ProRodeo Sports News 2022 Wrangler NFR Preview Issue

TEAM ROPING HEADER Prime Position Driggers

2022 TEAM ROPING HEADER STANDINGS

returns for 10th NFR as No. 1 header BY TANNER BARTH I t’s been a long time coming for Kaleb Driggers. After nine trips to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, Driggers finally reached the ProRodeo mountain top as the PRCAWorld Champion Team Roping Header. As impressive as his 2021 campaign was a year ago, his regular season in 2022 surpassed that. Driggers and partner Junior Nogueira set the ProRodeo world on fire during the regular season. The duo broke the regular season team roping earnings record before the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo with $227,878. Driggers said it’s about remaining consistent and trusting the horsepower underneath them. “We’ve both got some really good horses that give us a boost of

1. Kaleb Driggers, Hoboken, Ga.. ............... $227,878 2. Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont.. ...................... 144,663 3. Andrew Ward, Edmond, Okla.. ................. 124,619 4. Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla................... 110,691 5. Tanner Tomlinson, Angleton, Texas.......... 107,368 6. Dustin Egusquiza, Marianna, Fla.. ............ 106,022 7. Rhen Richard, Roosevelt, Utah. ................. 99,279 8. Tyler Wade, Terrell, Texas........................... 98,573 9. Jr. Dees, Aurora, S.D.................................. 96,045 10. Cody Snow, Los Olivos, Calif.. .................. 91,843 11. Lightning Aguilera, Athens, Texas............. 90,421 12. Riley Minor, Ellensburg, Wash.................. 89,022 13. Clay Smith, Broken Bow, Okla................... 88,852 14. Chad Masters, Cedar Hill, Tenn................. 87,444 15. Jake Orman, Prairie, Miss......................... 85,067

FROM THE CHAMP

Team roping header Kaleb Driggers, who has had a record setting season with his partner Junior Nogueira, aims to capture his second gold buckle at the 2022 Wrangler NFR presented by Teton Ridge.

“There always a little bit of pressure and if a guy doesn’t admit that they probably aren’t telling the truth. I have always gone there to win the gold buckle. It seems like you can lose your focus a little bit on what you need to be doing or whatever just

Driggers

because you’re so worried about winning. But last year it was a dream come true because we had come so close so many times. To achieve a goal that we had worked really hard at and poured our heart into trying to obtain and to finally get that done was a blessing.” – Kaleb Driggers

Hailey Rae photo

“So, I restarted some things and got a fresh start. I started really working on my roping and trying to fix things. I needed to get back to some old things that I felt like I was lacking on. Hard work can definitely payoff and it seems like it worked out for us so far.” And he said bringing Junior back as a partner before the 2021 season has been a blessing to his career. The duo just wrapped up their sixth year as a header and heeler combo. “We are basically the same age and have the same morals

and goals. Our timeline kind of adds up as far as that goes,” Driggers said. “It also helps that we get along really good. We are both competitive, but at the same time we don’t let it overtake us. We keep a level mentality. “We’ve run millions of steers together in the practice pen and in competition. So, we kind of know what the other one is thinking and feed off of each other in different situations. We complement each other when it comes to our roping styles. Eyes are on another gold buckle this year.”

confidence and makes our jobs easier,” said Driggers, 32. “Also, we’ve kind of changed up our run a little bit and spent our down time working on some different things to help us improve. This season, things just kind of went our way and I couldn’t be happier.” The team received an early gift during the Cowboy Christmas run. Over the 10 day stretch of the Fourth of July run both cowboys won $35,152, setting the Cowboy Christmas single event-timed event earnings mark. For Driggers, he said his recent success points back to falling short of making the Wrangler NFR in 2020. “In 2020, I missed the NFR, and I didn’t rope very well at all that year,” he said.

QUOTABLE “Hard work can definitely payoff and it seems like it worked out for us so far.” – Kaleb Driggers

ProRodeo Sports News 11/18/2022

WRANGLER NATIONAL FINALS RODEO

DEC. 1-10, 2022

ProRodeo Sports News 11/18/2022

48

49