ProRodeo Sports News - July 7, 2023

RENO RODEO RENO, NEV.

BY TANNER BARTH & TRACY RENCK

Driggers/Nogueira claim Reno title The last two ProRodeo seasons – 2021 and 2022 – have been magical for team ropers – header Kaleb Driggers and heeler Junior Nogueira. Each won back-to-back gold buckles in their respective world standings. The duo started heating up again as they snared the Reno Rodeo crown with an 18.4-second time on three head. Driggers/Nogueira clinched the title with a businessman-like 7.7-second run in the finals. “This is awesome,” Nogueira said. “This rodeo is one of my favorites and to get to win it for the first time is a blessing.” This was Driggers’ second Reno win as he first accomplished the feat 11 years earlier. Nogueira knew he and his partner just had to take care of business in the finals. “We prepare ourselves to either go really fast or sometimes just catch, so we have to play both,” he said. “When you get a big chance like that you have to be ready.” Driggers is hopeful Reno will be a springboard for more winning. “We haven’t been to a lot of rodeos yet,” Driggers said. “We kind of took the spring off a little bit. I did some futurities and stuff, and he went back home, and we are energized and ready to rodeo. “We have been blessed for sure. We have some really good horses behind us and some great sponsors that help us get down the road. We also have a great support system. Click Thompson photo Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira caught fire in Reno, Nev., pocketing $18,282 to win the average with 18.4 seconds on three head.

“(Junior) and I have placed some and I won (Reno) with (heeler) Jade (Corkill) back in 2012,” Driggers said. “This year, luckily we roped pretty good, and had the steers to go with it.”

“We are very blessed to be on the team we are on. To be able to have this much success and be able to show a little gratitude to everybody is awesome as well.”

ProRodeo Sports News 7/7/2023

ProRodeo.com

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