As the payout continues to rise, the NFR Average becomes a more critical piece of the Gold Buckle race with each passing year. In 2023, winners at the NFR cashed in nearly $80,000.
BAREBACK RIDING
In all three roughstock events, the NFR Average winner was also the World Champion. Rookie sensation Keenan Hayes knocked Jess Pope off the top of the mountain in Round 10 with a 90-point ride. Pope had won the previous three NFR Average titles in the bareback riding.
1. Keenan Hayes 850/10 $78,747
2. Jess Pope 845.5/10 $63,889
T3. Cole Reiner 843/10 $43,831
T3. Kade Sonnier 843/140 $43,831
5. Leighton Berry 841/10 $26,744
6. Tanner Aus 837/10 $19,315
7. Mason Clements 836/10 $13,372
8. Jacob Lees 830/10 $7,249
9. Richmond Champion 829/10 $0
10. Clayton Biglow 828.5/10 $0
11. Tim O’Connell 826/10 $0
12. Rocker Steiner 823.5/10 $0
13. Jayco Roper 749/9 $0
14. Orin Larsen 720/9 $0
15. Dean Thompson 653.5/8 $0
STEER WRESTLING
Don Payne was perhaps the most unlikely NFR Average winner in 2023 as he not only entered the NFR No. 15, he stayed there until after Round 10, because he won the Average without finishing better than fourth in a round. Every one of his times was between 4.2 and 5.5 seconds and when it was all said and done, Payne found himself No. 6 in the final PRCA Steer Wrestling World Standings.
1. Don Payne 44.9/10 $78,747
2. Jesse Brown 46.2/10 $63,889
3. Tyler Waguespack 50.3/10 $50,517
4. Stephen Culling 53/10 $37,145
5. Stan Branco 62.4/10 $26,744
6. Dalton Massey 68.6/10 $19,315
7. Dakota Eldridge 40.9/9 $13,372
8. Nick Guy 43.5/9 $7,429
9. JD Struxness 46.7/9 $0
10. Ty Erickson 58.2/9 $0
11. Dirk Tavenner 43.2/8 $0
12. Jacob Talley 54.1/8 $0
13. Bridger Anderson 28.6/7 $0
14. Cody Devers 36.3/7 $0
15. Will Lummus 51/7 $0
TEAM ROPING (HEADERS)
Derrick Begay/Colter Todd were the only ones to catch all 10 and it allowed Begay to finish with $269,125, the most money he has ever earned in a season.
1. Derrick Begay 69/10 $78,747
2. Luke Brown 51.9/9 $63,889
3. Tyler Wade 58.9/9 $50,517
4. Andrew Ward 59/9 $37,145
5. Clint Summers 41.5/8 $26,744
6. Nelson Wyatt 62.8/8 $19,315
7. Rhen Richard 68.8/8 $13,372
8. Erich Rogers 39.7/7 $7,429
9. Marcus Theriot 47.3/7 $0
10. Tanner Tomlinson 49.8/7 $0
11. Clay Smith 30/6 $0
12. Kaleb Driggers 35.3/6 $0
13. Jake Clay 35.4/5 $0
14. Coleman Proctor 49.1/5 $0
15. Dustin Egusquiza 26.3/4 $0
TEAM ROPING (HEELERS)
In his first NFR since 2008, Colter Todd showed no rust as he left the Average champion. He finished No. 3 in the PRCA World Standings.
1. Colter Todd 69/10 $78,747
2. Hunter Koch 51.9/9 $63,889
3. Wesley Thorp 58.9/9 $50,517
4. Buddy Hawkins 59/9 $37,145
5. Jake Long 41.5/8 $26,744
6. Jonathan Torres 62.8/8 $19,315
7. Jeremy Buhler 68.8/8 $13,372
8. Paul Eaves 39.7/7 $7,429
9. Cole Curry 47.3/7 $0
10. Patrick Smith 49.8/7 $0
11. Paden Bray 30/6 $0
12. Junior Nogueira 35.3/6 $0
13. Tyler Worley 35.4/5 $0
14. Logan Medlin 49.1/5 $0
15. Levi Lord 26.3/4 $0
SADDLE BRONC RIDING
Zeke Thurston became the first saddle bronc rider ever to win the World Championship and NFR Average in consecutive years. Over the last two seasons, Thurston is averaging 87 points at the NFR and dating back to 2021, he has ridden 30 straight broncs in Las Vegas. In 2023, his NFR Average check helped break the saddle bronc riding single season earnings record with $456,356. He now has four Gold Buckles and three NFR Average titles since 2016.
1. Zeke Thurston 863/10 $78,747
2. Brody Cress 856/10 $63,889
3. Lefty Holman 852.5/10 $50,517
4. Damian Brennan 851/10 $37,145
T5. Tanner Butner 844.5/10 $23,030
T5. Sage Newman 844.5/10 $23,030
7. Kade Bruno 764/9 $13,372
8. Ryder Wright 761.5/9 $7,429
9. Wyatt Casper 751/9 $0
10. Layton Green 717/9 $0
11. Ryder Sanford 666/8 $0
12. Dawson Hay 665.5/8 $0
13. Chase Brooks 662.5/8 $0
14. Ben Andersen 566.5/7 $0
15. Stetson Wright INJ $0
TIE-DOWN ROPING
Haven Meged was the only cowboy to set an NFR Average record in 2023 as he was 77.4 on 10. Along the way, Meged also broke the Thomas & Mack arena record with a 6.4-second run in Round 7 and placed in eight rounds total. He finished the year No. 2 in the world with $411,263.
1. Haven Meged 77.4/10 $78,747
2. Riley Webb 82.9/10 $63,889
3. Caleb Smidt 92.6/10 $50,517
4. Kincade Henry 93.3/10 $37,145
5. Shane Hanchey 94.9/10 $26,744
6. John Douch 95.8/10 $19,315
7. Cory Solomon 109.1/10 $13,372
8. Blane Cox 115.3/10 $7,429
9. Westyn Hughes 119.6/10 $0
10. Tuf Cooper 69.8/9 $0
11. Hunter Herrin 95.1/9 $0
12. Brushton Minton 104.4/9 $0
13. Ty Harris 116.1/9 $0
14. Shad Mayfield 57.3/7 $0
15. Beau Cooper 58.4/5 $0
BARREL RACING
In her 17th NFR, Lisa Lockhart won the NFR Average title for the third time since 2014. She won the second-most of any barrel racer at the NFR and broke Sherry Cervi’s all-time WPRA earnings record in the process.
1. Lisa Lockhart 137.18/10 $78,747
2. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi 141.18/10 $63,889
3. Kassie Mowry 141.20/10 $50,517
4. Paige Jones 142.21/10 $37,145
5. Jordon Briggs 142.43/10 $26,744
6. Jessica Routier 142.76/10 $19,315
7. Ilyssa Riley 144.54/10 $13,372
8. Hailey Kinsel 148.67/10 $7,429
9. Sue Smith 149.00/10 $0
10. Summer Kosel 152.66/10 $0
11. Sissy Winn 156.64/10 $0
12. Stevi Hillman 158.09/10 $0
13. Emily Beisel 161.48/10 $0
14. Wenda Johnson 163.64/10 $0
15. Tayce Matthews 154.88/9 $0
BULL RIDING
Ky Hamilton’s toughness was on display throughout the NFR as he battled through a concussion, a broken rib and a lung injury to still be the only cowboy to ride six bulls. The NFR Average is ultimately what pushed him to break Stetson Wright’s single season earnings record by about $3,000.
1. Ky Hamilton 514.5/6 $78,747
2. Sage Kimzey 437/5 $63,889
3. Josh Frost 429.5/5 $50,517
4. Jared Parsonage 421/5 $37,145
5. Trey Kimzey 412/5 $26,744
6. Creek Young 344.5/4 $19,315
7. Jeff Askey 260/3 $13,372
8. Jordan Hansen 258/3 $7,429
9. T Parker 239.5/3 $0
10. Hayes Weight 177/2 $0
11. Tristen Hutchings 169.5/2 $0
12. Cody Teel 167.5/2 $0
13. Trey Holston 166/2 $0
14. Cullen Telfer 0/0 $0
15. Stetson Wright INJ $0
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