Published: December 23, 2007 10:39 am      

BRETT HOFFMAN: Fresh-faced world champ may be ready to walk with big boys

LAS VEGAS — Saddle bronc riding is billed as pro rodeo’s classic event and there’s a fresh-faced world champion who just might walk in the boot steps of the sport’s legends.

Meet 20-year-old Taos Muncy, an Oklahoma Panhandle State student who spurred his way to his first world title after earning $91,754 at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo to finish the year with $201,132.

During the past year, the Corona, N.M., cowboy has split his time between busting broncs and hitting the college textbooks.

He’s only the third cowboy to win a title in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association in the same year, joining some elite company in Ty Murray (1989) and Matt Austin (2005).

Muncy said he thrives on honing his bronc-riding skills at the college practice arena in Goodwell, Okla. The community historically has been a home of world-class bronc riders, including former world champion Robert Etbauer, and the big boys are great about mentoring the up-and-comers.

Muncy, who began riding broncs as a sophomore in high school, is currently a junior agriculture business major who grins and says he’ll ultimately earn his diploma.

He just doesn’t know which decade after all of the NFR fanfare.

“I’ll get a degree even if it takes 15 years,” he said.

Muncy clinched his first world title at the NFR after his two closest competitors, Cody Wright and Cody DeMoss, faltered in Round 10 on Saturday during the rodeo’s final performance.

Wright entered the closing round with the lead in the world standings, but he was disqualified after violating the spur-out rule aboard (Stace) Smith, Harper and Morgan’s Painted Feathers. The foul proved costly, dropping him all the way to fourth in the world standings with $180,221.

DeMoss, who had finished second in the world standings each of the past three years, missed his chance to win the title when he was bucked off Kesler Championship Rodeo’s Cool Alley and slipped to third for the year with $185,780.

When the two veteran riders opened the door, Muncy took a deep seat aboard a bronc named Miller’s Wheel and turned in an attention-grabbing score of 80.5. The mark helped the first-time NFR qualifier finish second in the average, giving him the second highest aggregate score after riding eight of the 10 broncs he mounted during the rodeo.

In the world title race, Muncy edged longtime NFR qualifier Rod Hay (who won the NFR average), $201,132 to $187,594.

Muncy was shocked.

“It’s unreal. I can’t explain it,” Muncy said of snaring the coveted gold buckle. “I was a nervous wreck every round. I was just trying to hide it from everybody, and I just didn’t say anything. I just got really lucky and drew good horses. I was just honored to be here riding with all my heroes.”

On the other side of the Thomas & Mack Center’s dirt arena floor, Trevor Brazile became the first cowboy in 24 years to earn three PRCA world titles in a year.

When the 2007 NFR’s chutes opened, no cowboy had accomplished that feat since 1983 when Roy Cooper lassoed the all-around cowboy, tie-down roping and steer roping titles. Brazile finished the year with the same titles.

Brazile, 31, who lives in Decatur, said he was flattered to be compared to Cooper and late bronc and bull rider Jim Shoulders, who won three world titles in 1958.

“Any time you’re on the same page with those guys, it’s a great accomplishment and it means a lot,” Brazile said.

Brazile won the steer roping title a month ago at that event’s finale in Hobbs, N.M. From there, he secured his fifth world all-around title in six years and his first tie-down roping title in the Las Vegas.

In the all-around standings, Brazile defeated Josh Peek of Pueblo, Colo., $425,115 to $261,692. He’s the PRCA’s first cowboy to earn more than $400,000 in a year after pocketing $139,703 at the NFR in team roping heading and tie-down roping.

Brazile had no bigger fan during his quest than Cooper himself.

“I watched him work hard at it. I pulled very hard for him to win it,” Cooper said. “I didn’t realize what it meant (to win three world titles in a year) when I did it, but it’ll mean more than anything when he gets older.”

Other 2007 world champions were: Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., bareback riding; Jason Miller, Lance Creek, Wyo., steer wrestling; Chad Masters, Clarksville, Tenn., team roping heading; Walt Woodard, Stockton, Calif., team roping heeling; Brittany Pozzi-Pharr, Victoria, barrel racing; and Wesley Silcox, of Payson, Utah, bull riding.

Some other highlights:

• Stace Smith of Athens was crown the PRCA’s top stock contractor for the fourth consecutive year and two of his broncs helped competitors win two NFR performances. Smith’s saddle bronc Big Jet helped Heath DeMoss win Round 4 with an 86.5 and his bareback bronc, RD Mercer, carried Scott Montague to a tie for first in Round 8 after Montague scored 84.5. Smith is the stock contractor for numerous rodeos in cities such as Amarillo, Huntsville and Athens.

• Joey Bell Jr. of Malakoff earned $17,716 in NFR steer wrestling and came in 14th in the standings with $81,761. It was his fourth NFR appearance.

• Clay Collins of Malakoff served as a bullfighter during the bull riding competition. It was his first NFR.

Brett Hoffman is a 20-year rodeo columnist for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and a member of the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame. He can be reached at brett@my rodeoinsider.com.