ProRodeo Sports News - Nov. 1, 2019

NFSR PREVIEW

PRCA ProRodeo photo by Clay Guardipee Trevor Brazile heads into the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping in first place in the PRCA | RAM World Standings.

BY TRACY RENCK J ust before the start of the 2018Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, Trevor Brazile announced the 2018 season was his last for rodeoing full time so he could spend more time with his family – wife, Shada, son, Treston, 11, and daughters, Style, 9, and Swayzi, 4. Well, Brazile proved through his 2019 abbreviated schedule his greatness in steer roping doesn’t have an expiration date. Brazile enters the ClemMcSpadden National Finals Steer Roping first in the PRCA | RAMWorld Standings with $71,845. He has a $12,001 lead over second-place Vin Fisher Jr. ($59,844). Tuf Cooper ($55,846) and J. Tom Fisher ($50,803), Vin’s younger brother, are third and fourth in the standings, respectively. The NFSR will be at the Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane, Nov. 22-23. “This year has definitely been different, but as far as steer roping goes it is really not much different from what I’ve done in the past,” Brazile said. “Anywhere between 20 and 30 is what I have done in the past. That’s all I could fit in with the other events being my primary focus. It really didn’t Lucky 7?

Brazile eyes 7th steer roping gold buckle

change much in the steer roping. I was still able to go to those events that I normally went to and still stay home. It was a good fit for me.” Brazile’s top steer roping paydays in 2019 came at the San Angelo (Texas) Roping Fiesta in October 2018, where he earned $11,100, and the Pendleton (Ore.) Round-Up in September 2019, where he took home $8,124. Brazile said adjusting to semi-retirement hasn’t been difficult. “I miss it (competing full time), but I go to Cheyenne (Wyo.) and Pendleton (Ore.) and some of the bigger stuff,” he said. “So, No. 1, I got to see the guys I was used to seeing on a daily basis, and No. 2, I was able to get my competition fix as far as that goes. I really thought I was going to miss it a lot more than I did. I’ve kind of put in my time and I was ready for the transition, I think.” This is Brazile’s 22nd NFSR qualification. He’s won six NFSR gold buckles (2006-07, 2011 and 2013-15). Brazile has won a PRCA-record 24 gold buckles – a PRCA-record 14 in all-around (2002-04, 2006-15, 2018), tie-down roping (2007, 2009-10) and team roping (2010). “I really love the venue, and I’ve been seasoning a horse all year and

ProRodeo Sports News 11/1/2019

ProRodeo.com

30