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12/12/2006
NFR
Recap, Courtesy of the PRCA
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.
The Wrangler NFR, an annual Las Vegas event
since 1985, is the world’s premier rodeo. Only
the Top 15 contestants in each of rodeo’s events
qualified for the event.
For more on the 48th Wrangler NFR, log on to
www.prorodeo.com, the official Web site of the
Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.
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
Saddle bronc riding
1. Country Cat, Greg Kesler Rodeo
2. Faded Star, Andrews Rodeo Inc.
3. Sock Dancer, Growney Brothers Rodeo
Bull riding
1. Lucky Strike, David Bailey Rodeo
2. Werewolf, Flying U Rodeo
3. Copper, Burns
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