NFR: 12 moments to remember

Any time you erect a center stage — or transform an iconic basketball arena into one for rodeo — great performances are sure to follow.

Here are a dozen from the National Finals Rodeo’s long run at the Thomas & Mack Center that warrant another appreciative tip of a cowboy hat:

Playing the Feild

Lewis Feild became the first bona fide star of the Las Vegas NFR after it relocated from Oklahoma City by capturing the 1985 world bareback and all-around cowboy titles — and then doubling down again in 1986 before adding his third straight all-around championship in 1987.

Charmayne James wins without bridle

During Round 7 of the inaugural Las Vegas NFR in 1985, the bridle on Charmayne James’ barrel race horse Scamper broke and fell off — but the two still won in 14.4 seconds. When their equipment didn’t malfunction, the two were even more formidable and captured their 10th consecutive gold buckle in 1993.

Jim Sharp’s perfect 10

In 1988 National Finals, the man called Razor by rodeo fans stayed aboard 10 bulls for the required eight seconds. Not only was that a lot of bull, that was all of the bulls, and the record-setting performance earned Sharp the first of his two Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association world titles.

This one’s for Lane

After Lane Frost was killed at Cheyenne, Wyoming, Tuff Hedeman rode a bull in the 10th go-round of the 1989 NFR for eight seconds — and then rode another eight seconds to honor his late travel partner. After sustaining serious injuries aboard Bodacious in 1995, Hedeman forfeited his ride on the notorious bucking bull in the NFR and respectfully tipped his hat — just as he promised his young son, Lane, he would do if he ever drew Bodacious again.

Gone in (less than) 60 seconds

Jake Barnes and Clay O’Brien Cooper — the latter started roping at age 6 and appeared with John Wayne in a movie called “The Cowboys” — in 1994 set the NFR team roping record of 59.1 seconds in cumulative average in capping a collection of seven goldbuckle performances that began in 1985 — the year rodeo’s biggest show moved to Las Vegas from Oklahoma City.

Speed Williams and Rich Skelton’s streak

The aptly named header and his longtime heeling partner won eight consecutive team roping world championships (1997-2004) which many rodeo enthusiasts consider the equivalent of Joe DiMaggio 56-game hitting streak — a record that may never be broken.

Tying one on

In 1998, Ty Murray surpassed Larry Mahan by overcoming knee and shoulder surgeries to earn his seventh all-around cowboy gold buckle. Moments later, Mahan — who had tutored Murray when the latter was a youngster — was the first to shake his protege’s hand.

Billy Etbauer’s double Dip

During the fifth go-round in 2003, Billy Etbauer drew Kesler Championship Rodeo’s Cool Alley Dip and set an NFR record with a 93-point ride. The two were matched again the following year — and equaled the record with another 93, earning Etbauer the last of his five championship buckles and a guest spot on the “Late Show with David Letterman.”

Kaycee Feild’s six-pack

The son of world champion all-around cowboy Lewis Feild — Kaycee was so scrawny his dad wouldn’t let him compete regularly until he was 17 for fear he might be injured — earned the first of his four consecutive gold buckles in bareback riding in 2011 — and then repeated as champion again in 2020 and 2021 for a record six bareback titles.

Luke Branquinho’s booty shake

The steer wrestler won his record fifth gold buckle in 2018 and his 25 NFR go-round wins are also a record. Branquinho is known for punctuating a go-round win with crowd-pleasing lower body gyrations — he’s been shaking his booty for so long that KC and the Sunshine Band now ask him for pointers.

Sage Kimzey’s five-peat

During Round 10 of the 2018 NFR, Sage Kimzey rode Beuter & Sons’ Record Rack’s Shooting Stars to 93 points and clinched his record fifth consecutive bull riding championship. Kimzey was first to top $400,000 in bull riding career earnings, and he did it in only two years.

Brazile’s swan song

Just after announcing he was retiring from full-time rodeo in 2018, Trevor Brazile won his 24th event championship (14 as all-around cowboy) and received a standing ovation from the appreciative Thomas & Mack Center crowd on an impromptu victory lap. As it turned out, Brazile proved hard to beat even as a part-time competitor, adding steer roping titles to his gold buckle total in 2019 and 2020. ◆