LAS VEGAS – Les Shepperson need not look far to be reminded what a gold buckle looks like.
The 34-year-old steer wrestler’s father, Frank, won the world championship in that event in 1975 and might just be wearing that gold buckle in Las Vegas as you read this.
LAS VEGAS – Winning back-to-back gold buckles is a feat in and of itself.
In this era of ProRodeo, repeating as world champion after earning that title for the very first time is almost unheard of.
LAS VEGAS – Any more all-around world championships and Trevor Brazile will be forced to start counting with his toes.
The Decatur, Texas, cowboy clinched his record 10th all-around gold buckle during the fifth round of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo on Monday night thanks to a third-place go-round finish in team roping.
LAS VEGAS – A record crowd at the Thomas & Mack Center felt like it was seeing double.
The 17,702 fans in attendance set a mark for the largest third-round crowd in Wrangler National Finals Rodeo history Saturday night, and Jesse and Jake Wright gave them something to cheer about by becoming the first twins to share a round victory in NFR history.
LAS VEGAS – Steer wrestler Ethen Thouvenell and tie-down roper Justin Maass stood atop the world for the final seven months of ProRodeo’s regular season.
LAS VEGAS – J.W. Harris wasn’t focused on sending any sort of message on the first night of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. He did anyway. The three-time world champion bull rider came to the Thomas & Mack Center entrenched in one of the most intriguing battles – trailing long-time 2012 world standings leader and NFR rookie Cody Teel by a little more than $7,000 – but erased it and took over the world lead in front of 17,460 fans, winning the first round with a 90.5-point ride aboard Four Star Rodeo’s Stink Eye.
The horse trailer pulls in to the South Point and a barn bellman walks outside to greet the guests. Tack and saddles are collected, along with luggage, while you simultaneously check into your hotel room and horse stall.
Before the National Finals Rodeo arrived in Las Vegas in 1985, the city would all but shut down in December, a traditionally slow month in which hotels would close for renovations, shutter their showrooms and furlough employees.
Not anymore.
Whitfield, Cooper, Brazile among those chasing history at WNFR
Fred Whitfield’s autobiography – Gold Buckles Don’t Lie – is due to be published next spring and will end with his labors at this 20thWrangler National Finals Rodeo appearance. Whitfield says he’s “not worried” about how this plays out, but he also has a good enough sense of dramatic possibilities that he knows what a great last act could mean for book sales and his legacy in the sport.
1. Patterson holds off Brazile for third steer roping title
GUTHRIE, Okla. – Two-time world champion Rocky Patterson came into the second night of the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping Nov. 3 in the odd position of holding the lead while simultaneously being the underdog.