Trevor Brazile

All-Around & Tie-Down Roping World Champion

Records, as they say, are meant to be broken, and no cowboy in ProRodeo has shown that to be true more than Trevor Brazile. After putting together arguably the greatest season in the history of the sport, the 34-year-old from Decatur, Texas, now stands alone atop the all-around heap.

“It’s special,” said Brazile, who now has 14 world titles. “It doesn’t bring me back to 2009 or 2010, it brings me back to going to junior rodeos and high school rodeos and college rodeos. The dreams I had and just getting out here and being able to realize them this year. I can’t tell you what a feeling that is.”

Brazile joined ProRodeo Hall of Famers Jim Shoulders (1956-58) and Everett Bowman (1935, 1937) as the sport’s only multiple Triple Crown winners, and he and Bowman are the only two cowboys in history to win Triple Crowns with different event combinations. 

“Oh, there are guys with lots more natural ability than me,” Brazile said. “My greatest attribute is that I know where my blessings come from and I just try to be a good steward of the blessings that I’ve got, the talent that I’ve got. I know I want to sit back one day and know that I didn’t leave anything out there. I want to be able to watch the National Finals one day and know that I went all out and there wasn’t anything that I didn’t put my heart and soul into.”

Now that he’s cemented himself among the all-time greats in the sport’s history, what is next for the talented roper? Simply put, more winning.

“I feel like I’m in the prime of my career,” Brazile said. “I don’t know where you go from here, but winning never gets old. The thing that motivates now is the same thing that motivated me when I was junior rodeoing. I love what I do.“You minus the travel, and you can’t find a happier guy. I love getting up and playing cowboy every day, getting to go rodeos in front of the greatest fans in the world. Who wouldn’t love this?”

Courtesy of PRCA

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Bobby Mote

Bareback Bronc Riding World Champion

Bobby Mote is the first to admit that he was fortunate to ascend up the ranks and win his fourth world championship this year. Considering he underwent surgery, had to take time off because of another injury and entered the 52nd Wrangler National Finals Rodeo nearly $70,000 behind his traveling partner Ryan Gray in the PRCA World Standings, his accomplishment was nothing short of amazing.

In what Mote describes as a “different” year, he underwent multiple surgeries and still won nearly $90,000 in the regular season to qualify for his 10th Wrangler NFR.

Mote said the time he was forced to take off because of the injuries was actually a blessing in disguise. He was able to spend more time with his family and realize that having a balance between rodeo and his duties as a family man is more important than anything else, even world titles. “Knowing that I was able to spend way more time with my family this year and keep some balance is great,” said Mote. “It dawned on me that it doesn’t make any difference to my kids how many gold buckles I have. That’s not important. It is important that I’m around and able to be their dad.

“To keep doing this, make a great living for my family and keep doing the things I want to do, why would I want to do anything else? The stuff that’s happened this year has shown me that you don’t take anything for granted and you really need to appreciate everything. The people you meet in rodeo and the experiences you have – I’m not ready to leave that.”

Courtesy of PRCA

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J.W. Harris

Bull Riding World Champion

Even if an athlete competes for just a short while, he will experience the highs and lows of competition. For bull rider J.W. Harris, he went through his toughest and best Finals in back-to-back years. The Mullin, Texas, cowboy broke his right, riding hand in Round 2 at the Wrangler NFR last year and failed to post a qualified ride. Despite, he still won his second straight world title because of the big lead he carried in, as well as the gold buckle.

Fast forward to this year, a healthy and happy Harris is livin’ the dream. He claimed his second average title and third consecutive gold buckle following Round 9 of the Wrangler NFR, Dec. 10 in Las Vegas. On top of that, Harris and wife, Jackie, had their first child, a girl, Aubrey Lee, born on Nov. 30 and are basking in their role as new parents.

“Man, life could not be any better than what it is right now,” the 24-year-old said.

Harris is staying on rank bulls because he is healthy and is gaining valuable experience with each year he competes.

Expect to see a happy Harris back on the rodeo trail right away after the first of the year because he has six more gold buckles to win and a baby to cloth and feed. To Harris, the second is more important than the first. “I’m still after nine gold buckles,” he said. “But it took some pressure off me to have that little girl because she is the main focus.”

Courtesy of PRCA

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Cody Wright

Saddle Bronc Riding World Champion

Cody Wright has won two gold buckles now and the second maybe even a little sweeter than the first. He won his first world title in 2008.

“I love riding broncs,” said the 33-year-old from Milford, Utah. “It’s my life, but my kids and my wife are way more important than bronc riding. As long as they are healthy and doing well I’m happy. Winning a world title is great, but my family is the greatest.”

By winning this year, Wright also proved his first world title was no fluke. Wright had to battle five-time World Champion Billy Etbauer to claim his first gold buckle and this year he had to hold off rising star Wade Sundell to win his second. Becoming a multiple-time world champion puts him in a different class of cowboys and affirms that he knows how to ride and how to win.

The Wright immediate, and extended family, hope more saddle bronc riding gold buckles will make their way from Las Vegas to Utah. “This one might feel better than my first one to be honest,” Wright said. “I wanted to do one more to show people that it wasn’t just luck. Hopefully, I can win more than two. I think three would feel even better, so we’re going to keep going.”

Courtesy of PRCA

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Rocky Patterson

Steer Roping World Champion

After qualifying for the National Finals Steer Roping 14 times without a world title, Rocky Patterson is now a two-time champion, and he won his second straight in spectacular fashion. Patterson broke the 12-year-old earnings record of ProRodeo Hall of Famer Guy Allen and became the first steer roper to eclipse the $100,000 mark at the 2010 Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping, Nov. 5-6, at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Okla.

After being overcome by the fact that he had finally achieved his career-long goal of winning his first gold buckle in 2009, Patterson said the feeling of winning a second was rather hard to describe. “I don’t think little kids dream of the second one, but it’s nice to have,” he said.

Patterson told reporters after being presented with his world championship buckle and saddle that those prizes were his motivation throughout the season; the fact that he happened to surpass Allen in the record books was simply a bonus. Patterson’s record-breaking season was due in part to his two-horse combination of Ricky Bobby and Pops, the 2010 AQHA/PRCA Steer Roping Horse of the Year.

The Finals marked the end of what can only be considered a dream season for Patterson. He won the world title, his horse was voted the best in his event, and Patterson’s name has a new place in the record book.“That’s really something, isn’t it?” Patterson said. “I’m really fortunate.”

Courtesy of PRCA

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Dean Gorsuch

Steer Wrestling World Champion

One could easily assume that the smile on Dean Gorsuch’s face after Round 10 comes from the fact that the big man from Gering, Neb., has just won his second steer wrestling world title and his second Wrangler National Finals Rodeo average title.

But the gleam that could be seen in his eyes in Las Vegas went beyond the fact that he had made it back to the top of the mountain in one of ProRodeo’s most competitive events. He had done it riding his own horse with his best friend at his side hazing for him all season long, and you could see the pride that comes with having a plan work just the way you wanted.

Gorsuch started the 2010 season somewhat slowly, lingering in the 20’s in the PRCA World Standings through May, but the Eastern Wyoming College graduate said he was biding his time. “I was trying to season my horse (14-year-old Pump Jack),” Gorsuch said. “I rode (Curtis Cassidy’s legendary steer wrestling horse) Willy at the big ones and didn’t have any luck on him, and it wasn’t Willy’s fault. I rode mine at all the smaller winter rodeos, and man, I just had tons of confidence and won a lot on him. So, coming out of the spring, we just kept going.”

“I felt him get better every day I rode him, every time I rode him,” Gorsuch said. “He’s the kind of horse that gives you an opportunity every time. He’s got a huge heart, and he’s going to work whether you do your job or not. That’s why I love him. It’s really exciting to ride him here and win the world on him.”

“This has been the most fun year I’ve ever had.”

Courtesy of PRCA

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Trevor Brazile and Patrick Smith

Team Roping World Champions

This was the year Brazile finally won a team roping gold buckle with Patrick Smith, the only one of his events that he not previously won. “Everything kind of took a back seat to the heading buckle this year,” Brazile said, “People talked about me being a calf roper trying to head, and that Patrick needed to find somebody who was a true team roper who was able to focus all of his attention on that event. Maybe it will send a little hush over the crowd that I might be a team roper now.”

“I want to be the best at the things I compete at, and I compete in team roping. I’ve put a lot of hard work into it and it came together. It helps complete my picture of being a cowboy. This is the one (title) people didn’t expect me to get and it means a lot. It is the one that had eluded me. You can’t help but hear the critics on things like that. You try to block it out, but to win just makes it that much sweeter.”

Then there is the matter of how he and Smith went about winning this thing. “I’ll be the first to tell you I didn’t think we had a chance,” Brazile said. “I’m not one who ever tries to limit myself, but I just didn’t think it was realistic.”

Both Brazile and Smith were quick to credit a change in preparation for their dramatic turn-around from last year’s Wrangler NFR performance.They largely practiced apart. “Over the last years we’ve practiced so much,” Brazile said, “I had to go back to work on my heading. I needed to be throwing better loops. I needed my horses more in my hand. So, I told (Patrick) I wasn’t going to be as good of a practice partner as I had in the past as far as turning steers. If he would trust me I was going to be a better header in the process. It would make his job easier.”

“Headers and heelers practices are so different,” Smith said. “Travis was able to work on his head loop and his head horses and I am blessed enough to be surrounded by guys who just love to practice. As a heeler, we need to have the real deal every time practicing.

“The team roping was just an awesome ride. It was such an exciting race and it kind of turned into something that I never dreamed it would be out here this year.”

Courtesy of PRCA

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PPoBR Competition

Here’s what you’ll see at
this year’s Rodeo!

• Bull Riding Bull riding is the most dangerous event in the sport of rodeo. Riders use a flat-braid rope to remain on a bucking bull for 8 seconds while using only their one riding hand.
• Bareback Bronc Riding One of the most physically demanding events in rodeo, bareback riders remain on a bucking bronc for 8 seconds using only their one riding hand.
• Saddle Bronc Riding Saddle bronc riding is rodeo's classic event. Similar to bareback bronc riding in all ways but one, this highly stylized competition utilizes a saddle.
• Barrel Racing Barrel racing is graceful and simplistic — one woman, three barrels, a horse and the ever-present stopwatch. Whoever completes the clover-leaf pattern around preset barrels in the fastest time wins.
• Tie-Down Roping A 3-step timed event, featuring a calf, horse, and rider. The rider must rope the calf, dismount his horse, and restrain the calf by tying three legs together. When the calf is roped and tied, time stops and whomever does it in the fastest time is the winner.
• Team Roping Requires two mounted riders, one to rope a steer around the horns, the second to rope the back feet. Riders are penalized if only one foot is roped.
• Steer Wrestling Steer wrestling requires a unique blend of speed, technique, and power. It is an event in which a horse-mounted rider chases a steer, and drops from the horse to the steer in an attempt to wrestle it onto its side. The clock stops when the steer is on its side with all four legs pointing in the same direction, with victory being awarded to the fastest time.