You have to be tough growing up in Louisiana, where crawfish -- mudbugs -- are a staple and baby food is flavored with Tabasco.

But saddle bronc rider Cody DeMoss, also known as "Hot Sauce" DeMoss, took toughness to a new level in Friday night's penultimate go-round of the National Finals Rodeo.

He displayed what cowboys call "try" by "cowboying up," a rallying cry when someone has a big obstacle to clear.

The Heflin, La., cowboy rode despite sustaining three cracked bones near the vertebrae in the lumbar area of his spine Thursday night when he was stepped on by the horse that bucked him.

He started Thursday's round as the world standings leader, and had he not tried to ride Friday due to the injury, he would not have been permitted to ride tonight by Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association rules.

DeMoss, 25, was runner-up for the world title in 2004 and didn't want to lose this year's opportunity.

But he was bucked off 2.35 seconds into what he hoped would be a completed eight-second ride. Adding more pain to his injury -- if that's possible -- was his closest challenger, Chad Ferley of Oelrichs, S.D., tied for first place Friday.

That, coupled with the PRCA's statement that DeMoss would not ride tonight, clinched the world title for Ferley.

DeMoss had $186,890 in season earnings going into Thursday, and he was fourth in the NFR aggregate after completing six of his first seven rides. But he lost the aggregate lead to Ferley on Thursday and his chance at the world title on Friday.

DeMoss was helped to the training room from the arena floor and didn't want to talk with the media.

No words could describe the guts he displayed anyway, or the disappointment he must have felt.

• EARLY START -- For the first time since the NFR moved to Las Vegas in 1985, the 10-day rodeo will end on Saturday night instead of Sunday afternoon. Tonight's last go-round will start at 5:45 p.m., an hour earlier than weekday performances.

• EUTHANIZED ANIMALS -- Saddle bronc horse Faded Star, a 6-year-old gelding, was euthanized shortly after it fell while bucking Jesse Bail. It sustained a distal radial fracture of its left front leg, according to PRCA officials.

Sammy Andrews, owner of the horse, and the PRCA veterinarian agreed that it was best to humanely put the horse down.

On Thursday, an animal suffered a fatal neck injury during the calf roping.

• MORE BUCKS -- The ProRodeo League of Women's annual fashion show, lunch and raffle raised $70,000 Thursday for the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund. The fund provides financial assistance to injured rodeo athletes.

Another $10,000 was presented to the Justin fund by Wes Stevenson, who along with friends put on a bareback riding clinic at his ranch in Kaufman, Texas, last month.

• CHAMPIONS BRUNCH -- The world champions will be honored at 9:30 a.m. Sunday at the South Point, an event open to the public.

The admission price of $45 is worthwhile just to see how many of the nine honorees will be sober enough to stand after a night of celebrating.

In addition to offering Bloody Mary's and Screwdrivers, the bar should conjure up Pepto-Bismol cocktails.