ProRodeo world
champions crowned in Las Vegas
Courtesy PRCA
LAS VEGAS – Although five cowboys had already
clinched world titles heading into Saturday’s 10th and final round of
the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, there was no shortage of drama as
contestants in three events sweated it out until the very end.
A record crowd of 18,224 watched
contestants win world titles in team roping, steer wrestling and barrel racing
in the Thomas & Mack Center, the home of the Wrangler NFR since 1985.
Team ropers Matt Sherwood of Queen
Creek, Ariz., and Allen Bach of Weatherford, Texas, claimed titles in heading
and heeling, respectively, becoming the first non-partners to claim world titles
since the event was split into two categories in 1995.
Bach, along with partner Chad Masters of
Clarksville, Tenn., won the lucrative average title and a $41,088 payday. While
that pushed Bach over the top for his fourth career world title and first since
1995, it left Masters just $848 behind. Masters began the 10-day event 15th
in the world standings, but catapulted himself to second place with a top-notch
Wrangler NFR.
Meanwhile, Sherwood, who reached his
first Wrangler NFR with the help of heeler Walt Woodard, ended an unbelievable
week by capping it off with a 4.1-second run on Saturday.
Although ecstatic, both had hoped to win
titles with their partners.
“I wouldn’t have had this type of success
without Walt,” Sherwood said. “It’s disappointing that it ended up the way it
did for Walt. Not taking anything away from Allen, but it’s disappointing to
start something and not end up winning together.”
Added Bach, “Switching partners this
year, I knew there was a good chance of ending the year with different champions
in heading and heeling. I have mixed emotions. I wish Chad could be here now. He
really roped great and showed so much maturity for his age.”
Earlier, steer wrestler Dean Gorsuch of
Gering, Neb., clinched his first world title by throwing his final-round steer
in 3.6 seconds, giving him the average title and enough money to rally past 2004
World Champion Luke Branquinho on the final night. Gorsuch ended the year with
$194,268, about $14,000 more than Branquinho.
“This means the world to me,” Gorsuch
said. “Next to the birth of my son, this is the best. My little boy will have a
dream one of these days to be a world champion. It’s awesome to finally
accomplish that dream.”
Barrel racer Mary Burger of Pauls
Valley, Okla., placed second on Saturday with a run of 13.75 seconds and held
off regular-season standings leader Brittany Pozzi of Victoria, Texas, by some
$2,500. For Burger, the 58-year old earned her first world title.
Pozzi finished sixth in Round 10 with a
time of 14.14 to win the Wrangler NFR average title, but a fourth-place finish –
just .09 seconds away – would have given her the world title.
The rest of the events already had their
titleists determined earlier in the week, but many of those same cowboys didn’t
let up Saturday as they set several event and season records.
World Champion All-Around Cowboy Trevor
Brazile of Decatur, Texas, set the PRCA’s single-season earnings record en route
to winning his fourth all-around buckle and fifth world title overall. He won
$329,924 in 2006, breaking the mark of $320,766 set last year by bull rider Matt
Austin.
Bareback rider Will Lowe of Canyon,
Texas, officially claimed his third world title on Saturday and also set the
event record for single-season earnings at $280,227. Kelly Timberman owned the
previous record of $225,181, set two years ago. Lowe also set the Wrangler NFR
earnings record for bareback riding, bagging $128,302 in 10 days in Las Vegas.
Tie-down roper Cody Ohl of Hico, Texas,
won his fifth event gold buckle and sixth overall on Saturday. His 2006 season
will go down in history as the best ever in his event as he earned $298,112,
including a Wrangler NFR-best $132,652 among tie-down ropers.
World Champion Bull Rider B.J.
Schumacher of Hillsboro, Wis., had a one-of-a-kind week in Las Vegas. He won
$142,644, the most ever at a PRCA rodeo, and brought Wisconsin its first PRCA
title since bareback rider Jack Buschbom in 1960.
Cowboys and cowgirls weren’t the only
honorees on Saturday. The Wrangler NFR Top Stock Awards were announced as
Classic Pro Rodeo’s Wise Guy took top honors in bareback riding, Greg Kesler’s
Country Cat was the top-ranked saddle bronc horse and David Bailey’s Lucky
Strike was named the top bull for the second straight year.
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2006 World Champions
All-around cowboy: Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas
Bareback riding: Will Lowe, Canyon, Texas
Steer wrestling: Dean Gorsuch, Gering, Neb.
Team roping (heading): Matt Sherwood, Queen Creek, Ariz.
Team roping (heeling): Allen Bach, Weatherford, Texas
Saddle bronc riding: Chad Ferley, Oelrichs, S.D.
Tie-down roping: Cody Ohl, Hico, Texas
Barrel racing: Mary Burger, Pauls Valley, Okla.
Bull riding: B.J. Schumacher, Hillsboro, Wis.
2006 Wrangler NFR Champions
All-around cowboy: Joe Beaver, Huntsville, Texas
Bareback riding: Will Lowe, Canyon, Texas
Steer wrestling: Dean Gorsuch, Gering, Neb.
Team roping (heading): Chad Masters, Clarksville, Tenn.
Team roping (heeling): Allen Bach, Weatherford, Texas
Saddle bronc riding: J.J. Elshere, Quinn, S.D.
Tie-down roping: Cody Ohl, Hico, Texas
Barrel racing: Brittany Pozzi, Victoria, Texas
Bull riding: B.J. Schumacher, Hillsboro, Texas
2006 Wrangler NFR Top Bucking Stock
Bareback riding
1. Wise Guy, Classic Pro Rodeo, Ltd.
2. Moulon Rouge, Growney Brothers Rodeo
3. Comotion, Beutler and Son Rodeo Company
