3 takeaways from NFR: Mayfield survives battle for all-around title

Tie-down roper Shad Mayfield was given the nickname “Money Mayfield” for the large amounts he wins at rodeos.

Mayfield barely earned enough to win the all-around title at this year’s National Finals Rodeo, however.

He edged out Coleman Proctor by $676 on Saturday at Thomas & Mack Center on the final day of NFR. Mayfield jumped Proctor after winning an additional $40,750 by finishing fourth in the aggregate, an average standing of all the competitor’s runs at NFR, in tie-down roping.

“It’s very cool,” Mayfield. “All I wanted to be was a cowboy and there’s difference between having a tie-down roping (title) and all-around cowboy (title). They both mean a lot to me, but all-around cowboy, that means the world.”

Mayfield, who also won the 2020 tie-down roping title, was one of eight world champions crowned Saturday.

Among other notable champions, Dean Thompson (bareback riding) and J.D. Struxness (steer wrestling) both won their first titles. Riley Webb (tie-down roping) and the duo of Tyler Wade and Wesley Thorp (team roping) both successfully defended their titles.

Here are three takeaways from the 2024 National Finals Rodeo:

1. Mayfield perseveres for all-around

Mayfield entered NFR with the lead in the all-around standings. The 24-year-old from Clovis, New Mexico, held onto that lead until Friday.

Proctor won his team roping go-round on the ninth day of NFR. Mayfield, on the other hand, struggled. He missed the calf on his first roping attempt Friday. He then slipped getting off his horse and did not claim any earnings.

That meant Mayfield entered Saturday $31,924.76 behind Proctor in the all-around standings.

“(Friday) night was tough,” Mayfield said. “Coleman took the lead and had everything. The ball was in his court. It was hard on me because I felt like I let myself down in a big way. At the end of the day, I stayed where I needed to be to be in contention and go at it (Saturday).

Proctor missed the calf Saturday and he and teammate Logan Medlin did not post a time in their go-round. Proctor didn’t claim any earnings for the round and only added $8,150 by finishing eighth in the aggregate.

Mayfield posted a time of 9.6 seconds in his go-round Saturday. While he didn’t claim any earnings in the round, his aggregate finish gave him just enough win the all-around title.

Mayfield, who also competed in steer roping and team roping in the regular season, said he knew he had to be under 10 seconds to win the title. He did not win a go-round, but he claimed $111,061 over 10 days.

“I knew it’d be a battle going up against the other guys that were against me,” Mayfield said. “They’re the best in their events as well. I didn’t want to take myself out of contention. I kept pushing and staying where I was to come into the 10th round for a chance.”

2. Title after tragedy

Barrel racer Kassie Mowry’s fiancé, Michael Boone, died in an accident in June.

Mowry said when the two left NFR last year, Boone said he wanted to see his horse Jarvis get another chance to compete at the event. Jarvis got that opportunity this year and made the most of it. Mowry won her first barrel racing world title riding her late fiancé’s horse.

“To leave my driveway — that horse gave me a reason to walk out my front door a lot of days,” Mowry said. “When I went out, everybody pushed me to get on the road and it wasn’t going well. … That horse just wouldn’t let me come home. He kept winning out there in the summer. I stayed out and I’m glad I did. This was definitely worth the struggle.”

Mowry won five go-rounds to win the title by more than $27,000. She won $295,526 at NFR.

“To come out here and do better than I ever thought I could, it’s hard to describe,” Mowry said. “It’s a relief. I’m glad it worked out. It took so many things and so many people to get me through this. It was all worth it. I’ll never forget it.”

3. Adding to family legacies

Reigning five-time all-around champion Stetson Wright was out of competition at NFR as he recovered from an injury, but the Wrights still celebrated Saturday.

Stetson’s older brother, Ryder, won his third saddle bronc riding title. Ryder Wright shared the Saturday go-round win and jumped to seventh in the aggregate standings, which helped him win the title by more than $37,000.

“I won my first gold buckle (in 2017) with two no scores, so I knew I wasn’t out of the race completely,” Wright said. “I just had to go out there and gas it every round and win as many rounds as possible. … I had to work hard for this one. Not that I didn’t for the other two, (but) this one’s pretty special.”

In bull riding, Josh Frost won his first title. Frost won $265,823 at NFR and finished first in the aggregate. This NFR was far different than Frost’s first in 2019, when he was bucked off 10 bulls.

Frost is a third-generation Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association cowboy, following in the footsteps of his father Shane and his grandfather Joe. His great-uncle Clyde competed at the first NFR in 1959. Frost is also the second cousin of the late Lane Frost, a bull riding champion.

Frost said it means a lot to add to the “Frost Legacy,” even though that doesn’t matter to some.

“Those bulls don’t care about your last name,” Frost said with a grin.

Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.