Nearly everyone in the Wright bloodline rode bulls at some point. They all gave it up to focus on saddle broncs. Everyone, that is, except for Stetson.
Rodeo
Here are the 1st go-round results from the National Finals Rodeo at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
You can’t argue with the results. For decades, Cowboy Christmas has been synonymous with the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
Perhaps it’s just a coincidence, but if so, it’s a pretty good one. Unrivaled tie-down roper Cody Ohl joins saddle bronc king Billy Etbauer in the 2023 class of Vegas NFR Icons.
Rocker Steiner, a 19-year old Texan, won his first go-round in bareback riding, while four-time defending all-around champion Stetson Wright fell in saddle bronc riding.
The 2023 National Finals Rodeo’s 1st go-round took place at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas on Friday night. Check out the action here.
Only four other cowboys have achieved what Stetson Wright is all but certain to achieve at this year’s National Finals Rodeo: a fifth straight all-around title.
“When the rodeo starts, for two hours, everything is perfect,” Justin “Rumpshaker” Rumford says. “When the rodeo starts, there’s nothing to worry about. Just have fun. Make sure the crowd has a blast.
This year’s edition of the annual Western-accented extravaganza will run Dec. 7 to 16 in the South Hall and the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
With National Finals Rodeo returning to Las Vegas, the stage is set for 10 days of more barbecue, less tofu.
Here’s a look at the rodeo competitors coming to Las Vegas for the National Finals Rodeo, with a breakdown of how the races shape up in each discipline.
Las Vegas Events President Tim Keener joined us for NFR Live 445 from Day 1 of the 2023 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo from the Thomas & Mack Center.
Roughly 800 cowboys and cowgirls will chase a combined million-dollar purse at the Junior World Finals, taking place in the daytime during the NFR’s 10-day run.
Keenan Hayes, a 20-year-old rookie from tiny Hayden, Colorado, is the world leader in bareback riding heading into the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.
Five-time world champion Billy Etbauer will be honored with Cody Ohl at the National Finals Rodeo as the latest NFR Icon inductees.