ProRodeo Sports News 2022 Wrangler NFR Preview Issue

TOP GUN

Contenders for RAMTop Gun Award

BY TRACY RENCK A nother layer of excitement and intrigue to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Teton Ridge is the RAMTop Gun Award, which goes to the contestant who wins the most money in any single event at the Wrangler NFR. The award has been up for grabs since 2010, but in its first year, money earned in multiple events counted in the Top Gun standings. Since, the RAM Top Gun Award has gone to the contestant who earns the most money in a single event. Since 2011, it has taken a minimum of $146,941 to win the Top Gun Award. Here are some candidates who should be in the mix for the honor in 2022. STETSON WRIGHT Wright won his third all-around world championship a year ago and first saddle bronc riding world title to go along with his 2020 PRCA Bull Riding World Championship. Wright is back at the NFR in saddle bronc riding and bull riding and if he gets rolling, he will have a great chance to also claim the RAMTop Gun Award. KAYCEE FEILD The veteran bareback rider won his PRCA record sixth bareback riding world championship last year and won the Top Gun Award for the second

time in his career after earning $231,564. He enters the NFR fifth in the world standings and if he gets on a heater, he could win title No. 7 and his third Top Gun Award. SHAD MAYFIELD This is the fourth trip in a row for the Clovis, N.M., native and he’s never had a great 10 days. As talented as Mayfield is that has to turn around at some point and this could be the year it happens. After a record-breaking season, Mayfield could add Top Gun Award winner to his list of accomplishments. JESS POPE Pope, a bareback rider, has taken the Wrangler NFR by storm the past two years winning the NFR average each time and just missing snaring gold buckles. Pope had another strong season – he’s second in the world standings – and 2022 may be the year he’s celebrating with the Top Gun Award. Feild edged Pope to win the 2021 Top Gun Award by a mere $1,089. JORDON BRIGGS The star barrel racer from Tolar, Texas, won the gold buckle a year ago and earned $194,842 at the NFR. Briggs returns to the 2022Wrangler NFR and looks better than ever. She could easily add another gold buckle and Top Gun Award to her haul. It would also be the fourth time a barrel racer would take home the honor as Mary Walker (2012), Sherry Cervi (2013) and Hailey Kinsel (2020) have won the award.

WRANGLER NFR CONTESTANT ROSTER

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

33 R.C. Landingham 34 Jake Long 35 Marty Yates 36 Zack Jongbloed 37 Tristen Hutchings 38 Tanner Aus 39 Buddy Hawkins II 40 Riley Webb 41 Andrew Ward 42 J.D. Struxness 43 Tyler Waguespack 44 Tuf Cooper 45 Wyatt Casper 46 Trevor Kastner 47 Cory Solomon 48 Ty Harris 49 Wenda Johnson 50 Kole Ashbacher 51 Stevi Hillman 52 Will Lummus 53 Dona Kay Rule 54 Hailey Kinsel 55 Tyler Milligan 56 Cole Franks 57 Maverick Potter 58 Hunter Herrin 59 Chase Brooks 60 Tilden Hooper 61 Trey Kimzey 62 Ky Hamilton 63 Jared Parsonage

69 Clayton Biglow 70 Hunter Cure 71 Macon Murphy 72 Trey Holston 73 Travis Graves 74 Dustin Egusquiza 75 Ty Erickson 76 Tanner Tomlinson 77 Patrick Smith 78 Tanner Butner 79 JR Stratford 80 Dakota Eldridge 81 Tristan Martin 82 Ty Breuer 83 Garrett Shadbolt 84 Kincade Henry 85 Rhen Richard 86 Jeremy Buhler 87 Tyler Wade 88 Sissy Winn 89 Trey Yates 90 Creek Young 91 Lukasey Morris 92 Kyle Irwin 93 Reid Oftedahl 94 Levi Lord 95 Jr. Dees 96 Tanner Brunner 97 Margo Crowther 98 Lightning Aguilera 99 Wesley Thorp

100 Cody Snow 101 Joseph Harrison 102 Kassie Mowry 103 Jesse Brown 104 Bayleigh Choate 105 Chad Masters 106 Brady Minor 107 Riley Minor 108 Emily Beisel 109 Clay Smith 110 Jake Orman 111 Jessica Routier 112 Brye Crites 113 Jonathan Torres 114 Rowdy Parrott

Stetson Wright Sage Newman Kaleb Driggers Junior Nogueira Shad Mayfield Josh Frost

PAYOUT

Each Go-Round 1st – 31% ($28,913.75) 2nd – 24.5% (22,851.19) 3rd – 18.5% (17,254.98) 4th – 13% (12,125.12)

Jeff Askey Brody Cress

Jordon Briggs 10 John Douch 11 Ryder Wright 12 Haven Meged 13 Cole Reiner 14 Jess Pope 15 Caleb Smidt 16 Lefty Holman 17 Caleb Bennett 18 Clay Tryan 19 Zeke Thurston 20 Garrett Smith 22 Logan Hay

5th – 8% (7,461.61) 6th – 5% (4,663.51) Total: $ 93,270.18

Average (go-rounds X3) 1st – 26.5% ($74,149.79) 2nd – 21.5% (60,159.26) 3rd – 17% (47,567.79) 4th – 12.5% (34,976.32) 5th – 9% (25,182.95) 6th – 6.5% (18,187.68) 7th – 4.5% (12,591.47) 8th – 2.5% (6,995.26) Total: $ 279,810.53

115 Dirk Tavenner 116 Lisa Lockhart 117 Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi 118 Leslie Smalygo 119 Timmy Sparing 120 Nick Guy * There will not be a #21 for contestants. The PRCA is using that number to acknowledge the 21 lives lost in the shooting in Uvalde, Texas in May. The Uvalde community is part of the PRCA family and during a special ceremony at the NFR this year, we will honor those who were killed.

23 Layton Green 24 Tim O'Connell 25 Kade Bruno 26 Shane Hanchey 27 Stetson Jorgensen 28 Rocker Steiner 29 Coleman Proctor 30 Leighton Berry 31 Kaycee Feild 32 Kolby Wanchuk

64 Dawson Hay 65 Orin Larsen 66 Jade Corkill 67 Logan Medlin 68 Shelley Morgan

ProRodeo Sports News 11/18/2022

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