Will Lowe
Will Lowe – Canyon, Texas ($70,017)
15-time WNFR qualifier
3-time World Champion
2-time WNFR Champion
Will Lowe has qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo for the 15th time, tying him for third on the list for the most career qualifications in the bareback riding. Although Will finished the regular season ranked 16th in the standings, his ticket to Las Vegas was punched when J.R. Vezain suffered a season-ending, serious injury that took him out of the field.
In 2002, Will won the bareback riding rookie title and qualified for his first NFR. He did not miss a trip to the finals for the next 14 years. In that stretch, he earned three world championships and two NFR titles.
Will last competed at the Thomas & Mack Center three years ago, which can be a lifetime in bareback riding, an event that takes a huge physical toll on rodeo athletes. A year ago he finished 43rd in the standings.
While he knows that he’s in the twilight of his career, Will is enjoying the competition. After winning the prestigious Cheyenne Frontier Days championship for the third time in July, he said, “It’s awesome to still be here (at this point in his career) riding with these guys and still be competitive.”
Will’s been competitive since he started riding bareback horses at age 7. He grew up in town, but his family attended the American Royal in Kansas City every year and that’s where Will discovered rodeo. His family owned cattle and horses and were supportive of his interest in rodeo.
He credits the win in Cheyenne with giving him momentum to qualify for his 15th WNFR and he has a good perspective on the competition. “It’s not a competition against the other guys;” he says. “It’s how well you and that animal can perform and show everyone how awesome our sport is.”
Will and his wife Tiffani, a barrel racer, will celebrate their anniversary in Las Vegas. They married during the 2002 WNFR and are proud parents of two sons, Garrett and Levi.
