PRORODEO Sports News - June 6, 2025

Earnings aside, it also saw multiple first-time world champions. Aside from Beaver, Ted Nuce captured his first and only gold buckle in 1985 in bull riding. The late Lewis Feild captured his first and second world titles in 1985 and went on to win three more in his career. Berry’s first title came in 1985. He won four overall. Hall of Fame team ropers Jake Barnes and Clay O’Brien Cooper won their first of seven world titles together in 1985. Nine years later in 1994, they set a new team average roping record. “It was a record for a long time in team roping,” Barnes said. “(It was broken) just a few years ago.” Brad Gjermundson was one of the veterans among young cowboys in 1985. He had won three previous

NFR world titles in Oklahoma City and should have added another in 1982. He captured his fourth and final world title that first year in Las Vegas. It was his fourth in five years overall, marking a dominant stretch in saddle bronc riding. The move to Vegas was one he was skeptical about, like other cowboys and cowgirls. But it also came with a new level of excitement. Doubters said rodeo in Las Vegas would never survive. But it did. “There were a lot of empty seats that first year,” Gjermundson said. “You could easily buy tickets and keep them. Now it’s a scramble to get them. It caught on.” Charmayne James, the queen of rodeo, was only 15 years old in 1985. She already had a world title under

Lewis Feild passed away in 2016 after battling pancreatic cancer. He was 59.

LEWIS FEILD ALL-AROUND AND BAREBACK RIDING CHAMPION

OTE BERRY STEER WRESTLING CHAMPION

JAKE BARNES TEAM ROPING CHAMPION

CLAY O'BRIEN COOPER TEAM ROPING CHAMPION

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