2021 Wrangler NFR Round 9 News & Notes
Round 9 – Dec. 10, 2021
Country singer Jamey Johnson is the opening act, and contest winner Layne Beasley is singing the national anthem. RAM Rodeo is the performance sponsor.
WRANGLER NFR LIVE ON TELEVISION AND INTERNET
The 2021 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo® presented by Teton Ridge airs nightly Dec. 2-11 at 5:45 p.m. PST/8:45 p.m. EST. The Cowboy Channel is the official network partner of PRORODEO® and the exclusive broadcast and streaming partner of the NFR. Live coverage of the NFR can be found on The Cowboy Channel and RFD-TV through its cable and satellite partners, and online at cowboychannelplus.com.
BROUSSARD TO RETURN FOR ROUND 9
On top of a previous left shoulder dislocation from Round 3, bareback rider Taylor Broussard suffered a neck injury in Round 6. He doctored released out of Round 7 and also missed Round 8. He’s returning for Round 9 of the Wrangler NFR. Broussard is sitting 14th in the PRCA | RAM World Standings with $82,381. He has three qualified rides so far at the NFR.
STETSON WRIGHT CLINCHES THIRD STRAIGHT ALL-AROUND TITLE
Stetson Wright keeps adding gold buckles to his collection. His latest came at the 2021 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Teton Ridge when he secured his third consecutive all-around world championship Thursday night before 16,948 fans at the Thomas & Mack Center.
“It means a lot to me because that means I put together a full year where I was doing two of the toughest and most dangerous (events),” Wright said. “I think it’s pretty sweet that I had so much luck and kept my body this healthy. “Oh, it’s awesome I mean Trevor is the greatest there’s ever been. So, to have my name next to him it’s pretty awesome.”
Brazile, the King of Cowboys, won a PRCA-record 26 world championships, including 14 all-around gold buckles. “I’m here to win rounds, I’m not worried about gold buckles right now,” Wright said. “I’ll worry about them when I’m holding onto them.”
Wright has $498,328 in the all-around the PRCA | RAM World Standings. He secured his latest all-around crown, thanks to splitting the win in Round 8 in saddle bronc riding with a 91-point ride on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Foul Motion. He earned $24,166. Wright is the first cowboy in PRCA history to win three straight all-around titles to start his career. He also is the first cowboy to collect three all-around titles in a row since Brazile accomplished the feat from 2013-2015.
With two nights left to go at the Finals, the Milford, Utah, cowboy has a $269,260 lead over tie-down roper Caleb Smidt for the top spot. Wright has earned $598,990 so far this season in saddle bronc riding and bull riding. That shatters Trevor Brazile’s PRCA all-time single season earnings record of $518,011, which was set in 2015. He will have four more outs to increase the all-time mark. His run at this year’s NFR is highlighted by a 94.5-point bull ride on Powder River Rodeo’s Chiseled in Round 5. He has one split win and two second place finishes in saddle bronc riding.
NEWS & NOTES
In bareback riding, Cole Reiner aims to secure his third career go-round win, going head-to-head with Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Vitalix William Wallace. Reiner sits fourth in the average and seventh in the world standings heading into the final two rounds. His matchup, Vitalix William Wallace, was ridden by R.C. Landingham for an 87.5-point ride to earn a split go-round victory in Round 4. Orin Larsen seeks to find the pay window for the fourth-straight night after drawing Calgary Stampede’s Arbitrator Joe. Larsen, currently sitting fifth in the average, has collected one go-round win so far at the 2021 Wrangler NFR. Arbitrator Joe will be making its second 2021 NFR appearance after a third-place ride with Richmond Champion, scoring 86 points…In the saddle bronc riding, NFR Rookie Sage Newman will try his hand against Calgary Stampede’s Amazon Hills. It will be the horse’s first out at this year’s Wrangler NFR. Reigning PRCA World Champion Ryder Wright had a 91-point ride at the Brad Gjermundson Extreme Broncs, Oct. 1. Brody Cress, who is sitting first in the average with 681 points on eight head, has drawn Summit Pro Rodeo’s Kangaroo Lou in Round 9. The horse bucked off Layton Green in Round 4. Fellow NFR qualifier Chase Brooks has the highest marked ride this season on Kangaroo Lou. He went for 89.5 points at the Douglas County Fair & Rodeo on August 6…In the bull riding, Sage Kimzey will look to keep his world title hopes alive in Round 9 as he matches up with Duane Kesler’s Switchback. No one has ridden the bull this season, Trey Benton III was bucked off Switchback in Round 4. NFR average leader Parker Breding will look to stay on his hot streak Friday night. The Montana cowboy has drawn Salt River Rodeo’s Boss Baby. It’ll be a tall task for Breding, the bull has yet to be ridden so far in 2021.
Record times and scores for the ninth round of the Wrangler NFR:
Bareback riding: 90 points, Rowdy Buechner, 2005; Tim O’Connell, 2018
Steer wrestling: 3.2 seconds, Derek Daye, 1993; Cash Myers, 2001;
Team roping: 3.3 seconds, Chad Masters/Tryan/Jade Corkill, 2009;
Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 2017
Saddle bronc riding: 92 points, Dan Mortensen, 2002
Tie-down roping: 6.6 seconds, Hunter Herrin, 2015
Barrel racing: 13.40 seconds, Hailey Kinsel, 2018
Bull riding: 96 points, Cody Hancock, 2001
2021 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo – Round 9 Daysheet
Courtesy of PRCA