2019 PRCA Media Guide - Wrangler National Finals Rodeo

About the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo The Wrangler NFR is the season-ending championship event for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and is widely acknowledged to be the world’s premier rodeo. Held annually since 1959 – and since 1985, at the Thomas & Mack Center every December in Las Vegas – the Wrangler NFR showcases the very best cowboys, barrel racers and livestock in the world. The contract signed with Las Vegas Events in 2015 keeps the Finals in Las Vegas through 2024 and raises prizemoney significantly over that decade. It is telecasted on CBS Sports Network and streamed on ProRodeoTV.com. The Top 15 contestants in the standard rodeo events – bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping (headers and heelers), saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping,WPRA barrel racing and bull riding – qualify to compete at theWrangler NFR based on money won during the regular season, including earnings from the Wrangler PRORODEO Tour, RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo and PRCA Xtreme Bulls Tour. At the conclusion of the Wrangler NFR, the sport’s world champions are determined based on total season earnings (money earned at the Finals plus earnings during the regular season). The Wrangler NFR consists of 10 rounds (one round on each of the 10 consecutive days with each contestant competing once a day). Cowboys and barrel racers earn money by placing first through sixth in any round, and pick upmoremoney by placing first through eighth in the average (cumulative times or points earned during the 10 rounds). At the end of everyWrangler NFR, there are two champions in each event (four for team roping): the average winner, who won the Wrangler NFR (by having the best cumulative time or score over the 10 rounds) and the world champion (who finished the year with the most money, including what he or she earned at theWrangler NFR). For each event, the average winner and world champion may be the same person or different people.

2018Wrangler NFR highlights

• Trevor Brazile won his 14th all-around world championship, 24th gold buckle and tallied his 73rd career go-round.

• Bull rider Sage Kimzey picked up his fifth consecutiveworld title, joining four other bull riders (Smokey Snyder, Harry Tompkins, Jim Shoulders and Don Gay) to earn five bull riding world championships in PRCA history. Shoulders is the only other cowboy towin five straight bull riding titles (his fifth one came in 1959, the first year of the NFR). • Bareback rider Tim O’Connell won his third consecutive world title thanks to a 90-point ride on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Vitalix Ain’t No Angel during Round 9 where he regained the lead. He remained in the top spot through Round 10 and earned a split of the average (with Steven Dent), finishing first with $319,801.

• Clayton Biglow set a new Wrangler NFR record for highest bareback riding score after receiving 93 points on C5 Rodeo’s Virgil.

• Team ropers Clay Smith and Paul Eaves won their first world titles in team roping, both finishing with $289,921 and settingWrangler NFR records in team roping (heading and heeling) season earnings.

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WRANGLER NFR RECORDS AND HISTORY