First Day of 2022 NFSR Dedicated to Memory of Buster Record Jr.
MULVANE, Kan. – The first day of the 2022 National Finals Steer Roping – Nov. 4 in Mulvane, Kan. – will carry some extra emotion as it will be dedicated to the memory of Buster Record Jr.
Record Jr., who won the 2002 PRCA Steer Roping World Championship, passed away Oct. 21 in Oklahoma City. He was 66.
“That guy, he meant the world to me,” said Scott Snedecor, who enters the 2022 NFSR as the season leader. “Anytime it comes up, it is hard on me. I traveled day-in-and-day-out with that guy. We were just like family. He was a father-figure and friend. His whole family meant the world to us. He taught me most of the ups and downs and how to win and how to rodeo. He didn’t start me in the steer roping world, but he dang sure took me to the finish line.”
Snedecor is trying to win his fifth world championship this weekend at the Kansas Star Arena.
Record Jr., who resided in Buffalo, Okla., capped his 2002 world championship winning season with $56,575 and ended legendary Guy Allen’s run of 11 straight world titles.
Vin Fisher Jr., whose competing in his 19th NFSR, also praised Record Jr. for his contributions to steer roping. Record Jr. also roped against Vin’s father, Dan, a 16-time NFSR qualifier – 1986-90, 1994, 1996-97, 2000, 2003-04, 2008-10, 2012-13 – for years.
“Buster Record, they emphasize it so much and they say Buster was a great guy,” Fisher Jr. said. “You had to understand that Buster was actually truly the nicest guy in steer roping. If a guy pulled up late to rodeo, they jumped on Buster’s horse. He did whatever he could to help everybody. It didn’t matter who they were, that is just the kind of guy he was. He was such a competitor and Buster always was in a great mood and happy to be there. He loved steer roping and dedicated his life to help steer roping. I tell you one thing about Buster he knew how to win. Whatever it took he could do it.”
Record Jr. was a 16-time qualifier for the National Finals Steer Roping (1992, 1994-2008) and he finished in the top five in the world standings seven times.
“Buster and I just built a really cool relationship over the last 20 years,” said Jess Tierney, a 10-time qualifier for the NFSR. “He was a great guy and a great friend, and he did so much for me. The one thing that really sticks out that I learned from Buster, and I regained an appreciation for the last couple of weeks is the joy of the sport.
“Buster enjoyed competing and he enjoyed beating you, but he also enjoyed helping you win. One thing he valued more than anything was his friendships in life, and he is going to be truly missed.”
The 2022 NFSR will begin at 7 p.m. (CT) on Nov. 4-5 and stream live online on the PRCA on The Cowboy Channel Plus App.
Courtesy of PRCA