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Haylee Taylor

NFR 2019: Top 15 Team Roping Heelers

November 30, 2019 By Haylee Taylor

The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo serves as the ultimate culmination of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association seasons. It has earned global recognition as the foremost rodeo event on the planet. This grand spectacle has been a December tradition since 1985, consistently taking place at the esteemed Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. The Wrangler NFR stands as the pinnacle of ProRodeo, boasting unparalleled wealth and prestige within the rodeo world. It offers a captivating stage for the world’s finest cowboys, barrel racers, and the most exceptional livestock to showcase their remarkable talents.

Wrangler NFR 2019: Team Roping Heelers Profiles

Hunter Koch: Hunter Koch – Vernon, Texas ($84,307) First-time WNFR qualifier

A year ago, Hunter Koch (pronounced Cook) was just finishing up his first year as a heeler in the PRCA.

He spent a good part of that year roping with Billy Bob Brown, a fellow Texan and when it was all said and done, he finished the year in 39th place and won $24,202.

Now, he had earned a national title, has more than tripled his earnings and is headed to his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. He will heel for Matt Sherwood who he has been roping with since the Reno Rodeo. They won a bunch of money at Canadian Rodeos and were one of 12 teams that qualified for the Canadian Finals Rodeo (CFR). They were in fourth place.

Professional
2019 Highlights- Partner Matt Sherwood

  • Won the Strathmore (Alberta) Stampede
  • Won the Innisfail (Alberta) Pro Rodeo
  • Won the Brooks (Alberta) Kinsmen Pro Rodeo
  • Won That Famous Preston (Idaho) Night Rodeo
  • Won the Nicola Valley Pro Rodeo (Merritt, British Columbia)
  • Co-champion at the Young Living’s Last Chance Rodeo (Mona, Utah)

Travis Graves: Travis Graves – Jay, Okla. ($103,165) 11-time WNFR qualifier

Travis Graves

Fall is Travis Graves’ favorite time of the year. It’s a time when he gets to be at his home in Texas, temperatures are cooler, and he gets to prepare for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

Whether he’s been in Oklahoma where he grew up or in Texas, he has always enjoyed the fall. For the 11 years, fall has included plans to spend the first two weeks of December in Las Vegas for the NFR.

He competed at his first NFR in 2008 with Turtle Powell. Then he missed a year, was back in 2010 and has been there every year since. Travis will enter this year’s competition in fifth place with $103,165 in regular season earnings. Most of that was earned with Clay Tryan.

Professional
2019 Highlights- Partner Clay Tryan

  • Won the Waller County Fair & Rodeo (Hempstead, Texas)
  • Won the Ogden (Utah) Pioneer Days
  • Won the Daggott County Centennial Rodeo (Manila, Utah)
  • Won the Evanston (Wyo.) Cowboy Days
  • Co-champion at the Kansas (Phillipsburg) Biggest Rodeo

Brady Minor: Brady Minor – Ellensburg, Wash. ($97,649) 11-time WNFR qualifier

Brady Minor has had to find room in his trailer for a pony this year and is getting an idea of what his grandparents did to help he and brother Riley in their pursuit of team roping excellence.

That excellence in the arena will see Brady competing at his 11th Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. He’ll start the competition with $97,648 earned during the regular season. He did that roping with his younger brother Riley.

Professional
2019 Highlights – partner Riley Minor

  • Won the Sheridan WYO Rodeo
  • Won the Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo (Vernal, Utah)
  • Won the Chief Joseph (Ore.) Days
  • Co-champion at the Helzapoppin (Buckeye, Ariz.)
  • Co-champion at the Medicine Hat (Alberta) Stampede

Cole Davison: Cole Davison – Stephenville, Texas ($71,909) 2-time WNFR qualifier

Cole Davison

If the family that rodeos together stays together, Cole Davison is in for quite a ride.

A year ago, Cole made his debut appearance at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo with fellow Texan Tyler Wade. They won $63,308 even though their partnership just started.

In 2018, Cole’s primary partner, Kolton Schmidt, wasn’t among the top 15 headers at the end of the regular season. Cole finished in 13th place.

This year, he found himself in a similar situation when Levi Simpson, the 2016 world champion header finished in 24th. Cole will start this year’s NFR in 14th place with $71,909 in regular season earnings. And, he will be roping again with Tyler Wade.

Professional
2019 Highlights- Partner Levi Simpson

  • Won the Livingston (Mont.) Roundup
  • Won the Bruce (Alberta) Stampede
  • Won the Cranbrook (British Columbia) Pro Rodeo
  • Co-champion at the Williams Lake (Alberta) Stampede

Paul Eaves: Paul Eaves – Lonedell, Mo. ($89,447) 8-time WNFR qualifier 2018 World Champion

Paul Eaves

Paul Eaves proved this year that he is not one and done.

The reigning world champion heeler had a partner change in January, a new baby in April, a super busy summer and is headed back to Las Vegas to defend his title. He will be roping at his eighth consecutive Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

Most of Paul’s regular-season earnings came with Luke Brown doing the heading. He’ll start the competition in ninth place with $89,447 and at the NFR his partnership with Luke will continue.

Professional
2019 Highlights

  • Won the San Angelo (Texas) Cinch Shoot-Out Rodeo, with Clay Smith
  • Won the West Texas (Abilene) Fair & Rodeo, with Luke Brown

Joseph Harrison: Joseph Harrison – Overbrook, Okla. ($98,278) 3-time WNFR qualifer

Joseph Harrison

Joseph Harrison grew up at Roff, Oklahoma amid a family of ropers. His father, grandfather and uncle roped. Well, pretty much everyone in his family roped, so he started roping too.

As a teenager, he was looking to improve and decided if he was really going to excel in the rodeo arena, he needed to up his horsemanship. So at 15 and for the next several years he would spend every summer vacation, every spring break and every chance he got with Bobby Lewis, renown Quarter Horse breeder and trainer.

Did it up Joseph’s game? Without a doubt. He joined the PRCA in 2007, the first of two years that he qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo. He continued to work for Bobby and was showing horses.

Professional
2019 Highlights- Partner Chad Masters

  • Won the Reno (Nev.) Rodeo
  • Won the Walla Walla (Wash.) Frontier Days
  • Won the Amarillo (Texas) Tri-State Fair and Rodeo
  • Co-champion at the Gooding (Idaho) Pro Rodeo
  • Co-champion at the Lewiston (Idaho) Roundup
  • Won Tulsa (Okla.) State Fair PRCA Rodeo, with Coleman Proctor

Tyler Worley: Tyler Worley – Berryville, Ark. ($71,190) First-time WNFR qualifier

Tyler Worley

Brittany Worley is getting to have a Wrangler National Finals Rodeo experience that is very rare.

As a child, she got to see her father ride around the Thomas and Mack Arena for the grand entry carrying the Arkansas flag. Now that her husband, Tyler Worley has qualified and is the only resident from Arkansas in this year’s field, she will get to see him do the same.

Tyler Worley finished the regular season in 15th place in the heeling category of the team roping. He will start the NFR with $71,190, He edged out Billy Jack Saebens by just over $2,200 for the final spot. The first call he got was Billy Jack calling to congratulate him. Tyler was still having a hard time believing that it was true.

Professional
2019 Highlights

  • Won the West of the Pecos (Texas) Rodeo with Jeff Flenniken

Junior Nogueira: Junior Nogueira – Presidente Prude, Brazil ($115,775) 6-time WNFR qualifier 2016 All-Around World Champion

Junior Nogueira

It would be easy to think that Junior Nogueira has the world by the tail, or maybe two feet. The best heeler in the PRCA during the 2019 regular season is known for his signature pull back move in the arena when he’s done his job well.

That has transferred to social media where he now hashtags posts with #pullbackforJesus. It now means so much more to Junior than a successful team roping run who told the Team Roping Journal that he gets his confidence and strength from God.

Junior started roping as a toddler in his native country of Brazil. Both of his parents roped. When he was five, his father was roping calves, had a heart attack and died.

Professional
2019 Highlights- partner Kaleb Driggers

  • Won the Dodge City (Kan.) Roundup Rodeo
  • Won the Mineral Wells (Texas) PRCA Rodeo
  • Won the Wolf Point (Mont.) Wild Horse Stampede
  • Won the Cache County Fair And Rodeo (Logan, Utah)
  • Won the Magic Valley Stampede (Filer, Idaho)
  • Co-champion at the Pasadena (Texas) Livestock Show & Rodeo
  • Co-champion at the Oakley Independence Day Rodeo (Oakley City, Utah)

Wesley Thorp: Wesley Thorp – Throckmorton, Texas ($87,296) 4-time WNFR qualifier

Wesley Thorp

In five years as a member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, Wesley Thorp has racked up over half a million dollars in earnings and qualified for four Wrangler National Finals Rodeos. Not bad for a ranch kid from Throckmorton, Texas.

He also has two National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association titles to his credit and has won a slew of jackpots. Wesley’s first trip to Las Vegas came with another young roper, Zac Small. They were both still in college. Zac had been accepted to veterinarian school, so he had to focus on his education after that.

Then Wesley started roping with Cody Snow, the 2015 heading rookie of the year. That partnership has stayed strong and they are headed to their third NFR together. They won $108,788 at last year’s NFR and Wesley finished the season in fourth place.

Professional
2019 Highlights – Partner Cody Snow

  • Won the Canby (Ore.) Rodeo
  • Won the Coleman (Texas) PRCA Rodeo
  • Won the Tri-State Rodeo Cinch Shoot-Out (Fort Madison, Iowa)
  • Won the Springhill (La.) PRCA Rodeo
  • Won the Buffalo (Texas) Stampede PRCA Rodeo
  • Co-champion at the Oakley Independence Day Rodeo (Oakley City, Utah)

Jade Corkill: Jade Corkill – Fallon, Nev. ($108,638) 10-time WNFR qualifier 3-time World Champion

Jade Corkill

After nine Wrangler National finals Rodeo qualifications, Jade Corkill had fallen out of love with rodeo and roping.

He told his team roping partner, Clay Tryan, after the 2018 winter rodeos that he should start heading for someone else. Jade went home, spent time with his wife, Haley, and two boys, Colby, eight and Kelton, five. His heart wasn’t in practicing or the rodeo grind anymore.

They spent the summer in Nevada at his parent’s place. He entered the Bob Feist Invitational and Spicer Gripp Memorial ropings. He didn’t do any good, confirming his decision to get off the rodeo trail. He finished the 2018 season in 78th place.

Professional
2019 Highlights- Partner Clay Smith

  • Won the team roping and co-champion in all-around at the Apache (Okla.) Stampede
  • Won the Greeley (Colo.) Stampede
  • Won the Eugene (Ore.) Pro Rodeo
  • Won the Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
  • Co-champion at the Kansas (Phillipsburg) Biggest Rodeo
  • Won the Oakdale (Calif.) Saddle Club Rodeo, with Luke Brown

Ryan Motes: Ryan Motes – Weatherford, Texas ($109,166) 5-time WNFR qualifier

Ryan Motes

Ryan Motes joined the PRCA in 2001, qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in 2001 and is headed back to Las Vegas again this year in second place.

He’s had the best regular season of his rodeo career earning $109,166 before he ever rides into the Thomas and Mack Center. His father, David Motes, roped to a world title (heading) in Oklahoma City with Ryan’s uncle, Dennis Motes. David qualified for the NFR a total of 22 times.

Ryan’s first appearance in the Thomas and Mack arena was long before he ever competed there. In 1989, four years after the event moved to Las Vegas. The openings were being coordinated by the Flying U Rodeo Company and one of them centered around rodeo kids. Ryan Motes was one of those kids and at nine years old, he rode his horse into the arena like a champ.

Professional
2019 Highlights- Partner Cole Proctor

  • Won The American (Arlington, Texas)
  • Won the Lea County PRCA Rodeo (Lovington, N.M.)
  • Won the Tri-State Rodeo Cinch Shoot-Out (Fort Madison, Iowa)
  • Co-champion at the Lawton (Okla.) Rangers Rodeo

Chase Tryan: Chase Tryan – Helena, Mont. ($86,345) 3-time WNFR qualifier

Chase Tryan

A year ago, Chase Tryan had roped with four different partners to get him to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

One of those was Brenten Hall, who he has roped with all year and this year they both qualified for rodeo’s championships. It’s Chase’s third trip to the NFR and Brenten’s first.

Chase had faith in Brenten’s ability from the beginning. They set a goal of Brenten winning Rookie of the Year and hoping to get to Vegas, but he didn’t get to rope at the big winter rodeos and fell short.

He did, however, continue to rope with Chase and help him make it to his second NFR. Chase roped with Bubba Buckaloo in Las Vegas last year. They won $106,814 in the Thomas and Mack Center and Chase finished the season in sixth place.

Professional
2019 Highlights- Partner Brenten Hall

  • Won the Washington (Puyallup) State Fair Pro Rodeo
  • Won the Leduc (Alberta) Black Gold Pro Rodeo
  • Won the IPE and Stampede (Armstrong, British Columbia)

Caleb Anderson: Caleb Anderson – Mocksville, N.C. ($72,390) First-time WNFR qualifier

Caleb Anderson

If Caleb Anderson needs some motivation to rope, he can always go home to North Carolina and work. His family is involved in the logging industry and he has been a fifth-generation logger.

Now he is one of the best heelers in the PRCA and is headed to his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. It’s been quite a journey for the former student at New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs. He joined the PRCA in 2010 and was also competing in the International Professional Rodeo Association where he won championships from 2013 -2015.

His good friend Cory Kidd V, also from North Carolina told Caleb he should come rope for a whole year. They did that together last year. Caleb finished in 32nd place.

Jake Long: Jake Long – Coffeyville, Kan. ($106,896) 9-time WNFR qualifier

Jake Long

Jake Long has had one of the best regular seasons of his career roping behind several great headers. He will enter his ninth Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in fourth place with $106,896 in regular season earnings.

He started off the year with wins at the National Western Stock Show Rodeo in Denver and the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Kissimmee, Florida with Clay Smith. Then in June he started roping with Dustin Egusquiza. He finished up the season with Dustin who ended up 16th in the world standings. He and Dustin have already started earning checks in the 2020 season.

When Jake ropes at this year’s NFR, he will be heeling for three-time world champion Clay Tryan. He and Clay won $30,000 each at a jackpot in North Dakota in June and are looking forward to running 10 steers in Vegas.

Professional
2019 Highlights- Partner Clay Smith

  • Won the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo (Kissimmee, Fla.)
  • Won the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo (Denver, Colo.)
  • Won the Texas (Waco) Circuit Finals Rodeo
  • Won the Ropin Dreams (Jourdanton, Texas)
  • Won the Sikeston (Mo.) Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo, with Dustin Egusquiza
  • Won the Black Hills Roundup (Belle Fourche, S.D.), with Dustin Egusquiza
  • Co-champion at the Lewiston (Idaho) Roundup, with Dustin Egusquiza

Kyle Lockett: Kyle Lockett – Visalia, Calif. ($98,730) 8-time WNFR qualifier

Kyle Lockett

When Kyle Lockett rides into the Thomas and Mack Center for the 2019 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, he will be the oldest team roping heeler there at 42.

But that’s only part of what makes his story so remarkable. This is Kyle’s eighth qualification for rodeo’s championship, but the first in 15 years. He joined the PRCA in 1997, won the rookie title in the heeling and qualified for his first NFR. He was there again in 1998.

He was there again in the at the beginning of the next century and in 2002 he and partner Wade Wheatley finished as reserve world champions. They had roped together growing up and Kyle finished his rodeo career with Wade in 2005, or so he though.

Professional
2019 Highlights

  • Won RodeoHouston (Texas), with Ty Blasingame
  • Won the San Angelo (Texas) Rodeo, with Aaron Tsinigine
  • Won the Santa Maria (Calif.) Elks Rodeo, with Lane Santos Karney
  • Won the all-around and tie-down roping at the Tehachapi (Calif.) Mountain Rodeo

How does a breakaway rope work?

A string attaches the rope to the saddle horn. When the calf reaches the rope’s end, it tightens, causing the string to snap. The breaking of the string signals the conclusion of the run. Typically, there’s a small white flag at the rope’s end, making the moment it breaks more visible to the timer. In conjunction with the 2020 WranglerÂź National Finals Rodeo (NFR) held at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, female ropers will vie for the 2020 world championship in Breakaway Roping during the Wrangler National Finals Breakaway Roping (NFBR). This exciting three-day event features a substantial $200,000 purse.

Filed Under: Contestant Profiles

Three Exciting New Areas Added To Cowboy Channel Cowboy Christmas

November 28, 2019 By Haylee Taylor

Three Exciting New Areas Added to Cowboy Christmas

If there is one constant at Cowboy Christmas each year it is the outstanding shopping. However, each year the experience has continued to grow with the addition of interactive and experiential elements. This year is no different with three new elements – NFR Extra, Junior World Finals BLVD. presented by 12 Gauge Ranch and Bites and Brews presented by Total Feeds.

Cowboy Christmas runs concurrently with the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, Dec. 5 – 14, and is open daily at the Las Vegas Convention Center from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily. Admission is always free.

Hosted by Nevada Colwell, Rockin’ Robbie Hodges and Brilynn Bentley, the NFR Extra Podcast will broadcast daily from a customized studio designed to capture unique interviews with those involved in the rodeo industry. The trailer, designed and built by Bloomer Trailers, will be located on the east end of Cowboy Christmas, adjacent to the Rodeo Live Stage presented by RODEOHOUSTON.

The additional two elements are located upstairs from Cowboy Christmas within the footprint of RMEF’s Hunter & Outdoor Christmas Expo. After a day of shopping and enjoying the interactive elements at Cowboy Christmas, attendees can enjoy a unique line up of custom food and beverage carts at Bites and Brews presented by Total Feeds.

To add to the experience upstairs, attendees can take a stroll along the red carpet at Junior World Finals BLVD. presented by 12 Gauge Ranch featuring 18 interactive exhibits from sponsors of each event and the Junior World Finals. The red carpet will lead you to the Wrangler Rodeo Arena, the location for the Junior World Finals.

In addition to the three new areas, Cowboy Christmas will include the following main anchor displays and programming elements:

  • Rodeo Way – This “Old West” setting features eight interactive industry and rodeo exhibits located at the east entrance of Cowboy Christmas;
  • Wrangler Rodeo Arena – The arena will seat more than 1,100 fans and feature the Flag Girl Competition, Exceptional Rodeo presented by NV Energy and, for the fourth consecutive year, the Junior World Finals with championship competitions in bull riding, bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, girls and boys breakaway, team roping, tie-down roping, pole bending and barrel racing;
  • Rodeo Live presented by RODEOHOUSTON – Daily features include Flint Rasmussen’s “Outside the Barrel,” RFD-TV’s Western Sports Roundup and Keepin’ it Country with host Andy Griggs. New in 2019 is the Cowboys for Conservation Calcutta;
  • Coors Rodeo Saloon – Every great “rodeo” needs a saloon. Located near the east end of Cowboy Christmas, the Saloon features food vendors and video screens with a replay of the prior night’s Wrangler NFR performance;
  • NFR Central – This area will feature radio remotes, contestant and musician autograph sessions, giveaways and more. Dale Brisby will also be in attendance;
  • Great Wall of Rodeo presented by Calgary Stampede – This fan favorite features a graphic of all Wrangler NFR contestants and other interactive elements.

12 Gauge Ranch, Bloomer Trailers, Rockstar Energy, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, StubHub, Traeger Wood Fired Grills, Wrangler and YETI serve as Gold Buckle sponsors. Silver and Bronze sponsors include Boot Barn, Browning, B&W Trailer Hitches, Calgary Stampede, Cavender’s, Classic Equine, Cloud Touch, Coors, Impact Gel, Justin, Lucas Oil, NV Energy, Nevada State Bank, Panhandle, Pendleton Whisky, Priefert, Purina, Pro Fantasy Rodeo, Ram Rodeo, RFD-TV, RODEOHOUSTON, SmartPak, Star Nursery and Total Feeds, Inc. Official host hotels for the Junior World Finals include Eastside Cannery, Plaza, Sam’s Town and SpringHill Suites.

Cowboy Christmas brought large crowds to the Las Vegas Convention Center over the ten days in 2018, reaching 232,595.

Sold out for more than 300 consecutive performances, the Wrangler NFR attracts the top 15 contestants in bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, barrel racing, and bull riding. Under the new contract with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association that runs through 2024, the purse in 2019 is $10 million. Qualification is based on the 2019 PRCA World Standings.

Filed Under: Things to do

Complimentary Shuttle Bus Service for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo

November 22, 2019 By Haylee Taylor

Complimentary Shuttle Bus Service for NFR

Rodeo enthusiasts seeking convenient transportation to and from the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) can take advantage of the complimentary shuttle bus service known as the NFR Express. This service offers routes from the Las Vegas Convention Center and NFR’s official host hotels on the Las Vegas Strip and Downtown to the Thomas & Mack Center.

From Thursday, December 5th, to Saturday, December 14th, shuttle buses will be available for pick-up at Cowboy Christmas, situated at the Las Vegas Convention Center. This one-way route, known as the Rodeo Express Shuttle, will run directly from the Las Vegas Convention Center South Hall to the Thomas & Mack Center.

Starting on December 5th, the NFR Express will also offer complimentary routes to and from the NFR sponsor hotels, with a total of fourteen routes covering 24 hotel properties.

Pat Christenson, president of Las Vegas Events, emphasized the efficiency of the NFR Express, stating, “The NFR Express is the most efficient means to get to the Thomas & Mack Center. In addition to the routes that service our hotel partners, there is a one-way shuttle that allows fans to move from Cowboy Christmas to the arena. Due to increased traffic and parking congestion at the Thomas & Mack Center, we encourage fans to consider this complimentary mode of transportation.”

In 2019, all Wrangler NFR performances commence at 6:45 p.m. (PT), with NFR Express pick-ups starting at 5 p.m. (PT) and return service until 10:30 p.m. (PT). Note that there is no shuttle bus service during the actual rodeo performance.

Rodeo fans are strongly advised to make use of the NFR Express for round-trip transportation. Additionally, it’s recommended that fans allocate approximately 15 minutes for traffic conditions from each hotel pick-up point.

The NFR Express routes and pick-up points are as follows:

  • Route 1 – One-Way Express Shuttle: Cowboy Christmas – Las Vegas Convention Center, South Halls (Bronze Parking Lot)
  • Route 2: MGM Grand – West wing entrance
  • Route 3: Sam’s Town – Rear entrance (behind the food court)
  • Route 4: Mandalay Bay – Shark Reef entrance; Tropicana – North entrance
  • Route 5: Hard Rock Hotel – Main entrance; Westgate – East Tower entrance
  • Route 6: New York-New York – Main entrance; The Orleans – Valet entrance
  • Route 7: Gold Coast – Valet entrance; Rio – Rotunda entrance
  • Route 8: The D – Main entrance; Golden Nugget – Carson Tower entrance
  • Route 9: Downtown Grand – Entrance at 3rd St. and Ogden Ave.; The Plaza – The Plaza Welcome Sign – Main St. and Carson Ave.
  • Route 10: Caesars Palace – Tour bus area (Under Planet Hollywood sign); The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas – Main entrance (north wall)
  • Route 11: The Mirage – North valet entrance; Treasure Island (TI) – Bus loading zone, near the South Side Valet
  • Route 12: Flamingo – Tour bus area; Harrah’s – Bus tour lobby
  • Route 13: Bally’s – North entrance; Planet Hollywood – Tour bus area
  • Route 14: Silverton – Main entrance; South Point – Main entrance

For more information on the Wrangler NFR and Cowboy Christmas, please visit NFRexperience.com or follow them on social media at /LasVegasNFR, using the hashtag #WranglerNFR. For the latest news on Pro Rodeo and Wrangler NFR coverage, visit Vegasnfr.com or connect through social media at @PRCA_ProRodeo.

Filed Under: News

NFR Top 15 Bareback Riders 2019

November 16, 2019 By Haylee Taylor

The Wrangler NFR serves as the season-ending championship event for both the PRCA and the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association. Universally recognized as the world’s premier rodeo, this prestigious event has been an annual tradition since 1985. Hosted at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas every December, the Wrangler NFR stands as the most esteemed and financially rewarding rodeo in the ProRodeo circuit. It provides a platform for showcasing the absolute best cowboys, barrel racers, and livestock from across the globe.

Wrangler NFR Bareback Riders Profiles 2019

Jake Brown: Jake Brown – Cleveland, Texas ($95,068) 5-time WNFR qualifier

Jake Brown at NFR

Jake has always wanted to be cowboy and one of the first goals he ever set was to qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

He enters his fifth NFR in ninth place with $95,048 in regular season earnings. The born and bred Texan first accomplished that goal in 2015 and hasn’t missed one since. His father, Paul Brown is a college rodeo coach. He has two older sisters that competed at play days and the family was nearly always at a rodeo or practicing for rodeos.

Tim O’Connell: Tim O’Connell – Zwingle, Iowa ($113,168) 6-time WNFR qualifier 3-time World Champion

Tim O’Connell at NFR

Three years in a row Tim O’Connell entered the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in first place and left with a world title. But in 2018, he also left with an injury.

He scored 87-points on J Bar J’s bucking horse All Pink in the tenth round, but that came at a cost. He suffered a torn rotator cuff and torn labrum. While he didn’t think the injury was that bad at first, an MRI when he returned home showed the extent of the damage.

Dr. Tandy Freeman of the Justin Sportsmedicine Team recommended surgery which kept Tim out of action for six months. The upside of the forced inaction was Tim had more time to spend with his wife Sami and their son Hazen who turned one in March.

I enjoyed the six months off,” he said. “God blessed me with the time to spend with my wife and son, and it lit my fire to ride bucking horses again.

Trenten Montero: Trenten Montero – Winnemucca, Nev. ($80,757) First-time WNFR qualifier

Trenten Montero at NFR

If Trenton Montero has any regrets about his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualification, it’s that he won’t be able to participate in the grand entry.

There is nothing this ranch-raised cowboy would rather do than ride behind the Nevada flag as one of this year’s Wrangler National Finals Rodeo contestants, except get on a bucking horse and ride for a world championship. That is exactly what he is going to do and because bareback riding is the first event, those contestants don’t participate in the grand entry.

Taylor Broussard: Taylor Broussard – Estherwood, La. ($79,271) First-time WNFR qualifier

Taylor Broussard at NFR

When a lot of rodeo contestants qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, someone plans a celebration for them.

Taylor Broussard from Estherwood, Louisiana is having his own party on Facebook. Broussard’s family owns Acadia Crawfish Company, a gourmet line of spices and foods that reflects his Louisiana bayou heritage. When it was official, and he could announce that he got the 15th spot and was headed to compete on rodeo’s biggest stage he celebrated by giving away a starter kit to have the world’s best crawfish boil.

While he is giving others the opportunity to have a celebration, he and his wife Alishea and their families are doing a lot of celebrating as well. Taylor joined the PRCA in 2011. When he’s not rodeoing, he works at the family business. After finishing in the top 40 last year, he felt like he could compete with the best and had the confidence that he could be among the top 15 that ride for the gold buckle.

Tilden Hooper: Tilden Hooper – Carthage, Texas ($137,559) 6-time WNFR qualifier

Tilden Hooper at NFR

When Tilden Hooper won the bareback riding at the College National Finals Rodeo and the PRCA Rookie of the Year in 2007, everyone saw a bright future for the talented athlete.

He qualified for his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in 2008. Tilden finished that year 15th in the world standings. The next year he qualified again in 14th place.

In 2010, he tied for the world-record score when he rode Classic Pro Rodeo’s Big Tex for 94 points. But he missed the NFR.

A trip back to Las Vegas came in 2011 and again in 2014, when he finished the year in 11th place both times.

Clint Laye: Clint Laye – Cadogan, Alberta ($107,954) 2-time WNFR qualifier

Clint Laye at NFR

Clint Laye is returning to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo after a three-year absence. The Canadian bareback rider qualified for his first trip to the Thomas & Mack Center in 2015, finished 10th in the world standings and placed in four of the 10 rounds.

Injuries kept him out of action for most of 2016, he finished in the Top 50 in 2017 and just missed returning to the WNFR last year when he finished 17th. He starts this year’s competition in eighth place with $107,954 in regular season earnings.

He started 2019 with a bang, winning the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo in Denver in January. Other big wins included the California Rodeo in Salinas; Union, Oregon; Jerome, Idaho; Moses Lake, Washington; and Mona, Utah, the last weekend of the regular rodeo season.

Ty Breuer: Ty Breuer – Mandan, N.D. ($88,699) 5–time WNFR qualifier

Ty Breuer at NFR

Ty Breuer had the best winter of his nine years as a PRCA bareback rider this year.

The Mandan, North Dakota resident won the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, then the Fiesta De Las Vaqueros Rodeo in Tucson, Arizona. He also got nearly $10,000 out of the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo.

He continued winning and by the first of April had worked his way to third place in the world standings. Then things started to slow down. After the Fourth of July he was sixth with $86,113. He only added $2,586 through the rest of the season qualifying for his fifth Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in 12th place with $88,699.

Caleb Bennett: Caleb Bennett – Corvallis, Mont. ($110,973) 8-time WNFR qualifier

Caleb Bennett at NFR

Caleb Bennett had high hopes for a gold buckle last year. He came to Las Vegas ranked 2nd, his best regular season finish in more than a decade of membership in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.

He won one round at the 2018 WNFR and placed in three others – a respectable showing – but five other cowboys won enough in the 10 rounds to pass him. He finished the year ranked sixth in the world.

This year he starts rodeo’s championships in seventh with $110,973 earned in during the regular season. He kicked off 2019 with big wins in Texas at San Angelo and Austin, where he won first for the second year in a row. Other big wins came at the 100th anniversary Cody (Wyoming) Stampede over July 4 and at several Canadian rodeos.

Austin Foss: Austin Foss – Terrebonne, Ore. ($92,895) 4-time WNFR qualifier

Austin Foss at NFR

A bareback riding glove that gets wedged into the handle of a rigging is much more than a tool for Austin Foss of Terrebonne, Oregon.

The four-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier customizes those gloves for his fellow competitors and uses his own glove to keep track of his rides and remind him to keep improving. Each time he is more than 80 points on a ride, he stamps an eight on his glove. He pulled out some old gloves and did some calculating. The glove he rode with in 2012 had about 20 of the eights on it. The next year it was 26. During this year’s regular season, he has been 80 points or better a total of 45 times and even got to put a nine on his glove for a ride that topped 90 this year.

That success during the regular season has Austin headed to the NFR in 11th place with $92,895. A native Oregonian, Austin won the state title in high school twice. He went on to Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton and finished fifth at the College National Finals Rodeo in 2012, the same year he won the PRCA Rookie-of-the-Year title.

Steven Dent: Steven Dent – Mullen, Neb. ($93,799) 10-time WNFR qualifier

Steven Dent at WNFR

Growing up in the sandhills of Nebraska, there were three things Steven Dent learned a lot about, athletics, rodeo and ranching. He has been successful at all three and 2019 marks his tenth trip to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

When he was a junior in high school,l he helped his eight-man football team win a state championship and led the state in rushing with 2,488 yards. The next year, he was a state wrestling champion.

All the while, he was learning about rodeo from his father who competed in the PRCA. His parents made their living ranching and he was taking that all in as well. Football scholarships held little interest to the high school athlete, but an offer to rodeo with world champion saddle bronc rider Tom Reeves at Ranger College in Texas was very appealing.

Steven also competes in saddle bronc riding as well as bareback riding. In fact, he finished the 2019 regular season ranked fifth in the all-around world championship standings and won the collegiate all-around title in 2007.

Clayton Biglow: Clayton Biglow – Clements, Calif. ($181,952) 4-time WNFR qualifier

Clayton Biglow at WNFR

After the best season of his rodeo career, Clayton Biglow is headed to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo for the fourth consecutive year – and this time he’s the frontrunner.

He racked up nearly $182,000 in regular-season earnings, including over $9,000 in the final month of the season to move him $5,741 ahead of four-time world champion Kaycee Feild.

After his first NFR qualification in 2016, he finished the season in seventh place. In 2017, he was fifth and in 2018 he finished fourth. With that constant improvement, this year he is poised for a serious bid for a world championship.

Clayton has been among the top seven bareback riders in the world since 2016, just three years removed from winning the National High School Rodeo Association champion bareback rider and reserve all-around cowboy.

Kaycee Feild: Kaycee Feild – Spanish Fork, Utah ($176,205) 10-time WNFR qualifier 4-time World Champion

Kaycee Feild at NFR

The path to his tenth Wrangler National Finals Rodeo has been a roller-coaster of ups and downs for four-time world champion bareback rider Kaycee Feild.

After finishing seventh at the end of 2018, Feild didn’t have an exceptional early season in 2019. By mid-February he was ranked 10th in the world championship standings.

Then came March. He started the month winning second place and $26,000 at The American in Arlington, Texas. Then he headed to one of his favorite rodeos – Rodeo Houston. There he won his fifth title in eight years and added more than $56,000 to his season earnings and passing the $100,000 mark. He finished the month by staying in Texas and winning $12,000 at Rodeo Austin and held the number one position with just under $116,000.

Richmond Champion: Richmond Champion – The Woodlands, Texas ($130,829) 5-time WNFR qualifier

Richmond Champion at NFR

With parents that jobs that required frequent moves, Richmond Champion didn’t find his way to the rodeo arena until he was a teenager and had moved to Texas. The first-generation cowboy has truly found his passion and has qualified for his fifth Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in the bareback riding.

Wanting to be the best he knew he needed to learn so he went to three bareback riding schools in six months. It paid off. He won the Texas High School Rodeo title, competed at the National High School Finals Rodeo and got a chance to further his education at Tarleton State University.

His mother competed in equestrian events in high school and had a love for horses that she passed on. The family is super competitive with everything they do and when Richmond’s older brother Doug was riding bareback horses, it wasn’t long until they both were getting on. Richmond had been riding bulls but said “I wasn’t very good at it,” so the transition to bareback was an easy decision.

Orin Larsen: Orin Larsen – Inglis, Manitoba ($173,442) 5-time WNFR qualifier

Orin Larsen at NFR

Orin Larsen is making a habit of qualifying for both the Canadian Finals Rodeo (CFR) and the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. This is the fourth year in a row that he will compete at Canada’s championship rodeo in October and then head to Las Vegas for the WNFR in December.

The first year he qualified for the NFR was in 2015. But the native Canadian missed the CFR that year.

Orin’s first NFR qualification was special for the family as his older brother Tyrell competed in the saddle bronc riding. They were the first contestants from Manitoba to compete for rodeo’s championships.

They have made a lot of family memories. At last year’s CFR, Orin competed in bareback riding, Tyrell in saddle bronc riding and their youngest brother Kane qualified in the bull riding.

Tanner Aus: Tanner Aus – Granite Falls, Minn. ($81,595) 4-time WNFR qualifier

Tanner Aus at NFR

Rodeo fans would be hard pressed to find a cowboy that is more humble than Tanner Aus from Granite Falls, Minnesota.

Each of the three previous years that he has been there, he has shared or won at least one round and placed in multiple rounds. He has career earnings of nearly $900,000 so it’s a pretty safe bet that he will accomplish that goal at this year’s NFR.

He has won a lot of big rodeos, qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo four times and is on track to cross the $1 million mark. In fact, even though he is entering the NFR in 13th place with $81,595 he could cross that milestone in Las Vegas in December.

Courtesy of WranglerNetwork.com

Filed Under: Contestant

NFR Top 15 Barrel Racers 2019

November 13, 2019 By Haylee Taylor

The Wrangler NFR stands as the culminating championship event for both the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association, holding the esteemed title of the world’s foremost rodeo competition. Since its inception in 1985, this grand event has been a December tradition, taking place at the renowned Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. Renowned as the most lucrative and prestigious rodeo in the ProRodeo circuit, the Wrangler NFR proudly features the finest cowboys, barrel racers, and livestock from across the globe.

2019 WNFR Barrel Racers Profiles

Jennifer Sharp: Jennifer Sharp – Richards, Texas ($91,754) First-time WNFR qualifier

Jennifer Sharp

Jennifer Sharp started the 2019 season with a bang, winning second at Odessa, Texas, and then taking the championship at the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo in Denver in January. Riding Six French Smooches “Smooch”, she won nearly $12,000. Smooch, a six-year-old palomino mare is owned by Terri Lamp of Cat Springs, Texas.

Hailey Kinsel: Hailey Kinsel – Cotulla, Texas ($148,867) 3-time WNFR qualifier 2018 World Champion

It wasn’t that long ago that no one had heard of Hailey Kinsel, but she and her great mare DM Sissy Hayday “Sister” have not only become superstars in the barrel racing world, their rise to success in the rodeo arena has given the Kinsel name notoriety.

It started in 2017 when they won RFD-TV’s The American. Then came a college championship for Texas A&M University and their first trip to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo where they set an arena record and an earnings record.

Stevi Hillman: Stevi Hillman – Weatherford, Texas ($105,335) 4-time WNFR qualifier

For any barrel racer to achieve greatness, it takes a team. For Stevi Hillman, it has also taken a Truck.

Stevi is on her way to her fourth Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and while she has ridden several different horses, there has been one that has been instrumental in her success. That horse is 12-year-old gelding Cuatro Fame, “Truck.”

There are several constants in her life. Her faith in God, her husband Ty, and her desire to win. Truck has been right there too. This year he has won the majority of her $105,335 during the regular season putting her in sixth place to start the NFR.

Stevi first qualified for the NFR in 2016. That same year, her husband, Ty Hillman, started his own personal coaching business – Prepare to Win. That has become a way of life for this duo as they listen to motivational speakers as they drive, try to eat healthy and get rest on the road and put their faith to good use.

Nellie Miller: Nellie Miller – Cottonwood, Calif. ($154,611) 4-time WNFR qualifier 2017 World Champion

Nellie Miller not only has the distinction of entering her fourth Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in first place, she did it by entering fewer rodeos than any of her other competitors.

It’s not just because she has a super star horse in Rafter W Minnie Reba, the 11-year-old mare that everyone knows as Sister. Sister was raised and trained by Nellie’s father Sam Williams and is a full sister to the horse that Nellie competed on at her first NFR.

Maybe it is because they raised and trained the mare, and maybe it’s just because of the partnership they have formed, but Nellie has figured out exactly what rodeos Sister likes and where they will excel. Needless to say, they have a high winning percentage. They earned $154,611 during the regular season and did that at 28 rodeos.

Ericka Nelson: Ericka Nelson – Century, Fla. ($93,433) First-time WNFR qualifier

Ericka Nelson at nfr

Ask Ericka Nelson about the learning curve in rodeo. It took her three years to get to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and it wasn’t from lack of effort or winning.

Ericka joined the WPRA in 2001. She went to circuit rodeos and stayed pretty close to home in Century, Florida. She rode outside horses and did some training. One of the horses that came to her in those days was PC Cash “Bud.” He came to Ericka as a three-year-old, she started training him and taking him to futurities. Because she didn’t want to travel and go “out west” but wanted Bud to have those opportunities he was sold.

Then Goodfrenchmanfriday “Friday” came into her life and she couldn’t turn down the opportunity to ride him. She saw it as an opportunity to show the rest of the world the quality of horses there are in Florida, so she hit the road.

Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi: Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi – Lampasas, Texas ($105,503) 13-time WNFR qualifier 2-time World Champion

Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi at NFR

Brittany Pozzi-Tonozzi just might have a horse problem. It’s a self-proclaimed part of her barrel racing addiction.

That addiction has led to 13 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifications, well over $2 million in career earnings and two world championships. It’s also developed her horsemanship as she has ridden so many different horses and gained experience and knowledge from each one.

Her love of the sport led to ventures outside of the arena starting a breeding business. She and her husband Garrett Tonozzi have about 50 horses in their care and do a large percentage of the work themselves.

Add a two-year-old daughter (Tinlee born March of 2017) and their lives have to be nothing short of chaotic. Even with the chaos, Brittany has managed to travel coast to coast, earn $105,503 during the regular season and will start this year’s NFR in fifth place.

On the “Married With Horses” podcast, she told Lane and Jackie Jatzlau that she would really be happy if she won fifth place at every rodeo she went to. All of those fifth-place checks would add up and with going to 67 rodeos would likely get someone to the NFR.

Emily Miller: Emily Miller – Weatherford, Okla. ($98,145) First-time WNFR qualifier

Emily Miller at NFR

Emily Miller grew up on a farm in Kansas with family that wasn’t involved with horses. Her babysitter was a barrel racer and that started an interest that is not only a lifelong passion for Emily, it forged a lifelong relationship with that babysitter, Jana (Wehkamp) Turner.

Emily’s parents supported her love of horses and competing in rodeos but they also were realistic about the endeavors. She competed in five events in high school and was the Kansas all-around champion on three occasions.

When she was a sophomore in high school her parents bought her a horse for the last time. They were still supportive but knew that she needed to learn to make it on her own and treat rodeo like a business.

She got rodeo scholarships for college and started out at the nearby Garden City Community College. Then she transferred to Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford and got her dental hygiene degree.

Shali Lord: Shali Lord – Lamar, Colo. ($111,776) 2-time WNFR qualifier

Shali Lord at NFR

A lot of things have changed since Shali Lord qualified for her first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in 2005.

While the competition is essentially the same, the NFR payout has nearly doubled going from $5,104,424 to $10,000. Each of the 10 rounds is worth about $12,000 more for winners and the overall NFR champion will earn $27,000 more than the 2005 winner did.

When Shali, from Lamar, Colorado, qualified in 2005, she rode a little bay rocket, SX Docs Slider “Slider” that either got her to the pay window or hit a barrel. It was exciting to watch and that duo stole the hearts of many fans. She ended up third in the world with $143,348. This year she enters the competition fourth in the world with $111,776, just $31,572 less than she won during the whole 2005 season.

Cheyenne Wimberley: Cheyenne Wimberley – Stephenville, Texas ($90,361) 3-time WNFR qualifier

Cheyenne Wimberley at NFR

It’s been 20 years since Cheyenne Wimberley ran down the alley at the Thomas & Mack Center to compete in the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

The Stephenville, Texas, cowgirl joined the WPRA shortly after hitting double digits. It wasn’t long until she was finding success in the rodeo arena. She filled her permit when she was 11 at the New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque. The next year she was the Turquoise Circuit Rookie of the Year. She made her first of two consecutive appearances at the NFR in 1998.

After her good horse sustained a career-ending injury, Cheyenne walked away from professional rodeo and its grueling travel schedule. She finished college at Tarleton State University, earned her realtor’s license, became a horse insurance broker and founded Cowboy Classic Saddlery with her parents. She kept her passion for barrel racing, finding her niche training futurity horses.

Ivy Conrado-Saebens: Ivy Conrado – Nowata, Okla. ($93,269) 4-time WNFR qualifier

Ivy Conrado-Saebens at Wrangler NFR

This has been a year of change outside of the rodeo arena for Ivy Conrado-Saebens, but her barrel racing has been on a steady winning path.

She qualified for her fourth consecutive Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in barrel racing and her ten-year-old mare KNFabs Gift of Fame “JLo” was named AQHA Purina Reserve Barrel Horse of the Year for the second straight year. Ivy has $93,269 in regular-season earnings and will start the NFR in 11th place.

Last year she placed in six of the ten rounds at the Thomas & Mack Center, finishing eighth in the average. She won the fifth round, earning the go-round buckle, finished third in the first, sixth and seventh rounds and took sixth in the third and tenth rounds. Ivy won $98,000 to nearly double her regular season winnings and finish the year ranked sixth.

On the personal side, Ivy moved to Nowata, Oklahoma, early this year, where her fiancé Billie Jack Saebens is head trainer for Dixon Flowers Rope Horses.

The couple had a chance to be one of the relatively few husband-wife duos to qualify for the WNFR in the same year. Saebens, a two-time WNFR qualifier in team roping, just missed the cut this year, finishing 16th in the heeler standings, just $2,200 short of the Top 15.

Dona Kay Rule: Dona Kay Rule – Minco, Okla. ($96,507) First-time WNFR qualifier

Dona Kay Rule at NFR

Dona Kay Rule has said that at 60-plus years of age, it’s her turn. She proved that by qualifying for her first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and doing it on a horse that 20 years ago she probably would have sold.

The Minco, Oklahoma resident doesn’t remember a time when horses weren’t a part of her life or when she didn’t want to go ride. Her father competed in rodeos. She was showing horses. Her father was entered in the team roping at a rodeo and they had to hustle from the horse show to get there. Dona Kay had won ribbons at the horse show but when she saw that her father got money for winning at the rodeo, her focus changed.

She met her husband, John Rule, inside the National Saddlery shop in Oklahoma City. That’s a business that they bought and ran together for years. Dona Kay was also raising two children and training barrel racing horses.

Amberleigh Moore: Amberleigh Moore – Salem, Ore. ($93,059) 4-time WNFR qualifier

Amberleigh Moore at NFR

Amberleigh Moore will be making her fourth consecutive trip to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. The Salem, Oregon, barrel racer has earned her berth nearly every possible way in those four years.

Her ten-year-old mare CP Dark Moon, who her husband Paul nicknamed Paige, has excelled in the atmosphere at the Thomas & Mack Center

Four years ago, she barely squeaked into the barrel racing field in 15th, but placed in eight of the 10 rounds, winning three. She won almost $187,000 at the finals, finished as reserve world champion and was the high money winner among the barrel racers.

The next year she came into Las Vegas ranked fourth and again won three rounds and placed in two others, winning nearly $120,000 at the WNFR.

Lisa Lockhart: Lisa Lockhart – Oelrichs, S.D. (146,352) 13-time WNFR qualifier 2-time WNFR Champion

Lisa Lockhart at NFR

Maybe 13 will be the magic number for South Dakota’s Lisa Lockhart. Her fans are certainly hoping so.

When she rides into the Thomas and Mack Center for the 2019 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, it will be for her 13th qualification. Much of her success in Las Vegas has been aboard An Oakie With Cash “Louie.”

Louie has been a standout in Las Vegas, taking Lisa to two NFR championships. At 16-years-old, the buckskin gelding has already made 80 trips around the barrels there. That’s 80 right turns and 160 left. Lisa has another buckskin mount that she won a round on at last year’s NFR, Rosas Cantina CC “Rosa,” nine, that looks very similar to Louie. The biggest difference is when they enter the arena, Louie goes right, Rosa goes left.

She also got help this year from an eight-year-old Prime Diamond “Cutter” that took her to her first national title. Last March, with Louie on the inured list and Rosa busy with breeding season, Lisa’s top two horses weren’t available for competition. She was representing the Badlands Circuit at the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo (for the 15th time) and had a big decision to make.

Jessica Routier: Jessica Routier – Buffalo, S.D. ($96,507) 2-time WNFR qualifier

Jessica Routier at NFR

Last year was a learning experience for Jessica Routier that led to her first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualification and taught her how to get back there again.

After finishing the 2018 season as the reserve world champion, she got into the lucrative winter rodeos hoping that the palomino mare, Fiery Miss West, that she rides would shine over the winter. “Missy” did just that and before the busy summer run, they had been to 10 rodeos and won nearly $40,000.

As she schedules those rodeos, she plans the trips so she is never gone from home for more than two weeks. Her husband Riley Routier is part of a ranching family that takes care of 800 head of cattle.

Jessica is a planner and with five children, a ranch and plenty of horses to ride, those plans play a critical role in her success. This year she went to 54 rodeos and won $96,507 to finish the regular season in eighth place.

Lacinda Rose: Lacinda Rose – Willard, Mo. ($88,936) First-time WNFR qualifier

Lacinda Rose at NFR

Making her first appearance at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo is barrel racer Lacinda Rose of Willard, Missouri.

Lacinda qualified for Las Vegas in the 15th (and last) position, but with a $10,000 cushion over 16th-ranked Leia Pluemer. She is the first person from Missouri to qualify in the barrel racing since Amanda Clayman in 2004. They are the only two Missouri barrel racers to compete at the NFR since it moved to Las Vegas 34 years ago. She and team roper Paul Eaves will represent the “Show Me” state this year.

Adam has qualified for four RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeos and won the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo in January with partner Jett Hillman.

Her main mount has been RR Meradas Real Deal, an 11-year-old product of her father-in-law’s breeding program. Her husband Adam, a PRCA tie-down and team roper, trained Real Deal as a heading horse and Lacinda trained him on barrels.

Courtesy of WranglerNetwork.com

Filed Under: Contestant

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