Steer Ropers Ready to Battle at NFSR this Weekend
WHAT: National Finals Steer Roping
WHEN: Nov. 12-13, 7 p.m. (CT)
WHERE: Kansas Star Arena, Mulvane, Kan.
COST: Tickets from $27, available at www.kansasstarcasino.com.
WHAT’S AT STAKE: Top 15 steer ropers vying for a world championship and a share of $447,500.
ROUNDS: Pay six places. First ($9,155); second ($7,577); third ($5,998); fourth ($4,420); fifth ($2,841); sixth ($1,579)
AVERAGE: Pays six places. First ($27,347); second ($22,632); third place ($17,917); fourth ($13,202); fifth ($8,487); sixth ($4,715)
MULVANE, Kan. – The chase for a coveted gold buckle begins Nov. 12-13 for the top 15 steer ropers in the PRCA.
All will be competing for world championship glory at the Kansas Star Arena.
Steer roper Cole Patterson enters the National Finals Steer Roping No. 1 in the PRCA | RAM World Standings. He has a $39,415 lead over second-place Vin Fisher Jr.
“I think if I have learned anything in the past two years at (the NFSR) it’s that you need to be more aggressive the first night,” said Patterson, 26. “As a steer roper, you are always thinking about the average and it is a 10-head marathon average, but the guys who do the best and win the most in this set-up here in Mulvane where it is just two nights, it is the guys who get off to a hot start.
“If momentum gets going your way and something funky doesn’t happen to you, momentum is huge especially when you get 15 of the best guys in the world and you put them in an arena together. I want to try and be aggressive at the beginning and let momentum push me forward.”
The 15 competitors rope five rounds the first day and conclude with five rounds on day two. Patterson earned a PRCA steer roping regular-season record $104,516 in the 2021 regular season, which concluded Sept. 30.
This is Patterson’s third trip to the NFSR. He finished 15th in the 2019 world standings and was fourth in 2020 after going in as the leader. He earned $32,807 at the 2020 NFSR.
Patterson’s father, Rocky, a four-time world champion, enters in the No. 8 position in his 27th trip to the NFSR.
Scott Snedecor, a four-time world champ (2005, 2008, 2017-18), is third in the standings with $54,657. This is Snedecor’s 20th trip to the NFSR.
“There are no nerves,” Snedecor said. “I’m just excited to come do what we do. This is what you work for. I want to go out and put on a good show and enjoy the weekend. I have family and friends here to back me up and I want to enjoy it.”
Rookie Slade Wood ($54,236) and J. Tom Fisher, Vin’s younger brother, ($47,917) are fourth and fifth in the world standings.
“This is cool, especially to be this young and be here and rope with these guys,” said Wood, 19.
Taylor Santos is 11th in the steer roping standings with $36,895, and he’s the only cowboy who also is competing in the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Dec. 2-11. He finished 14th in the tie-down roping with $89,038.
Courtesy of PRCA