NFR DAY 10: Steiner, Wright among world champions crowned — PHOTOS
Bareback rider Rocker Steiner held more than a $103,000 lead in the standings entering the final night of the National Finals Rodeo, but the 2025 world title was still up in the air entering the 10th round of the Super Bowl of rodeos.
Steiner took measures in his own hands in his final NFR ride, making sure he wouldn’t finish a spot short of the world title for a second straight year.
The 21-year-old cowboy posted a score of 90.50 points in his bareback riding go-round to finish second, which gave the Weatherford, Texas, native enough earnings to win his first world title Saturday night at the Thomas & Mack Center.
“This is everything I’ve ever wanted, dreamt about, worked for, bled for, cried for. This is everything,” Steiner said. “This wasn’t necessarily about the gold buckle (world title), this is doing this for my family. I want my family to know their son is the best at something.
“I want my family to know that they have a son that worked as hard as he possibly could and never gave up and I finally gave it to them.”
For the all-around title, Stetson Wright made his grand return to NFR by winning his sixth all-around crown. Wright, from Beaver, Utah, won his fifth straight all-around title in 2023 despite missing most of the NFR due to a hamstring injury and he sat out the 2024 season as to recover from the same injury.
Wright entered the NFR with 20-year-old Wacey Schalla within striking distance of the all-around title. But Wright won seven go-rounds between saddle bronc riding and bull riding to not just hold but extend his lead in the standings, while Schalla won just one go-round between bareback riding and bull riding.
9 champions crowned
Steiner and Stetson Wright were two of nine world champions crowned Saturday night. Wright also won his third bull riding title over Ky Hamilton. The title is Wright’s 10th PRCA world title.
The closest title race was in saddle bronc riding where Statler Wright won the title over brother Ryder Wright by $346. Statler Wright won the aggregate and added $94,035 to his total earnings ($455,940). Statler Wright won three go-rounds to jump from ninth in the standings, where Statler Wright was when he entered the NFR, to win his first world title.
Tucker Allen arrived in Las Vegas fifth in the steer wrestling standings, but won $248,045 at the NFR to claim the steer wrestling world title in his second NFR appearance. Allen also won the aggregate and claimed the title by more than $64,000.
“That’s something we work for, but to be able to execute, it’s just a blessing,” said Allen, 26, of Ventura, California. “We all daydream about doing it. But to be able to do it is a whole different story. No, you hope it can go that good, but when it does go that good, it’s pretty exciting.”
‘Thankful I lost’
In bareback riding, Steiner picked up $29,980 for his go-round win Saturday night and added an extra $31,936 by finishing fifth in the aggregate, an average of all the competitor’s scores throughout NFR.
Steiner leaves the NFR having added $203,985 in earnings, which gave him the title by more than $58,000 over Sam Petersen. Steiner finished second last year after a strong start at the NFR, but lost the title on the final night after poor runs in the later rounds.
Jess Pope, who finished third in the standings, had a chance to unseat Steiner for the title as Pope sat at No. 1 in the aggregate. But Pope’s 84.75 point run Saturday did not net him any earnings and he fell to second in the aggregate.
After winning two rounds after the first five days, it appeared Steiner was going to run away with the title. But after tough outings in go-rounds 7 and 8, Steiner said he was feeling déjà vu from 2024.
“It seemed like it was going to happen again,” Steiner said. “I think last year really set me up for this year. As much as I hate to say this, I’m very thankful I lost the world title last year.”
‘Almost started crying’
Steiner has several family members who have competed in the NFR, including his father, Sid, the 2002 steer wrestling champion, and grandfather, Bobby, the 1973 bull riding champion.
Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” was blasting inside the Thomas & Mack Center as Steiner made his championship run, the same song Steiner’s father came out to during his steer wrestling runs for the 2002 title at the NFR.
“I’ve always said whenever I’m going into the 10th round to win the world title, I want to play “Lose Yourself” for my dad,” the younger Steiner said. “Whenever it came on in the chute, I almost started crying in the bucking chute and I’m surprised I’m not crying right now. I just wanted to be like my dad.”
Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.
