NFR: Gold buckle chase goes down to wire

Bullfighter Dusty Tuckness of Meeteetse, Wyo., squeezes past a bull’s horns Thursday during the eighth round of the National Finals Rodeo at the Thomas & Mack Center. Tuckness, 27, whose job is to keep bull riders out of harm’s way, is a four-time Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Bullfighter of the Year. (Jason Bean/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Jesse Wright of Milford, Utah, gets bucked off Hickok during Wednesday’s seventh round of saddle bronc riding. Though he didn’t score Wednesday, Wright placed first in Tuesday’s sixth round with a score of 83.5 and was third (82.0) in Thursday’s eighth round. (Jason Bean/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Cesar de la Cruz, a team roping heeler from Tucson, Ariz., rear, joins other National Finals Rodeo competitors in a charge into the arena before Wednesday’s seventh round. De la Cruz and header Derrick Begay of Seba Dalkai, Ariz., tied for third in the first round. (Jason Bean/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Caleb Bennett of Morgan, Utah, draws spectators’ attention during Wednesday’s seventh round of bareback riding en route to posting an 11th-place score of 73.5 points. Through eight rounds, Bennett’s best efforts came in the first round, when he placed first with 85.5 points, took second (84.0 points) in the sixth round and was fourth (86.0) in the fifth round. (Jason Bean/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

There’s never a dull moment during the 10-day run of the National Finals Rodeo at the Thomas &Mack Center. Trevor Brazile already has won his 11th all-around title and a record-breaking 19th world championship gold buckle. But the champions in bareback riding, barrel racing, bull riding, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, tie-down roping and team roping for headers and heelers won’t be determined until after tonight’s final go-rounds and the event averages are adding to the prize money.