ProRodeo Sports News - October 27, 2023

PRORODEO HISTORY

James Fain photo Timed-event machine Tom Ferguson takes down his fifth-round steer in 6.3 seconds. Ferguson placed six times in the event and cruised to a fourth-place finish in the world standings. Ferguson also finished second in the calf roping competition, giving him a total of $96,272 and his record-tying sixth world all-around title.

Ferguson gets sixth all-around buckle ’79 NFR Rewind

FROM PRCA’S 50TH NFR BOOK W hat a way to finish a decade! Tom Ferguson was on an extraordinary mission at Oklahoma City’s 1979 National Finals Rodeo. Not only did he stand to match Larry Mahan’s record of six world all-around crowns, but Ferguson was on pace to become the first PRCA cowboy to earn those six crowns consecutively. The timed-event sensation entered the Finals a scant $71 ahead of Paul Tierney in the all around standings. Tierney, like Ferguson, earned berths in calf roping and steer wrestling. However, Ferguson also qualified for his first National Finals Steer Roping,

$5,000 payoff. The two also squared off in calf roping, an event Tierney led by $1,881 over second-ranked Ferguson. Each roper failed to have his best Finals, however, and Ferguson and Tierney finished a surprising 11th and 13th, respectively, in the NFR standings. Ferguson nabbed a $2,000 check, while Tierney collected only $1,000. It was just enough for Tierney to keep his lead, however, and the South Dakota cowboy won the world calf roping title by just $138. Former world champ Roy Cooper sped to the calf roping average title in a blistering 107.9 seconds to notch 200 points and earn the NFR’s $15,000 first-place prize. Despite squeaking by in the world calf roping race, Tierney fell short of upsetting Ferguson’s all-around mission. By NFR’s end, Ferguson had stretched his $71 advantage to a $4,071 lead over Tierney. In the process, Ferguson seized an unprecedented sixth straight all-around title and joined Mahan as the only other cowboy to earn a half-dozen all-around buckles. He finished 1979 with $96,272 in all-around earnings.

conducted earlier that fall in Laramie. The only other 1979 all-around contender, Doug Brown, qualified in saddle bronc and bull riding, but was significantly behind the other two all-arounders. For the first time since 1975, a cowboy’s regular-season earnings played a vital role in the pursuit of a world title, as the PRCA restored the traditional method of determining its champions. The same NFR points system, introduced a year earlier, was still in effect, however, which meant cowboys were vying directly for points rather than paychecks throughout Finals competition. The cowboy with the most points ultimately took home the biggest Finals’ paycheck. Ferguson, 29, capitalized primarily on his bulldogging talent to keep his edge over Tierney, 27, and Brown, 31. The Oklahoma athlete placed six times in the steer wrestling event to accumulate 160 points, finish third in the NFR standings and pocket $8,000. Tierney finished in sixth place for a

ProRodeo Sports News 10/27/2023

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