if anything on top of that is just a bonus. “It’s still frustrating, but looking at it that way seems to help.” It can be trying, and while $36,000 is nothing to sneeze at, it pales in comparison to what Miller has done and what others are doing. Oklahoman Wacey Schalla has placed in six of seven rounds and earned more than $150,000. There are two other cowboys that have earned more than $100k and two others who will likely cross it by the week’s end. But there are also two cowboys who haven’t reached the pay window yet, so the power of positive thinking has its benefits. Miller has maintained a strong performance, but scores are also based on how well the animal performs. The Texas cowboy has found difficulty with that. “The best horses in the world are here, but with the best being here, there’s going to be a top end and a bottom end in each of the pens,” he said. “The way the draw works here is we have five pens of horses and 10 rounds. A lot of those horses get bucked a second time. We only pick the better 10 or so horses to buck a second time from each of the first five rounds. “All of mine that I had in the first five rounds were cut after their first out. We decided not to buck them again, because they were the very bottom of the pen.” Sports is about two things: Winning or learning. “There’s a lot of emotion right now because of things not going my way,” Miller said. “I got behind right there at the beginning of my ride (Wednesday), and it took every ounce in me to be able to catch back up to a horse of that caliber. With where I’m at right now, I have nothing to lose. I’m holding nothing back and giving it everything. “Sometimes that’s what it takes to be able to catch up and scrape away with a check like I did today.”

Cole Franks spurs Bridwell Pro Rodeos’ Silver Beaver for 85.75 points to finish in a tie for second place during Wednesday’s seventh round of the National Finals Rodeo. (PHOTO BY GREG WESTFALL)   LAS VEGAS – There was never panic, but dire thoughts crossed Cole Franks’ mind. It was during Wednesday’s seventh round of the National Finals Rodeo, and he was in a bad spot during his ride on Bridwell Pro Rodeos’ Silver Beaver. “I dropped the ball on that,” said Franks, a 24-year-old cowboy from Clarendon, Texas. “I got a little behind and got out of shape. About four seconds into it, I saw the dirt coming, and the first thing that came to my mind is ‘That’s the first time I’ve ever seen dirt coming here.’ “I was not about to have it, so I closed my eyes so I couldn’t see anything. I might have made a little bit of a girlish noise when I closed my eyes, but it worked.” The two titans battled inside the Thomas & Mack Center for 85.75 points. Franks finished the night in a tie for second place, and with it, he powered through for $25,431 points. “That horse was a little bit more than I expected,” he said. “I knew it was going to buck and it was going to be hard, but he just beat me to the punch right out of the gate. I tried to do a little too much too early, and it got me behind a little bit. It bucked a lot harder than it did the firs time it was out. It just set me up and got me a little out of shape at the start, and I was playing catch-up. “That’s a freaking awesome horse, and that was the one I wanted. It was just my fault.” Franks has ridden seven horses for a cumulative score of 593 points and sits fifth in the average race. He’s also earned $57,511 at the NFR so far and sits sixth in the world standings with $257,873. This is his time to shine, and the bulb was a little dull for the first few rounds. It’s starting to shed more light as he rolls toward the final three nights of the 2025 ProRodeo season. The biggest test will come Thursday night, when the bareback riders face the “eliminator pen,” a grouping of horses considered the most difficult to ride. He will be matched with Rosser Rodeo’s Right On Q, a bronc on which Jess Pope scored 85.75 points to finish fifth this past Saturday. Franks got a taste of what that will be like on Silver Beaver. “That horse is a lot,” Franks said. “One of the first things that went through my head once I got off was, ‘This was supposed to be our semi-eliminators.’ I’m a little scared for tomorrow.” The NFR is supposed to be a test. Franks is passing those exams one by one. He may not consider them A-plus results, but passing the biggest test in rodeo is big.

Kade Sonnier has been riding a nice wave, securing his fifth payday so far. He rode Andrews Rodeo’s Empty Promises for 83.75 points to finish sixth in Wednesday’s seventh round of the National Finals Rodeo. (PRCA PHOTO BY GREG WESTFALL)   LAS VEGAS – There are times an athlete has to reach beyond what might be his limits to accomplish something special. After Andrews Rodeo’s Empty Promises got out of the starting blocks early, Kade Sonnier had to kick int into high gear just to catch up. He did, managing an 83.75-point ride to finish sixth in Wednesday’s seventh round of the National Finals Rodeo. That was worth $5,914 and marked the fifth time he has earned money in Las Vegas. “We just keep chipping away at it,” said Sonnier of Carencro, Louisiana. “That horse beat me out of the gate a little bit. She kind of hit the chute gate, and it caused us to have a little bit of a foul start. She reared up and stalled. I knew there were a couple of tricks to here, but that was just some unfortunate luck. “The hardest thing about that horse is getting out (of the chute) clean. I don’t necessarily think I had the best go at her today, but I feel like I’m probably riding as good as I’ve ever rode. Sometimes you don’t necessarily draw the best horses for you. That was one hell of a pen of bucking horses, but I probably had one of the weaker ones. To get a check out of that, you’re doing something right.” He is. He’s earned $102,064 and has ridden seven broncs for a cumulative score of 594.5 points. He is tied for third in the average standings and is in line to snag a good bonus if he remains in similar position when the rodeo season concludes Saturday. He has increased his season total to $273,571 and is fifth in the world standings. “The cool thing about this rodeo is that it pays so good every night that a guy can be a little cold right there at the beginning and still finish strong,” Sonnier said. “That’s the name of the game for us for the rest of this week. It’s time to just go finish what we started, and that was to come here and have fun. “As long as you’re having fun, this is a dream come true.”

California bulldogger Tucker Allen mustered some extra umpth in order to power through a 4.2-second run to finish second during Wednesday’s seventh round of the National Finals Rodeo. (PHOTO BY GREG WESTFALL)   LAS VEGAS – It’s been that kind of a week for steer wrestler Tucker Allen. He didn’t make the kind of run he wanted to Wednesday night, but he finished in 4.2 seconds to finish as the runner-up to the seventh-round winner and collect a $28,980 payday at the National Finals Rodeo. “I should have been really, really fast, and I kind of over-rode my horse and just had to snag him up and tip him over,” said Tucker, a two-time NFR qualifier from Ventura, California. “This pen of steers is no day off on any of them.” The animals made the steer wrestlers work for it. There are three sets of steers on which the bulldoggers compete. The winning time in Tuesday’s sixth round was 3.5; Rowdy Parrott was 4.0 to win Wednesday. This was the third time this particular group of cows was in the lineup, and the bunch will be run again during Saturday’s 10th round. “I don’t mind a pen of steers like this where you’ve got to go bulldog,” Allen said, noting the extra effort it takes to wrestle the steers to the ground. “It’s damn sure a bulldogging contest, and the times show. “I’m just happy to get a decent check. I could’ve gotten an even better start. I feel like I got a good roll off the corner, but I didn’t blow (the barrier) out.” The start is vital. The barrier is a roped line in front of the timed-event box that releases when the steer is provided an adequate head start. It’s best to be right on that line when it springs free. Possibly the biggest advantage is that he’s riding Banker, the 2025 Steer Wrestling Horse of the Year owned by fellow bulldogger Justin Shaffer. “That shows us the horsepower that even though I was a little off the barrier, Banker still caught up good,” he said. Allen has grappled seven steers to the ground in a cumulative time of 32.7 seconds and leads the aggregate race. He has pocketed $111,428 so far. He is also second in the world standings with $262,796, about $29,000 behind the leader, Mississippian Will Lummus. It’s going to be a race for the world championship over the final three nights of the 2025 ProRodeo season, and Allen is right in the thick of it all. “I’m not keeping track of anything,” Allen said. “I’m just going one at a time and going to have fun. That’s all there is.” That Montana Silversmiths gold buckle might be a nice addition to the party.

Bareback rider Waylon Bourgeois spurred Frontier Rodeo’s Full Baggage for 85.5 points to finish fourth in Wednesday’s seventh round of the National Finals Rodeo. That marked the final ride for the nearly 24-year-old world champion bucking horse. (PHOTO BY GREG WESTFALL)   LAS VEGAS – Frontier Rodeo’s Full Baggage has quite the resume: a two-time PRCA Bareback Horse of the Year that finished second three times and was also a three-time Bareback Horse of the National Finals Rodeo. Waylon Bourgeois has the distinction for being the last cowboy to ever ride award-winning horse. Bourgeois rode the big, powerful bay for 85.5 points to finish fourth during Wednesday’s seventh round, collecting $15,377 because of it. “That was a special night for me,” said Bourgeois, 26, of Church Point, Louisiana. “That horse has been to the NFR 19 times and is a horse of the year and reserve horse of the year. What a great horse. To be able to get on him for his last day is pretty special. I’ll remember that forever.” The money will be spent, and the buckles will tarnish, but memories like that are meant for a lifetime. It was also a big night for Bourgeois, started off hot but went on a cold plunge for three rounds leading up to Wednesday night. “This is 10 nights of fun,” he said. “We get a little sore, but we knocked some of the soreness out and got back at them.” The soreness might be coming back a little. Full Baggage has been considered one of the greatest bucking horses in rodeo for some times. Ten years ago, he was overpowering some cowboys. The big gelding still has that way about him at nearly 24 years old. “He hit me pretty hard in the back the first two jumps, and I knew it was go-time after that,” Bourgeois said. “I just kept setting my feet and going at him.” With three nights remaining on the season, Bourgeois has earned $96,150 at the NFR, pushing his annual salary to $234,014. It’s been a memorable campaign. “I’m glad I’ve had that week, because I’ve got a house to remodel,” he said with a laugh. “I’m super blessed. All I can do is thank God for getting me hear, keeping me healthy through seven rounds and trusting me to get through 10.”

Saddle bronc rider Weston Patterson returneed to the pay window when his 86-point ride on Burch Rodeo’s Calico Color helped him finish in fifth place during Wednesday’s seventh round of the National Finals Rodeo. (PHOTO BY GREG WESTFALL)   LAS VEGAS – Even though it’s in the desert, there can be some cold spells in the City of Entertainment. Saddle bronc rider Weston Patterson has been part of one. After finishing second in the opening round a week ago, he went without a paycheck for five straight nights. When it’s at the National Finals Rodeo, that makes things even tougher. “It feels good to get a check out of that,” said Patterson, who rode Burch Rodeo’s Calico Color for 86 points to finish fifth in Wednesday’s seventh round, worth $9,463. “It’s been pretty cold the last couple of nights. I’ve not been riding bad; I just haven’t been drawing the horses to get a check on. “The horse I had (Wednesday) I’ve been on before. I got on him last summer in Sentinel Butte, North Dakota, and I was 86 there. I knew she was going to move pretty hard right out of (the chute) and just going to be really bucky, so I knew I had a chance to finally scrap something out of it, and I did.” Cowboys are matched to their broncs via random draw, and while the horses are set in sections to make the competition as even as possible, there are several each night that are better than others. “When you’re not drawing hot, it can really get to you, and I’ve been trying to lot let it get to me and just know every night’s a chance,” said Patterson, 24, of Waverly, Kansas. “When the drawing is not as good as you want, just keep making the best of it and do your job.” Despite the dry spell, Patterson has earned $48,442 in Las Vegas, with $10,000 of that coming from the bonus that comes from qualifying for the NFR. He has increased his season earnings to $222,178 and sits 11th in the world standings. It’s all part of the learning curve for the first-timer in Sin City, but he’s had a little help from a couple of traveling partners, fellow bronc busters Wyatt Casper, a five-time finalist who just missed advancing this season, and Kade Bruno, who is competing at his fourth straight NFR. Both have been boosting the young cowboy’s confidence. “Kade’s been having a good week and has been riding good,” Patterson said. “He’s been very positive and just telling me to keep doing what I did all year. I’ve been talking to Wyatt about every day. He told me today, ‘I’ve been on both sides of the ball. I’ve been the guy that wins the average and second in the world, and I’ve been the guy that didn’t hardly get a dime out here. Just keep going at it; there’s a reason you made it out here.’ “Wyatt Smith, one of the coaches from Clarendon (Texas) College, called me today just to give me some positive feedback. I just have to remember that I’m here for a reason, and just because things aren’t going so hot doesn’t mean there’s anything bad about it.” The NFR is a slugfest, and the bronc busters are being tested by the 100 best horses in the sport over 10 December nights in Las Vegas. There are times when he needs to clear his mind, and he takes advantage of his days to get things right mentally. “I went to the Airbnb my girlfriend’s family has and just got away from the scene, went somewhere that’s a little bit quiet and just relax,” he said. “I feel like when I do that, it helps me prepare coming into the night and having my mind straightened and ready to go.”