2008 National Finals Rodeo

[CThrash13]

The NFR begins next Friday I believe, and that means 10 consecutive days of rodeo on TV. That's always good news.

As always, I'm most looking forward to the bull riding. Chance Smart has had a great season and currently has a decent lead over B.J. Schumacher. It's still anyone's buckle to win, however.

I admittedly don't get excited about a couple events during the NFR, but tie-down roping is another I really enjoy. I'll be pulling for my local boy, Hunter Herrin, who is currently in second place.

What things are you looking forward to seeing at this year's NFR?

[Barney Rubble]

The calf roping at the NFR is second to none. It's usually the most exciting event to watch, and the NFR is probably the only rodeo where the timed events are consisitently fun to watch for even a very casual fan.

Chance has a really good look at the buckle in the bull riding, he's been to the NFR once before but has never been in the position of having all the pressure on him. I don't think he's ready for what he's about to experience, but I hope I'm wrong. BJ has been there and done that, and he's kind of the PRCA's golden boy so I'd bet on him to win the world again. He should have 2 titles by now anyway if they hadn't screwed him in 03. I'm kind of an older guy and I understand what it takes to get to the NFR even though I haven't rodeoed much in a couple years, so my sentimental favorites here would be Cody Hancock and Mike Moore. I wouldn't be surprised to see either one win the average. Spud Jones could also be a factor as could Bobby Welsh, they both look like they ride plenty good enough. If Kanin Asay draws enough bulls into his hand he'll get rich but he's not well rounded enough to win the whole deal.

Will Lowe will win a bunch of rounds in the bareback riding but Steven Dent will stay just high enough in the average to win the world.

I think Stockton Graves is overdue to win the world in the steer wrestling but this event is usually the biggest crapshoot of them all in Vegas.

I haven't paid any attention to the team roping so I don't have a prediction there.

Billy Etbauer will fall out of the average early in the bronc riding but win just enough rounds for a 6th world title.

I don't have any predictions for the calf roping or barrel racing.

This could be all wrong but it's the way things look to me right now.

[carpshooter]

looking forwards to watching it on the tv. i will probably be taping it since it comes on kind of late for me. getting up and going to work seems to be a problem when i don't get some sleep. i sure hope billy etbauer does well, i love to watch him and the interviews are always worth it. he is always so humble. sure miss watching his brothers too.

[jaye]

What channel is airing the NFR?

I really want to see Mike Moore win the average. He's about as tough as they come.

[Homeslice]

Usually it will air on ESPN and/or ESPN2, depending on the rounds and stuff. Here in the east coast I'm SOL because most early rounds air overnight on the weekdays.

[jaye]

Good news for you, Homeslice! Looks like the NFR is on ESPN Classic, at least some rounds, beginning at 9 and 10 pm ET. Also there are some rounds on ESPN2 in the evening and not overnight. And there are some starting at midnight. Geez, I wish they'd all come on at the same time on the same channel. Thank God for DVR's.

[bullman27]

There is a record amount of LIVE coverage this year which means not so many late nights!! Check out the PRCA web page for broadcast and station details

[Homeslice]

All right, guys, they've started posting the draw. Here are rounds 1 and 2:

Round 1:

83 Spud Jones 399
328 Western Rodeo | Speed Trap L 1

106 Cody Hancock 358
W3 Frontier Rodeo | Vanilla Ice R 2

115 Kanin Asay 319
253 Carr Pro Rodeo | Air Up There L 3

119 Mike Moore 332
415 D & H Cattle | Big Rig L 4

76 Shawn Proctor 382
-43 Silverado Rodeo | Black Gold L 5

63 Douglas Duncan 303
363 Andrews Rodeo | Small Package R 6

81 Zack Oakes 355
207 Frontier Rodeo | Trapper R 7

118 Colin McTaggart 394
E3 Three Hills Rodeo | Migraine L 8

50 Seth Glause 352
+57 Franklin Rodeo | Garfield R 9

30 Steve Woolsey 349
200 Four Star Rodeo | Rhino Tough R 10

79 Wesley Silcox 375
435 Rafter G Rodeo | Sparky L 11

25 J.W. Harris 369
K1 Korkow Rodeo | Swamp Donkey L 12

92 Bobby Welsh 301
33 Andrews Rodeo | Reeces Pieces R 13

11 B.J. Schumacher 373
403 Mo Betta Rodeo | Sweetness L 14

48 Chance Smart 378
408 Rafter H Rodeo | Night Moves L 15

RERIDE 351
117 Franklin Rodeo | Devil in Savo R 16
RERIDE 302
-21 Andrews Rodeo | Red Onion R 17
RERIDE 395
E51 Three Hills Rodeo | Aftermath L 18
RERIDE 348
202 Flying U Rodeo | Bring It L 19
RERIDE 310
368 Beutler & Son | Shiner L 20

-----------------------------------------------------------

Round 2:

115 Kanin Asay 353
91B Frontier Rodeo | Invisible Touch R 1

119 Mike Moore 309
+123 Beutler & Son | Voodoo Child L 2

76 Shawn Proctor 336
D13 D & H Cattle | Ricky Bobby L 3

63 Douglas Duncan 347
W23/3 Flying U Rodeo | Charlie Bullware R 4

81 Zack Oakes 390
404 Silverado Rodeo | Cowboy L 5

118 Colin McTaggart 389
426 Silverado Rodeo | Silent Image L 6

50 Seth Glause 366
29 Klein Rodeo | Cochise L 7

30 Steve Woolsey 357
446 Frontier Rodeo | Silencer L 8

79 Wesley Silcox 322
172 Cervi Championship | Multichem Texas Cocktail R 9

25 J.W. Harris 398
344 Western Rodeo | Dippin Dots L 10

92 Bobby Welsh 346
T11/3 Flying U Rodeo | Troubadour L 11

11 B.J. Schumacher 392
455 Silverado Rodeo | Buckeye R 12

48 Chance Smart 333
83 D & H Cattle | Grey Dog L 13

83 Spud Jones 372
409 Mo Betta Rodeo | Bob R 14

106 Cody Hancock 391
414 Silverado Rodeo | Malibu R 15

RERIDE 396
007 Triple V Rodeo | Q L 16
RERIDE 371
112 Lancaster & Pickett | Howdy L 17
RERIDE 320
106 Cervi & Guidry | Comet's Gold R 18
RERIDE 377
303 Rafter H Rodeo | Crazy Train L 19
RERIDE 367
40 Klein Rodeo | Ft. Worth L 20

-----------------------------------------------------------

So Cody, care to make any match-ups outta these? I see a bunch of good ones in both rounds.

It'll be good to see bulls like Charlie Bullware and Cochise again - I wonder why Bullware didn't go to the PBR Finals, and still wonder why Cochise wasn't even in the PBR BFTS all season. Then again, that's probably another discussion for another sub-forum of ours here.

[CThrash13]

Off the top of my head, I like Kanin Asay to win round one on Air Up There, and I like Chance Smart on Grey Dog in round two.

Seth Glause, sorry about your bad luck. Cochise will make short work of him.

[CThrash13]

So much for my first-round pick. Kanin Asay definitely let one get away. Congrats to Bobby Welsh on winning the first round of bull riding.

I was also very excited to see Hunter Herrin win the first round in tie-down roping. He inched a little closer to first place in the world standings as well, and he might be tough to beat this week.

I'm looking forward to seeing some rank bulls in round two.

[Barney Rubble]

I think Shawn Proctor, Zack Oakes, Steve Woolsey and either Mike Moore or Bobby Welsh will get one twisted tonight. If Mike or Bobby doesn't win the round Shawn or Zack probably should. Then again, this may be one of those nights at the NFR were they only ride 1 or 2. Also, if the bull JW Harris has is the one I'm think it is, that could be really good to watch.

[Homeslice]

Well, Steve looked good enough to win this round. Good for him, he's had heck at the NFR in recent times (shut out in '06, and didn't even make it last year).

Man, Voodoo Child looked rank! I too had never seen him go to the right, right out of the gate. Mike definitely got surprised there.

Is it me, or should J.W. have been more points on Dippin Dots? That definitely looked like a 90-something kind of a bull ride. I really thought 86.5 was too low.

And man, Wesley's wreck did not look good at all. I really hope his leg isn't re-broken (I hadn't heard anything as of today). Let's hope he can pull through and come back!

Here is the draw for round 3:

76 Shawn Proctor 343
P63 Flying Diamond | Bells & Whistles R 1

63 Douglas Duncan 326
-11 Corey & Horst | War Zone R 2

81 Zack Oakes 388
411 Silverado Rodeo | Black Mamba L 3

118 Colin McTaggart 313
38 Beutler & Son | 38 Special R 4

50 Seth Glause 324
333 Corey & Horst | Rez Boy R 5

30 Steve Woolsey 341
C21 Diamond G | White Magic R 6

79 Wesley Silcox 397
339 Western Rodeo | Rock Crusher L 7

25 J.W. Harris 316
36 Burns Rodeo | Twisted T R 8

92 Bobby Welsh 383
925 Silverado Rodeo | Mo Betta R 9

11 B.J. Schumacher 379
I-103 Rosser Rodeo | Hawaiian Ivory L 10

48 Chance Smart 362
224 Growney Brothers | Scoundrel R 11

83 Spud Jones 386
360 Silverado Rodeo | Rusty L 12

106 Cody Hancock 327
46 Corey & Horst | Northern Chill L 13

115 Kanin Asay 359
D104 Frontier Rodeo | Moon Pie R 14

119 Mike Moore 384
66 Silverado Rodeo | Cactus R 15

RERIDE 368
390 Korkow Rodeo | Mortachi L 16
RERIDE 376
928 Rafter G Rodeo | Ned Pepper L 17
RERIDE 380
678 Salt River Rodeo | Out of Time L 18
RERIDE 317
343 Burns Rodeo | Harry Hump L 19
RERIDE 306
406 Bar T Rodeo | Austin L 20

----------------------------------------------

I'm guessing, but Steve's got the rankest one in this round. He will need to be on his game for sure. Any other opinions (or (dis)agreements)?

[jaye]

Duncan on War Zone and Schumacher on Hawaiian Ivory should also be ones to watch. I agree with you that White Magic is probably the rankest.

[CThrash13]

White Magic was extra rank last night, and Hawaiian Ivory was pretty darn close! That was by far the best trip I've seen from that bull. He made B.J. look silly. Also, Chance Smart was outstanding on his bull and could have been more than 91.5 as far as I'm concerned.

On a side note, Cochise was excellent as usual two nights ago. That's always good to see. And I'm not sure what Troubador was marked, but it should have been at least 47. He was awesome.

Also, Hunter Herrin placed fourth last night in tie-down roping and is only $12,000 back in the standings. With Josh Peek struggling in the average as well, Herrin is in great shape. Cody Ohl was awesome last night as well, and he could get on a hot streak in a hurry.

I checked out the draw for the fourth round, but I can't get it to copy and paste. I'll take Colin McTaggart on Hot Diggity d**n though. The bull looks and bucks a lot like his daddy, and that makes him pretty rider friendly for the most part. We will see though. So far, my predictions have sucked!

[cowboyup1991]

I guess i will throw in my picks while i am here. Mike Moore on Firewater and Bobby Welsh on North Star are both good matchups. But Bobby Welsh is kinda one of my local boys. Ive entered up a few small open shows he was at over the year and he is riding really good this year so he is my pick for 91 points and ill go ahead and say that Mike Moore will be 89