Elko steer wrestler Eldridge cashing in again at NFR

A money player is defined as an athlete who performs best under pressure. Elko native Dakota Eldridge has been the epitome of a money player in his first three National Finals Rodeo appearances at the Thomas & Mack Center.

After qualifying for the 15th and final spot in steer wrestling in the 2013 NFR, Eldridge placed second in the average standings to climb to fifth in the world. Last year, he took third in the NFR average to ascend from ninth to fifth in the world.

This year, Eldridge is in the midst of his most impressive performance yet at the Super Bowl of rodeo. After rallying late in the year to qualify 12th for the NFR, Eldridge is poised to win his first gold buckle.

"The money you can win, that always gets me more excited," Eldridge said. "Not that I'm not trying all year, but this is how we make our living right here. If I don't come here and do good, I have to get a job. If I do good, I can have a good living.

"I figure I rodeo all year long to break even and make the Finals. That's where I make all my money."

Eldridge, 24, didn't finish in the money in Friday's ninth round — dropping a place to sixth in the world, about $40,000 behind leader Clayton Hass — but his 5.0-second run allowed him to keep his lead in the average (41.30 seconds on nine head).

Eldridge, who has won $66,846 at the NFR and $144,399 on the year, would earn $67,269 for winning the average, which would propel him past Hass for the world title.

If the rodeo ended after the ninth round, Eldridge would win the gold buckle. But there's one round left.

"It's anybody's ballgame," Eldridge said. "We're all going to have fun (tonight). We'll see what happens."

Eldridge attributes much of his success to his horse, Rusty, a 17-year-old raised by his grandfather that he grew up with.

"I've got a good horse, Rusty, and that's always a key factor," he said. "We've had so much success here because he really likes this building.

"It's just special to be here with him now. He's pretty much made my living. He's just kind of a winner."

Eldridge, who graduated from Elko High School in 2009, rode Rusty in the Nevada High School Rodeo Association, where he won six state titles (three all-around, two steer wrestling and one tie-down roping).

He also earned PRCA all-around and steer wrestling Rookie of the Year honors in 2012, shortly after turning down a chance to sell Rusty.

"I had some guys wanting to buy him when I was going to college," Eldridge said. "They wanted me to price him, but I knew he was a good horse and held on to him. Thank goodness I did."

Rusty helped carry Luke Branquinho to his fifth steer wrestling world title last year and to third place in Friday's round with a 3.80-second run.

"Me and Luke are pretty good buddies, and it's kind of a business deal, too," Eldridge said. "I get a certain percentage of whatever Luke wins. That always helps to have a little extra money in the bank."

Eldridge spent most of November honing his skills at Branquinho's ranch in Los Alamos, Calif., with most of the other top steer wrestlers.

"Steer wrestlers are a real tight group of guys. We all root for each other," he said. "We want to beat each other, but the only person you've got to worry about beating is yourself."

Eldridge, who won the fourth round with a 3.3-second run, has put on a show in his home state for a large group of friends and family members.

"I get to see so many people. It sure seems like there are a lot of people from Nevada here rooting me on," he said. "It's special. I wouldn't want to be from anywhere else."

• NOTES — Sage Kimzey clinched his second straight bull riding world title. Kimzey, who placed second in the round with an 84-point ride on Smith Harper & Morgan's Maverick, is the first bull rider to win gold buckles in his first two PRCA seasons. ... Kaycee Feild bolstered his bid for his fifth straight bareback riding world title by winning the round with an 82-point ride on Cervi Championship Rodeo's RodeoHouston's Control Freak. The victory extended Feild's world standings lead to more than $34,000 over Steven Peebles, who didn't place but still leads the average. ... Trevor Brazile became the PRCA's first $6 million man, surpassing $6 million in career earnings when he and partner Patrick Smith won the round in team roping (earning $26,231 apiece) with a 4.0-second run. Brazile, who has won the steer roping and all-around world titles this year, also is poised to win the gold buckle in tie-down roping, which would give him his third career Triple Crown, a feat accomplished only by Jim Shoulders.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354. Follow him on Twitter: @tdewey33