Brazile wraps up NFR in style

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Trevor Brazile has been living a fantasy the past month. What’s come into his life goes beyond what any dream could envision.

He won the steer wrestling world championship last month and a few weeks later stood by as his wife, Shada, delivered their first child, a boy named Treston.

After that, what happened the past 10 days at the National Finals Rodeo might be icing on his cake, but it’s the sweetest he’s ever tasted.

Even if the last bite was a bit bitter.

He won his first calf roping world championship in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association on Saturday night despite missing his first rope throw.

That title came two nights after he clinched his fifth all-around world championship, and he is the first cowboy in 24 years to win three world titles in one season.

But moments after results from calf roping were finalized, he felt a need to apologize to runner-up Cody Ohl for the way he won the title.

Ohl gave him a startled look and quickly slapped his back to congratulate him.

Moments later Brazile said he felt he disappointed the 17,838 in the Thomas & Mack Center by ending his rodeo on a sour note.

"I pride myself for being professional when I need to be, and I want to just apologize to the fans," he said. "But I had them on the edge of their seats."

That drive for perfection and his inability to be complacent with any mistake in the arena are the best examples of how he won $186,203 in the Finals to push his season total to $425,115, which shatters the record he set a year ago. Included is a record $189,919 in a calf roping season.

Each of the other world championship races were nearly as close before the following won titles: Bobby Mote won his second bareback riding title; Jason Miller rallied in steer wrestling after starting the Finals in 13th place; Chad Masters won the team roping title for headers while Walt Woodard topped the heelers; NFR rookie Taos Muncy won saddle bronc riding after Cody DeMoss was bucked off his last ride; Brittany Pozzi-Pharr won barrel racing; and Wesley Silcox won bull riding.

But it was calf roping where an arena record for disbelief was set. It came down to Ohl, a five-time world champion in the category, and Brazile.

Ohl left the chute as the 13th of 15 ropers. But a couple seconds into his run, his horse seemed to quit, which caused Ohl to come out of a stirrup. He recovered and stopped the clock at 14.0, nearly twice the time he wanted and his first miscue of the rodeo.

Then it was Brazile’s turn. He aggressively went after his calf but missed his first throw. A quick recovery ended a 15.4-second effort. Also his only miscue in calf roping.

Brazile was able to edge Houston Hutto, who placed third in the go-round, by $4,300 for the world title. Ohl, who won the NFR aggregate title in the category, finished $6,800 behind Brazile for third.

Ohl was less disappointed than he’s ever been with a third-place finish. He missed three months late in the season after having surgery to repair his right rotator cuff. He competed in only 27 rodeos while others roped in more than twice as many.

"Coming here seventh in money with as few rodeos as I went to makes it hard to be disappointed," Ohl said.

Brazile, who never lost his smile after his last run, became more accepting of the title if not the way he roped his last calf.

"I’ve had a phenomenal year. I just didn’t know if I had given away the tie-down (calf) roping championship I worked so hard to get this year."

Contact reporter Jeff Wolf at jwolf@ reviewjournal.com or (702) 383-0247.