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December 4, 2009

BRETT HOFFMAN: National Final Rodeo opens with big fanfare in Las Vegas

By Brett Hoffman — When the chutes opened at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo Las Vegas, the biggest story line was Trevor Brazile’s quest for a record-tying seventh world all-around title.

The Decatur cowboy entered the 10-day championships, which began Thursday and runs through Dec. 12, with the gold buckle all but clinched.

Brazile earned $288,588 during the regular season, $144,638 more than second-ranked Clint Robinson of Spanish Fork, Utah, a roper who pocketed $143,950.

Brazile is expected to tie Ty Murray’s record of seven all-around titles set in 1998.

Brazile has qualified for the NFR in two events: tie-down roping and team roping heading. Robinson qualified in only tie-down roping.

Josh Peek, who entered the NFR ranked third in the all-around standings with $131,266, is the only other NFR contestant in multiple events (steer wrestling and tie-down roping).

Peek entered the NFR with a mathematical chance of catching Brazile. But the odds of Peek surpassing Brazile are very slim.

The 51st NFR offers a record purse of $5.75 million, features the top 15 in each single event according to regular season money earnings.

For example, Joey Bell Jr. of Athens qualified for the National Finals after finishing the regular season ranked 14th in the world steer wrestling standings. Shelley Morgan of Eustace made the cut after finishing 14th in barrel racing during the season.

Morgan, a first time NFR qualifier, earned $13,546 after finishing second in the first round on Thursday night.

For more information, visit www.prorodeo.com.

Cutting horse update

Two Texans snared the most coveted gold buckles on the National Cutting Horse Association's circuit for weekend competitors.

Jeremy Barwick of Stephenville, riding Dual Rey Me, won the open division, and Elizabeth Queen of Lipan, riding Sister CD, clinched the non-pro title as the Mercuria Energy NCHA World Finals concluded its four-day run on Nov. 28 in Fort Worth.

In the open division, the class that features mostly professional riders, Dual Rey Me, a gelding, topped the stallion Thomas E Hughes, $101,346-$87,506. In the non-pro division, Queen and Sister CD edged former world champion Mary Jo Milner of Southlake, $89,908-$78,605.

Dual Rey Me clinched his third open title in four years.

Barwick said the 10-year-old gelding, owned by he and his wife, Candace, continues to excel because of his exceptional ability to think while holding a testy cow at bay.

“The thing that helps him more than anything is he's just so smart," Barwick said. "He reads a cow so well. He just never misses."

The World Finals was the sport’s Super Bowl for weekend warriors. The show was held in conjunction with the NCHA Futurity, the sport’s most prestigious show that features the year’s most promising debuting 3-year-old horses. The Futurity concludes Dec. 13 and the open winner will receive $250,000.

For more information, visit www.nchacutting.com.

Silver anniversary

Las Vegas is hosting the National Finals Rodeo for the 25th consecutive year. The PRCA’s championships moved to Nevada in 1985 after a 20-year run in Oklahoma City (1965-1984).

The first NFR was in 1959 in Dallas and was conducted at the State Fairgrounds through 1961. After that, the show was held in Los Angeles from 1962 through 1964.

Brett Hoffman is a 20-year rodeo columnist for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and a Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame member. E-mail him at brett@myrodeoinsider.com.

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