Hardy Braden

Hardy Braden – Welch, Okla. ($102,774)
First-time WNFR qualifier
1-time RNCFR qualifier

Hardy Braden knows a lot about rodeo, and that knowledge involves much more than riding bucking horses.

His father, Butch, rode bucking horses and bulls before becoming a pickup man. He was selected to work at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo as was Hardy’s mother, Tammy. She was a timer there three times and has worked at rodeos across the country.

Hardy joined the PRCA in 2010 and friends and family knew it was just a matter of time before he qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. At that time, he was competing in college rodeos, first for Fort Scott Community College and then for Oklahoma’s Panhandle State University.

It might have taken longer than anyone who knew him expected for him to come out of the famed yellow bucking chutes, but it has been worth the wait. His quest for the NFR got a big boost last February. Hardy tied for the final round win at the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo with CoBurn Bradshaw and won $22,076. That put him fifth in the world standings.

Then he won the Red Bluff (California) Round-Up and just knew this would be the year he would be in the top 15. He was right. He finished the 2017 regular season with $102,774 to qualify in seventh place.

It’s going to be a different experience for his parents to be in Las Vegas with their only son. Butch has seen most of the action there from the back of a horse and Tammy has been carefully watching the action and using her thumb to time it. This year, they will be in the stands on the edge of their seats along with Hardy’s sister, Tara Crawford and her family.

Hardy’s family ranches and raises cattle. They are used to hard work and being busy. The Thomas and Mack Center will see them enjoying the NFR and everyone but Hardy being spectators.