December 11, 2010 — Decatur, Texas, cowboy Trevor Brazile won the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo tie-down roping average and finished second with partner Patrick Smith in the team roping average to secure world titles in both events to go along with his record eighth all-around crown, which he clinched in Round 2.
In front of a sold-out crowd of 17,683, Brazile won his first tie-down roping average and first team roping gold buckle en route to becoming just the third cowboy in PRCA history to become a multiple Triple Crown winner. He joined ProRodeo Hall of Famers Jim Shoulders (1956-58) and Everett Bowman (1935, 1937) with that distinction and became the first contestant in ProRodeo history to earn $500,000 in a single season with his $507,921.
“It means so much to me, because I think everything has got so specialized,” said Brazile, who now has a total of 14 world titles. “Nobody shows up and does three events on the same horse anymore, because it’s so competitive. That’s why I work my tail off every year, because of the respect I have for my competition. I don’t take these championships lightly, because I know how tough the field was. I’ve been blessed.”
Brazile joined Bowman as the only cowboys to win Triple Crowns with two different event combinations, as his first trifecta came in the all-around, tie-down roping and steer roping four years ago. Brazile pocketed $211,509 at the Wrangler NFR, a PRCA record for the most money won at a single rodeo, and far more than the previous record of $149,099 he set in 2008. Because of those earnings, Brazile won the Wrangler NFR’s all-around title and also earned the inaugural Ram Top Gun Award – which included the keys to a 2011 Ram 3500.
Brazile and Smith, the 2005 world champion heeler, won the team roping world championship ahead of Clay Tryan and Travis Graves. They had a 7.5-second run in Round 10 and placed in eight of 10 rounds in Las Vegas on their way to the world titles.
Brazile and Smith earned a whopping $120,419 at the Finals to become the first team ropers to eclipse the $200,000 in season earnings and jump from eighth to first in the PRCA World Standings. Brazile finished with $201,392, with Tryan in second with $184,739. Smith tallied $202,189, while Graves was second with $185,784.
“When I won the team roping, that was something they weren’t expecting me to do at all,” said Brazile, who did not lead the heading standings during the season until the end of Round 10. “Then that put even more pressure on me in the calf roping; I’d already done it where they didn’t expect me to, I sure couldn’t screw it up where they thought it was a lay-up.”
Their money totals broke the previous team roping single-season earnings record of $189,568 set by Matt Sherwood and Randon Adams in 2008.
“What a difference a year makes,” Smith said. “Last year was a humbling experience. We came out here third in the world last year, had a great chance at a title and left here with $2,700. This year, we came out here eighth without really any chance and ended up winning the world title. It was an exciting and fun week, and I’m grateful to be standing here.”
Luke Brown and Martin Lucero won the Wrangler NFR average with a 65.5-second 10-head total and climbed to third in the world after finishing as the only team with 10 qualified runs. Chad Masters and Jade Corkill won Round 10 with a 3.9-second run, seven-tenths of a second ahead of Keven Daniel and Caleb Twisselman.
In the tie-down roping, Brazile finished with $233,827 to claim his third gold buckle in that event in four years (2007, 2009), with his brother-in-law, Tuf Cooper, in second with $203,968. Brazile’s Wrangler NFR average crown came after he won one round and placed in at total of four rounds to finish with a 10-head time of 88.6 seconds. Cooper, who won Round 10 with a rodeo-best 6.9-second run, was second in the average with a 96.7-second total.
Cooper won an event-best $96,599 in Las Vegas and finished second to Brazile in the PRCA World Standings for the second consecutive year.
Bareback rider Bobby Mote, who came into this year’s Wrangler NFR in fifth place in the PRCA World Standings, won his fourth world title after finishing second in the average behind Justin McDaniel. Mote, of Culver, Ore., won two rounds and placed in seven en route to $115,099 in Wrangler NFR earnings and another gold buckle with a $204,484 total for the season.
Mote needed only to have a qualified score in Round 10 to clinch the title, and he finished fifth with an 85-pointer on Frontier Rodeo’s Delta Ship. McDaniel, the 2008 world champion, won the average with a 10-head total of 836.5 points, five points better than Mote’s total.
“My goal was obviously to win a world title, but it was pretty far-fetched coming into this,” Mote said. “Ryan (Gray) got hurt, and that opened the door. I hate to take advantage of his misfortune, but it was an opportunity, and things started coming around for me. I had a game plan to just get a good spur-out and make a good ride (in the final round), and here I am.”
Kelly Timberman, the 2004 world champion, won Round 10 with an 88.5-point ride on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Deuces Night, one point better than Will Lowe.
Another cowboy who found his way back to the world champions’ stage was steer wrestler Dean Gorsuch, who won his first world title in 2006. Gorsuch, of Gering, Neb., tied Billy Bugenig for the Wrangler NFR average title on his way to his second gold buckle.
He and Bugenig each took home $40,673 for the average split, and Gorsuch’s $93,774 in Las Vegas earnings propelled him from third to first place in the final PRCA World Standings. Gorsuch – who won one round and placed in a total of six rounds – finished the season with $186,477, while Canada’s Curtis Cassidy was second with $166,775.
“I went at it every night, and it felt great,” said Gorsuch, who also won the Wrangler NFR average in 2006. “I did everything I could do. My hazer, Del Kraupie, my best friend, did great all week long. That new horse, Pump Jack, that’s the best horse I’ve ever ridden. He fits me really well. It’s really a blessing.”
Cassidy won Round 10 on his legendary horse, Willy – the 2008 AQHA/PRCA Steer Wrestling Horse of the Year, who was making his final run of his legendary career – to edge Trevor Knowles for the runner-up spot to the world title with a 3.7-second run. Kyle Hughes was second in 3.8 seconds.
Cody Wright won the head-to-head battle against Wade Sundell to earn his second saddle bronc riding gold buckle. He spurred Harry Vold Rodeo’s Painted Valley – the 2010 PRCA Saddle Bronc Horse of the Year – for 87 points to finish second in the round, win the Wrangler NFR average with a record 847 points and edge Sundell in the final PRCA World Standings. Wright finished the year with $247,579, with Sundell in second with $224,673.
Sundell, who battled Wright for 10 days, scored 81 points on Franklin Rodeo’s Blue Too and finished second in the average with 842.5 points. They both finished far ahead of Rod Hay’s previous Wrangler NFR average record of 826 points on 10 head set in 2007.
“This one might feel better than my first one, to be honest,” said Wright, who set a saddle bronc riding record for Wrangler NFR earnings with $148,287. “I wanted to do one more to show people that it wasn’t just luck. Hopefully, I can win more than two. I think three would feel even better, so we’re going to keep going. Wade (Sundell) rode awesome. It made it fun, but also nerve-racking, and I think my family was probably more nervous than I was.”
Wright won three rounds and placed in eight overall, while Sundell won one round and placed in eight of 10 rounds
Heith DeMoss won Round 10 with an 87.5-point ride on Burch Rodeo’s Lunitic Fringe.
J.W. Harris became the first bull rider since Don Gay (1979-81) to win three consecutive world championships during Round 9 after clinching the Wrangler NFR average. In Round 10, Harris rode Silverado Rodeos’ Black Mamba for 86 points, good enough for fourth place in the round and an eight-head average total of 714 points.
That total was the most since Adriano Moraes had 724 points on nine head in 1996, and Harris was the first bull rider to cover eight bulls at the Wrangler NFR since B.J. Schumacher did it in 2006.
“I don’t think it’s fully sunk in yet,” Harris said. “I got on some really good bulls, and that’s half the battle. I just kept going out there and doing what I was supposed to do and didn’t celebrate a round win too much. It couldn’t have gone any better.”
Harris’ final-round ride pushed his total season earnings to $246,541, with Wesley Silcox, the 2007 world champion, finishing third in the Wrangler NFR average and second in the world with $215,349. Ardie Maier won the round with a 91.5-point ride on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Scent Loc, while Tyler Smith was second with a 90-pointer.
Sherry Cervi clinched her third world championship in Round 9 and finished second in the Wrangler NFR average to finish the season with a record $299,894 in season earnings. Cervi won three rounds and placed in a total of seven to break Lindsay Sears’ previous single-season of $256,114 from her world championship season of 2008.
“This season’s been outstanding, I can’t even explain it,” said Cervi, who won $120,042 in Las Vegas this year. “I had momentum going into this year from the Finals last year, and it kept going through the year. My horse (Stingray) has worked outstanding, and I’m very grateful for her. She’s a superstar.”
Jill Moody won the Wrangler NFR average with a record 10-run total time of 138.26 seconds, earning an event-best $133,035 to finish second in the world behind Cervi with $219,686. Her total time broke the previous mark of 138.93 seconds from 1986, the oldest Wrangler NFR average record in the books.
COMPLETE ROUND 10 RESULTS AND FINAL 2010 STANDINGS
Bareback riding:: 1. Kelly Timberman, Mills, Wyo., 88.5 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Deuces Night, $17,512; 2. Will Lowe, Canyon, Texas, 87.5, $13,840; 3. Kaycee Feild, Payson, Utah, 86, $10,451; 4. Joe Gunderson, Agar, S.D., 85.5, $7,344; 5. Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., 85, $4,519; 6. Jason Havens, Prineville, Ore., 84.0, $2,825; 7. Justin McDaniel, Porum, Okla., 83.5; 8. (tie) Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb.; Clint Cannon, Waller, Texas, and Steven Peebles, Redmond, Ore., 80.5; 11. Dusty LaValley, Bezanson, Alberta, 80; 12. Wes Stevenson, Lubbock, Texas, 78; 13. D.V. Fennell, Neosho, Mo., NS. Average: 1. Justin McDaniel, 836.5 points on ten head, $44,910; 2. Bobby Mote, 831.5, $36,436; 3. Kelly Timberman, 829.5, $28,810; 4. Dusty LaValley, 818.0, $21,184; 5. Will Lowe, 805.5, $15,252; 6. Clint Cannon, 801.5, $11,016; 7. Joe Gunderson, 800, $7,626; 8. Steven Dent, 776.5, $4,237; 9. Kaycee Feild, 759 on nine; 10. Jason Havens, 735; 11. Wes Stevenson, 714; 12. Steven Peebles, 710; 13. D.V. Fennell, 612.5 on eight; 14. Matt Bright, 405.5 on five; 15. Ryan Gray, Cheney, Wash., 76.5 on one. World standings: 1. Bobby Mote, $204,484; 2. Justin McDaniel, $185,039; 3. Kelly Timberman, $183,092; 4. Steven Dent, $173,736; 5. Kaycee Field, $161,190.
Steer wrestling:1. Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta, 3.7 seconds, $17,512; 2. Kyle Hughes, Olney Springs, Colo., 3.8, $13,840; 3. Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore., 3.9, $10,451; 4. Todd Suhn, Hermosa, S.D., 4.1, $7,344; 5. (tie) Matt Reeves, Cross Plains, Texas; Cody Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta and Nick Guy, Sparta, Wis., 4.2, $2,448 each; 8. Billy Bugenig, Ferndale, Calif., 4.3; 9. (tie) Luke Branquinho, Los Alamos, Calif., and Ethen Thouvenell, Napa, Calif., 4.7; 11. Dean Gorsuch, Gering, Neb., 4.8; 12. Dane Hanna, Berthold, N.D., 5.0; 13. Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo., 5.4; 14. Wade Sumpter, Fowler, Colo., 13.5; 15. Jule Hazen, Ashland, Kan., NT. Average:: 1. (tie) Dean Gorsuch and Billy Bugenig, 45.7 seconds on 10 head, $40,673 each; 3. Cody Cassidy, 48.7, $28,810; 4. Trevor Knowles, 59.8, $21,184; 5. Nick Guy, 62.0, $15,252; 6. Todd Suhn, 72.3, $11,016; 7. Matt Reeves, 47.3 on nine, $7,626; 8. Luke Branquinho, 47.4, $4,237; 9. Wade Sumpter, 65.3; 10. Ethen Thouvenell, 35.2 on eight; 11. Dane Hanna, 36.7; 12. Kyle Hughes, 39.2; 13. Curtis Cassidy, 30.2 on seven; 14. Josh Peek, 36.7; 15. Jule Hazen, 38.3 on five. World standings: 1. Dean Gorsuch, $186,477; 2. Curtis Cassidy, $166,775; 3. Trevor Knowles, $164,494; 4. Luke Branquinho, $160,049; 5. Cody Cassidy, $155,567.
Team roping:1. Chad Masters, Clarksville, Tenn./Jade Corkill, Fallon, Nev., 3.9 seconds, $17,512 each; 2. Keven Daniel, Franklin, Tenn./Caleb Twisselman, Santa Margarita, Calif., 4.6, $13,840; 3. Nick Sartain, Yukon, Okla./Kollin VonAhn, Durant, Okla., 4.8, $10,451; 4. Luke Brown, Rock Hill, S.C./Martin Lucero, Stephenville, Texas, 5.0, $7,344; 5. Brady Tryan, Huntley, Mont./Jake Long, Coffeyville, Kan., 5.3, $4,519; 6. Ty Blasingame, Ramah, Colo./Cody Hintz, Spring Creek, Nev., 7.4, $2,825; 7. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas/Patrick Smith, Midland, Texas, 7.5; 8. Travis Tryan, Billings, Mont./Rich Skelton, Llano, Texas, 9.3; 9. Derrick Begay, Seba Dalkai, Ariz./Cesar de la Cruz, Tucson, Ariz., 9.7; 10. Turtle Powell, Stephenville, Texas/Broc Cresta, Santa Rosa, Calif., 14.4; 11. (tie) Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont./Travis Graves, Jay, Okla.; Charly Crawford, Prineville, Ore./Russell Cardoza, Terrebonne, Ore.; Britt Williams, Hammond, Mont./Bobby Harris, Gillette, Wyo.; Colby Lovell, Madisonville, Texas/Kory Koontz, Sudan, Texas, and JoJo LeMond, Andrews, Texas/Cory Petska, Marana, Ariz., NT.Average: 1.Luke Brown/Martin Lucero, 65.5 seconds on 10 head, $44,910; 2. Trevor Brazile/Patrick Smith, 50.1 on nine, $36,436; 3. Keven Daniel/Caleb Twisselman, 57.1, $28,810; 4. Brady Tryan/Jake Long, 53.6 on eight, $21,184; 5. Turtle Powell/Broc Cresta, 54.7, $15,252; 6. Chad Masters/Jade Corkill, 66.7, $11,016; 7. Clay Tryan/Travis Graves, 44.1 on seven, $7,626; 8. Charly Crawford/Russell Cardoza, 45.6, $4,237; 9. Derrick Begay/Cesar de la Cruz, 54.7; 10. JoJo LeMond/Cory Petska, 39.0 on six; 11. Ty Blasingame/Cody Hintz, 49.8; 12. Travis Tryan/Rich Skelton, 26.1 on five; 13. Nick Sartain/Kollin VonAhn, 53.6; 14. Britt Williams/Bobby Harris, 19.0 on three; 15. Colby Lovell, Madisonville, Texas/Kory Koontz, Sudan, Texas, 27.5. World standings:(heading): 1. Trevor Brazile, $201,392; 2. Clay Tryan, $184,739; 3. Luke Brown, $170,370; 4. Chad Masters, $164,456; 5. Brady Tryan, $164,100. (heeling): 1. Patrick Smith, $202,189; 2. Travis Graves, $185,784; 3. Marin Lucero, $172,285; 4. Cory Petska, $164,646; 5. Jade Corkill, $164,456.
Saddle bronc riding:1. Heith DeMoss, Heflin, La., 87.5 points on Burch Rodeo’s Lunitic Fringe, $17,512; 2. Cody Wright, Milford, Utah, 87, $13,840; 3. Bradley Harter, Weatherford, Texas, 86, $10,451; 4. Cort Scheer, Elsmere, Neb., 84.5, $7,344; 5. Cody DeMoss, Heflin, La., 83, $4,519; 6. Jesse Wright, Millford, Utah, 82.5, $2,825; 7. Wade Sundell, Boxholm, Iowa, 81; 7. Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M., 81; 9. Scott Miller, Boise, Idaho, 79.5; 10. J.J. Elshere, Quinn, S.D., 78; 11. Jesse Kruse, Great Falls, Mont., 77; 12. (tie) Shaun Stroh, Dickinson, N.D., Jeff Willert, Belvidere, S.D., Dustin Flundra, Pincher Creek, Alberta, Sam Spreadborough, Snyder, Texas, NS. Average: 1. Cody Wright, 847 points on 10 head (breaks arena record of 826 points, , $44,910; 2. Wade Sundell, 842.5, $36,436; 3. Cody DeMoss, 828, $28,810; 4. J.J. Elshere, 796, $21,184; 5. Jesse Wright, 758 points on nine head, $15,252; 6. Cort Scheer, 743.5, $11,016; 7. Scott Miller, 704, $7,626; 8. Taos Muncy, 642.5 points on eight head, $4,237; 9. Shaun Stroh, 635.5; 10. Jeff Willert, 603; 11. Heith DeMoss, 581 points on seven head; 12. Bradley Harter, 479 points on six head; 13. Jesse Kruse, 478; 14. Dustin Flundra, 475.5; 15. Sam Spreadborough, 392 points on five head. World standings: 1. Cody Wright, $247,579; 2. Wade Sundell, $224,673; 3. Cody DeMoss, $159,050; 4. Cort Scheer, $152,551; 5. Jesse Wright, $149,834.
Tie-down roping: : 1. Tuf Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 6.9 seconds, $17,512; 2. (tie) Ryan Jarrett, Summerville, Ga., and Clint Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 7.2, $12,145 each; 4. (tie) Tyson Durfey, Colbert, Wash., and Joseph Parsons, Marana, Ariz., 7.5, $5,931; 6. (tie) Jerome Schneeberger, Ponca City, Okla., and Cody Ohl, Hico, Texas, 7.6, $1,412 each 8. Scott Kormos, Teague, Texas, 8.0; 9. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 9.1; 10. Clif Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 11.6; 11. Trent Creager, Stillwater, Okla., 17.6; 12. Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, La., 22.5; 13. Fred Whitfield, Hockley, Texas, 23.0; 14. (tie) Stran Smith, Childress, Texas, and Jerrad Hofstetter, Portales, N.M., NT. Average: 1. Trevor Brazile, 88.6 seconds on ten head, $44,910; 2. Tuf Cooper, 96.7, $36,436; 3. Shane Hanchey, 101.5, $28,810; 4. Scott Kormos, 103.7, $21,184; 5. Fred Whitfield, 106.6, $15,252; 6. Tyson Durfey, 107.9, $11,016; 7. Trent Creager, 108.7, $7,626; 8. Jerome Schneeberger, 108.8, $4,237; 9. Joseph Parsons, 120.1; 10. Clif Cooper, 98.8 on nine; 11. Clint Cooper, 123.5; 12. Ryan Jarrett, 75.1 on eight; 13. Cody Ohl, 80.7; 14. Stran Smith, 66.2 on seven; 15. Jerrad Hofstetter, 49.6 on six. World standings: 1. Trevor Brazile, $233,827; 2. Tuf Cooper, $203,968; 3. Shane Hanchey, $173,158; 4. Cody Ohl, $154,737; 5. Fred Whitfield, $140,654.
Barrel racing: 1. (tie) Brittany Pozzi, Victoria, Texas, and Angie Meadors, Blanchard, Okla., 13.67 seconds, $15,676 each; 3. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 13.77, $10,451; 4. Sydni Blanchard, Albuquerque, N.M., 13.83, $7,344; 5. Jill Moody, Letcher, S.D., 13.85, $4,519; 6. (tie) Sherrylynn Johnson, Henryetta, Okla., and Jeanne Anderson, White City, Kan., 13.86, $1,412 each; 8. Nellie Williams, Cottonwood, Calif., 13.98; 9. Brenda Mays, Terrebonne, Ore., 14.07; 10. (tie) Lindsay Sears, Nanton, Alberta, and Christina Richman, Glendora, Calif., 14.27; 12. Benette Barrington, Lubbock, Texas, 14.42; 13. Kelli Tolbert, Hooper, Utah, 18.62; 14. Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 18.86; 15. Tana Poppino, Big Cabin, Okla., 18.99. Average: 1 Jill Moody, 138.26 seconds on ten runs (breaks arena record of 138.93, Charmayne James, 1986), $44,910; 2. Sherry Cervi, 143.29, $36,436; 3. Lisa Lockhart, 144.09, $28,810; 4. Brittany Pozzi, 145.25, $21,184; 5. Brenda Mays, 149.63, $15,252; 6. Lindsay Sears, 150.05, $11,016; 7. Christina Richman, 150.54, $7,626; 8. Sherrylynn Johnson, 150.64, $4,237; 9. Benette Barrington, Lubbock, Texas, 151.17; 10. Nellie Williams, 151.33; 11. Kelli Tolbert, 153.29; 12. Sydni Blanchard, 154.21; 13. Angie Meadors, 164.25; 14. Jeanne Anderson, 165.52; 15. Tana Poppino, 127.15 on eight.World standings: 1. Sherry Cervi, $299,894; 2. Jill Moody, $219,686; 3. Lindsay Sears, $189,407; 4. Lisa Lockhart, $188,027; 5. Brittany Pozzi, $165,999.
Bull riding:1. Ardie Maier, Timber Lake, S.D., 91.5 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Scent Loc, $17,512; 2. Tyler Smith, Fruita, Colo., 90, $13,840; 3. Steve Woolsey, Payson, Utah, 87.5, $10,451; 4. J.W. Harris, Mullin, Texas, 86, $7,344; 5. Wesley Silcox, Santaquin, Utah, 85, $4,519; 6. Corey Navarre, Weatherford, Okla., 82.5, $2,825; 7. (tie) Shawn Hogg, Odessa, Texas, Kanin Asay, Powell, Wyo., Seth Glause, Rock Springs, Wyo., Clayton Williams, Carthage, Texas, Dustin Elliott, North Platte, Neb., Bobby Welsh, Gillette, Wyo., D.J. Domangue, Houma, La., Cody Whitney, Asher, Okla., NS. Average: 1. J.W. Harris, 714 points on eight head, $44,910; 2. Corey Navarre, 484 points on six head, $36,436; 3. Wesley Silcox, 429.5 points on five head, $28,810; 4. Cody Whitney, 421, $21,184; 5. Bobby Welsh, 347.5 points on four head, $15,252; 6. (tie) Tyler Smith and Kanin Asay, 344, $9,321 each; 8. Clayton Williams, 340, $4,237; 9. Dustin Elliott, 323; 10. Steve Woolsey, 257 points on three head; 11. D.J. Domangue, 176 points on two head; 12. Ardie Maier, 171.5; 13. Shawn Hogg, 170; 14. Chad Denton, 162.5; 15. Seth Glause, 85 points on one head.World standings: 1. J.W. Harris, $246,541; 2. Wesley Silcox, $215,349; 3. Tyler Smith, $156,132; 4. Corey Navarre, $146,120; 5. Kanin Asay, $140,100.
Attendance: 17,683
