2025 Year-End Edition

TOP GUN AWARD: GRAY GETS HOT IN LAS VEGAS By Alex Dodd

T .J. Gray entered the 2024 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo as the season leader in bull riding, but things didn’t go his way in Las Vegas. He stayed on for three qualified rides and watched his lead slip away as Josh Frost earned his first PRCA World Championship. Gray entered his second NFR from Dec. 4-13 with a different mindset, to just have fun. The shift in perspec tive paid off with his first NFR average title and NFR Top Gun Award. “If you take it too seriously, it never works out. I learned that last year,” Gray said. “I had a quick little

a $20,000 voucher for a vehicle from Bill Fick Ford, a PRORODEO Special Edition upfit for a truck valued at over $40,000 courtesy of AgWagon and a custom Hori zon Firearms chambered in 22 Creedmoor. “Since Chase Dougherty won it in 2018, he’s a fellow Oregon cowboy that I grew up with a bit, I’ve always really wanted to win that,” Gray said. “You aren’t only competing against the bull riders, but to be the most consistent throughout the whole deal is a pretty tough title to win. You’re competing against barrel racers who are on a fast horse and kicking butt.

“I’d always want ed to win that, and I honestly had no idea that I was even in the running until they told me I’d won it.” After making trips to the pay window in the first two rounds, Gray bucked off three bulls in a row in rounds 3-5. But he took a step back and recentered. He went on to place in the final five rounds and earned his first round wins in Las Ve gas. Gray won Round 7 with a 90.5-point ride on McCoy Rodeo’s

refreshment this year about it. After Round 5, I was like, we’re halfway through, I’m just going to stay smiling and enjoy it, whether I stay on another bull or not. It started working out pretty good after that.” Gray finished atop

the average at 610.75 points on seven head, riding more bulls than any other com petitor at the Thomas & Mack Center. He earned $329,622, including ground money, over 10 nights in Las Vegas. “That’s a title I’m very proud of. I feel like those aren’t easy to win. Those are big-time buckles,” Gray said. “I didn’t know how close I was, and then I saw that Ky (Hamilton) and I were tied going into the last night. “Most of the time I’m pretty calm, cool and collected. And I tried to stay calm, cool and collected. But I could feel my heart beating really fast before I got on because I knew I had a solid chance and knew that I should stay on that bull even though it was still a big challenge. “It wasn’t going to be a day off, but I had a chance at it. It was definitely one of the more adrenaline-fueled rides of my career. But I’ve been telling everyone that buckle won’t leave my belt until I get a world title.” The Dairy, Ore., bull rider finished with $295,655 at the NFR, excluding ground money, the most of any competitor in a single event. Saddle bronc rider Statler Wright finished second with $274,068. As the NFR Top Gun Award winner, Gray received

T.J. Gray celebrated his NFR average title in Round 10. (PRCA photo by Kathryn Coleman)

Blue Duck, finished atop Round 8 with a 90.75-point ride on Rafter G’s Doze You Down and sealed his fate with an 88.5-point trip on Rosser Rodeo’s Mr. Preifert to earn his third go-round buckle in Round 10. Winning two prestigious titles at the NFR meant more to Gray after a season riddled with adversity and injuries. “There were a lot of times when I thought this year was a bust,” Gray said. “I got beat up and thought, ‘Dang, am I even going to make the Finals?’ Then I got banged up again, and a lot of the time it felt like the year was a wash and I’d just do the best that I could with it. “With where it went, especially over the last ten days, it was pretty neat to see. It also gave me confidence for next year because if I’m healthy, how far can I go?” Gray hopes his success in Las Vegas will springboard his 2026 PRORODEO season after he takes some time off to get healthy after surgery to remove an infection from his ankle on Dec. 16. He hopes to return to action for RodeoHouston from March 2-22.

40

PRORODEO SPORTS NEWS