Ep. 30 - NFR Round 7 Recap

December 11, 2019 (Las Vegas, Nevada) - Welcome to the National Finals Rodeo Round 7 2019 recap! While some of the biggest names in rodeo, such as bull rider Sage Kimzey and barrel racer Hailey Kinsel are starting to stretch their lead in the projected world standings, team roping and tie down roping’s young guns are continuing to attack with deadly speed. Many of the world titles are up for grabs, you’ve just gotta grab them!

Round 7 Quiz Questions

Our daily quizzes involve current rodeo facts, NFR happenings, rodeo terminology and history!

Bob Tallman is the 2019 winner, and, in fact, has won the award the last two years and eleven years total. Fun fact, first time NFR Qualifier Taylor Santo’s older brother, Lane Karney, does a phenomenal impersonation! Just google it on Facebook for a BFR version or watch an old rerun of Outside the Barrel with Flint Rasmussen at Cowboy Christmas.

A phenomenal saddle bronc rider, he was either the 1987 world champion or NFR champion. His son, Blake Knowles, has qualified numerous times for the WNFR in steer wrestling with Butch’s nephew, Trevor Knowles, AND, both Blake & Trevor’s wife’s (Whitney and Jena) are the Wrangler poster models! Jena Knowles was named Western Runway’s cover girl for 2019 - an extremely high honor!

Joe Beaver was in the start of his NFR career when the rodeo first moved to the Thomas & Mack in Las Vegas, Nevada. Beaver earned three all around titles in 1997, 2000, and 2006, plus four tie down world championship titles in 1987, 1988, 1992, and 1996.

Although she didn’t win the title of 2008 Miss Rodeo America, the then 2007 Miss Rodeo California used the friendship and guidance of 1973 Miss Rodeo America Pam Minick to start an impressive career in television!

P.S. Thanks for the shoutout on your Instagram Kadee!

Jeff Medders’ Tulsa-based company, Geronimo Productions, is in its eighth year of doing all the broadcast production for the NFR. It’s hard to picture a CBS sports broadcast without him!

Our other option was Tuff Hedeman and we wanted to take the time to talk a little bit more about him today as well as he’s an absolute legend. A highly successful junior rodeo competitor, he won the 1980 New Mexico High School bull riding and all around titles. He won the team roping title and the all around designation again in 1981.

After high school, he was a member of college rodeo in Texas where he competed in bronc riding, team roping, steer wrestling and bull riding. Hedeman filled his PRCA card in 1983 as a bronc rider and spent a majority of his rodeo years traveling with good friends Lane Frost, Cody Lambert, Jim Sharp, Clint Branger, and Ty Murray.

Hedeman had 11 NFR appearances, passed the $1 million mark in 1993, won the world titles in 1986, 1989, and 1991. In 1993, he missed the NFR due to a neck injury and the following year as well. But, don’t worry, he was still plenty busy working as a stunt double for Stephen Baldwin who was playing Tuff Hedeman for the movie 8 Seconds!

Instrumental in starting the PBR, he also won the 1995 PBR world championship despite an encounter with Bodacious where he shattered every major bone in his face. He somehow managed to walk out of the arena and get to extensive reconstructive surgery for his face. Less than two months after the accident, he was back at it and qualified for the National Finals Rodeo. In Round 7, guess who he drew? Bodacious. At the request of his son, he got off in the chute, turning the bull loose to a standing ovation.

Although Hedeman “retired” in 1998, he is still extremely active in the world of rodeo leading associations, clinics and color commentating.

Round 7 Event Recap

Bareback

Whatever Clayton Bigelow is doing - it’s working! Bigelow got ANOTHER round win in Round 7, this time all on his own with a 91.5 point ride on Rafter G Rodeo’s Ankle Biter. After the victory lap, he told CBS Network’s sideline reporter Kadee Coffman, “That’s the best bull ride I’ve ever done!” This was in reference to Ankle Biter dropping into a nasty well of a circle, similar to a bucking bull pattern, that left Bigelow holding on for a wild ride!

A decent night of bareback, as per usual with this great pen of bucking horses and riders, Orin Larsen got a reride option that he smartly took and came back with a 90 point ride for second place. There was some question on if Austin Foss should have gotten a reride OR, if he did get one, why he declined it.

Steer Wrestling

A rough start in the steer wrestling ended when Stetson Jorgensen decided to throw the fastest steer in the 2019 NFR with a 3.4 second run. He was four-tenths off the arena record!

There was a three-way split for third with Ty Erickson, J.D. Struxness, and Matt Reeves. Reeves actually got a re-run which is pretty unusual in the timed events. He was quick to call for it after a malfunction at the gate and it paid off well as he is sitting projected second in the average and world standings.

Team Roping

Cody Snow and Wesley Thorp are IN THE ONE. Their 3.6 second run was half a second faster than second place and they’re really feeling it right now!

Despite the five second penalty on the heel end, Tyler Wade is coming out of the heading box FAST. He’s definitely going to be someone to watch in 2020!

Brentan Hall’s illegal head catch with the figure 8 was a little unusual. An extra bummer because they were doing well in the average until that moment. The Minor brothers, who won Round 6, missed tonight and that hurt them big time.

Saddle Bronc

Zeke Thurston had his redemption ride from Round 6 by winning Round 7 on the great horse Get Smart. It was named the Top Match Up of the night in the saddle bronc and it did not disappoint with a 92.5 point ride.

Jake Watson joined the usual couple of Wrights, Brody Cress, and Chase Brooks in getting round money. Mitch Pollock is still having a round NFR - it’s not that he isn’t riding, he’s just missing his mark out.

Tie Down Roping

Tyler Milligan, in his first Wrangler NFR qualification, got his first round win in seven after placing second earlier in the week.

Here’s what you need to know about what went SO wrong in the tie down roping for some and what went SO right for Tuf Cooper. Haven Meged had a couple bobbles and went long, almost 10 seconds long, which opened the door for others in the close 2019 tie down roping race. Marty Yates was the first one up with a shot to take the average and round lead but his calf got up! Opportunity and a gold buckle was probably lost in that moment. Then it was Taylor Santos’ turn - he looked like he was going to win the whole round but his calf fought back causing him to 12 seconds.

Former world champion Tuf Cooper was next and he wasn’t going to let that opportunity pass him by and made quick work for third place. Getting money in each round is huge to him, as well as placing in the average, because he’s got the All Around World Title in his sights with the tie down roping title.

Barrel Racing

Back-to-back world champion Hailey Kinsel got her first round win of 2019 with a 13.6 second run. She mentioned in her post victory lap interview with Kadee Coffman that her horse, Sister, had been struggling with the ground but was starting to figure it out.

Amberleigh Moore hit a barrel that will most likely take her out of the NFR world title race. She’s already very far behind after her round 1 double-knock for any average money. Emily Miller who has had the hot hand, placed 8th in the round on her back up horse. She’s still first in the average but has dropped to second behind Kinsel in the projected world standings.

It’s too soon to knock out Ivy Conrado-Saebens and her good mare JLo. She’s being consistent and getting money - she could be a dark horse no one is paying attention too.

Bull Riding

After making comments about Sage Kimzey not “doing anything too flashy” this year, he decided to have the ride of the night on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Smoke Wagon for a 90 point ride! It was FUN to watch!

Someone else who has been fun to watch his Boudreaux Campbell - he’s doing big things as well and is riding bulls that he might not have been able to ride a year ago! Tyler Bingham was the only other guy to get a ride and that day money is surely going to boost Sage’s world title. It may be too soon, but no one else may be able to catch him.

One PRCA Rule Change, Remove or Create

On every podcast episode we ask our guests for one rule that they would change, remove or create to the PRCA or WPRA. Keeping up with tradition, we are sharing our thoughts or our fans’ suggestions on each episode of the NFR Podcast rounds.

Raking the barrels at least every five if not every run. The footing has definitely been a struggle this year, just as much as it has been in the past. If the timed events contestants can take their time in the box and rough stock riders can get settled in the chute - barrel racers need a fair shake as well.

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