ProRodeo Sports News - November 16, 2018

WRANGLER NATIONAL FINALS RODEO

60Years in the Making

NFR HISTORY

Bareback rider Jack Buschbom competes at the first National Finals Rodeo in Dallas in 1959.

DeVere Helfrich photo

NFR has changed, evolved over six decades

BY MATT NABER S ports change over time. Professional baseball didn’t have designated hitters until 1973, and the NFL didn’t adopt 2-point conversions until 1994. In the 60 years of the National Finals Rodeo, the Super Bowl of professional rodeo has undergone its share of changes. The inaugural NFR was held in Dallas in 1959. It stayed deep in the heart of Texas until 1962, when it moved to Los Angeles. From there, it traveled East to Oklahoma City, where it stayed from 1965 to 1984. Then came one of the most significant changes for the sport – the 1985 NFR found a home in Las Vegas and hasn’t moved since. While the early years saw the home of

instead of a year’s worth of rodeo. “The Sudden Death format was a joke, in my opinion, and I can say that because I won it both ways,” said ProRodeo Hall of Famer Don Gay. “I thought it was very ill-conceived and wasn’t thought out very well. They thought it would boost the TV ratings, and it had no effect whatsoever.” Gay’s record of eight bull riding world titles (1974-77, 1979-81 and ’84) took place before, during and after the NFR’s experimental phase in the 1970s. Even more change came in 1977, as a new twist was added to the Sudden Death format in roughstock events. All prize money in bareback riding, saddle bronc riding and bull riding was divided into go-round payoffs and the aggregate race was eliminated. The change almost immediately proved

R.C. Bales and Bill Watts read about the first NFR while in Burwell, Neb. DeVere Helfrich photo

the NFR bounce from Texas to California to Oklahoma, the following are just some of the NFR’s other growing pains and milestones since that first NFR in 1959, as this iconic event continues to evolve. SUDDEN DEATH INTHE ’70s During the 1970s, rodeo decided to experiment with the Finals. In 1976 a Sudden Death format was initiated, meaning the world champions were determined based only on the 10 rounds of competition

problematic. In 1977, Gay and Randy Magers tied for the bull riding title after 10 go-rounds. The judges decided there would be a one- head ride-off for the first time. Gay was victorious in winning his fourth consecutive world title. “Nobody knew what to do, that’s why I say it was ill-conceived,” Gay said. “They didn’t realize there was a possibility for a tie. I kid you not, I told them we’re not going to flip for it, we will ride until one of us bucks off.”

ProRodeo Sports News 11/16/2018

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