ProRodeo Sports News - November 19, 2021

TEAM ROPING HEELER A Familiar Place Nogueira sits at No.1 for a fifth time

QUOTABLE “The four other times I came in No.1, I left going out No. 2 by just a couple thousand dollars. That used to be a tough pill to swallow for me, but now the main goal is providing for my family. I have another baby coming and Kaleb and I for sure both want to win the gold buckle, it is every cowboys dream to do it, but I’m telling you at the end of the day it’s how you make a living.” – Junior Nogueira

BY TANNER BARTH J unior Nogueira has been to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo every season during his eight-year ProRodeo career and now five of those years he’s headed into Las Vegas as the No.1 team roping heeler in the PRCA | RAMWorld Standings. Nogueira wrapped up the ProRodeo regular season on Sept. 30 with $133,716. Midway through the year the 2016 PRCA All- AroundWorld Champion teamed back up with a familiar face in longtime partner Kaleb Driggers. The duo went onto pick up wins in at the Mandan (N.D.) Rodeo Days and the St. Paul (Oregon) Rodeo. 2021 will mark their fifth trip together to rope at theThomas &Mack Center in Las Vegas. “It’s been really good this season, Kaleb and I have roped together for a long time,” said Nogueira. “We know each other, our partnership has always gone well. We have never won a gold buckle together, but shoot we’ve won probably every major roping there is as a pair. It sure would be nice to check out that last box, but that’s not really my focus right now.” Five out of the last six seasons (2016-2019, 2021) Nogueira has gone into the Wrangler NFR No.1 in the world. Each of those years he would go on to finish second at the conclusion of the Finals. He said it’s not something he’s focusing on headed into Las Vegas. “The four other times I came in No.1, I left going out No.2 by just a couple thousand dollars,” he said. “That used to be a tough pill to swallow for me when I was just starting my career, but now the main goal is providing for my family. I have another baby coming and Kaleb and I for sure both want to win the gold buckle, it is every cowboys dream to do it, but I’m telling you at the end of the day it’s how you make a living and support those around you.” Nogueira will be on a familiar horse at the NFR. He plans to ride Timon, a buckskin gelding that he won $46,116 on in Arlington, Texas, last season. “At the NFR this year it is probably going to be Timon that I run out there or the black horse I bought this summer,” Nogueria said. “But I would say Timon is the one I’m going to ride; the same one I rode the last two NFR’s. That horse has a special knack for smaller arenas.” And he said it doesn’t matter what spot you go to Las Vegas in, everyone that saddles up has a chance to win a gold buckle. “Las Vegas pays so good now it doesn’t matter,” Nogueria said. “If a guy is up there at No.1 or even if he’s 15th he can win at all. So, whoever has the best NFR is going to be the world champion. I’m just going to go out there and try to my job the best I can.”

2021 TEAM ROPING HEELER STANDINGS

1. Junior Nogueira, Pres. Prudente, Brazil .... $133,716 2. Travis Graves, Jay, Okla.. ......................... 126,869 3. Paden Bray, Stephenville, Texas............... 116,937 4. Jade Corkill, Fallon, Nev........................... 110,570 5. Wesley Thorp, Throckmorton, Texas........ 102,037 6. Jake Long, Coffeyville, Kan.. ...................... 95,226 7. Trey Yates, Pueblo, Colo............................. 84,182 8. Chase Tryan, Helena, Mont......................... 74,776 9. Ross Ashford, Lott, Texas.......................... 71,822 10. Jeremy Buhler, Arrowwood, Alberta.......... 70,512 11. Logan Medlin, Tatum, N.M........................ 69,335 12. Buddy Hawkins II, Columbus, Kan............ 68,842 13. Douglas Rich, Herrick, Ill.......................... 63,849 14. Brady Minor, Ellensburg, Wash................. 61,878 15. Joseph Harrison, Marietta, Okla................ 61,688

FROM THE CHAMP

Paul Eaves is no stranger to competing on the sport's biggest stage. He’s qualified for nine Wrangler NFRs and added a PRCA Team Roping Heeling title to his name in 2020 with partner Colby Lovell. Headed into the 10th and final round the duo knew

Eaves

they needed one of their patented performances if they wanted to accomplish their season long goal. “We had to win the round to win the world and it was everything, and we knew coming into it that it would be that way," Eaves said. They did just that, delivering a 4.4-second run to win the round and capture the coveted world championship gold buckles. It was the second gold buckle for Eaves, his first came in 2018 with partner Clay Smith. He said gold buckle No. 2 was just as rewarding as his first. “It’s a personal thing, satisfaction, to do that.”

Five out of the last six seasons, Junior Nogueira has gone into the Wrangler NFR No.1 in the world. PRCA ProRodeo photo by Clay Guardipee

ProRodeo Sports News 11/19/2021

WRANGLER NATIONAL FINALS RODEO

DEC. 2-11, 2021

ProRodeo Sports News 11/19/2021

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