Michael Otero

Michael Otero – Weatherford, Texas ($97,693)
First-time WNFR qualifier

Michael Otero is headed to his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and is the oldest in this year’s field of tie-down ropers.

It’s not that he hasn’t tried to get here before. He was born in Miami, Florida, raised in Alabama where he started roping. He started college at Odessa, Texas, then went back to Alabama to Troy University.

He joined the PRCA in 2003 and started dipping his toes in the water. In 2008, he finished in 29th and everyone thought he was on his way. But, life happens with that comes trials that change the course of a path. That happened for Michael when his mother was diagnosed with brain cancer.

He hung up his ropes and spurs and went home to take care of her until she joined the angels that watch out for him. He started competing again and wore gray shirts to bring awareness of brain cancer and to honor her. He came close to making the NFR in 2015 after winning the Reno Rodeo. He was just four spots out at 19th.

Then more life happened. He married barrel racer Carlee Pierce, they moved to Weatherford and started building a real estate business together. They added a son to their family. The rodeo bug was still there, and Michael had horses that were ready and able, so he entered the San Angelo Stock Show Rodeo last February. He won that rodeo and while it added $13,263 to his checking account that wasn’t the most important thing it did.

Winning San Angelo gave Michael a chance to rope at RodeoHouston where the earnings would count in the PRCA world standings for the first time in several years. Then he won that and added over $50,000 to his earnings and moved to first place in the world standings.

That took a lot of pressure off, and with his wife encouraging him to be better and work for an NFR qualification, that’s exactly where he is at. He will compete at his first NFR starting in ninth place with $97,693 in regular season earnings. And he will be wearing gray and remembering his mom with every trip into the Thomas and Mack Arena. His family has grown again with the addition of another baby boy. He’ll have a pretty good cheering section in the stands too.