Contract Personnel Selected for 40th Las Vegas National Finals Rodeo

This year's NFR is drawing near and the personnel is now finalized.

Kade Sonnier wins the 71st Annual MidWinter Fair and ProRodeo at Blackham Coliseum. Kade Sonnier finished third in the 2023 PRCA | RAM World Standings and was named Wrangler NFR debut in his Resistol Rookie Year. Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. | SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

The contestants for the NFR might not be solidified yet, but a group of those helping to put it on are. The PRCA announced the timers, secretaries, chute bosses, announcers, and more, that will be used for this year's NFR.

The culmination of a full year's worth of work in 2025 will mark the 40th time the finals have taken place in Las Vegas. This is a select honor for the best of the best who help put on rodeos all year.

The regular season will come to a close in less than two weeks, but everybody's minds are getting to the Thomas and Mack. It won't be until October 1 that the qualifiers are announced, but there are a lot of moving parts for an event like this to come together and that is why the personnel has already been selected.

Support Staff

There is more to a rodeo than anyone can truly comprehend, unless they have experienced it themselves. There are many behind-the-scenes efforts that make the finals go round, from secretaries to chute bosses.

Without these people, there is no chance that the NFR would run as smoothly as it does, starting with those in the crow's nest.

The timers are crucial to any rodeo for obvious reasons. Three ladies are ready to take on the task- Vicki Pack, Kris Fleener, and Nancy Dorenkamp.

Pack will be making her debut to the NFR and Dorenkamp will be leading the group in experience, but this is still only her third year as a timer in Vegas.

A pair of professionals will be making their 20th appearance- livestock superintendent John Barnes and secretary Sunni Deb Backstrom.

Barnes will be assisted by Terry Autrey with Raina Hudson stepping in as the saddle horse boss. Backstrom will have Jennie Murray in the office with her to take on the daunting task.

Hudson might be the saddle horse boss, but she isn't the overall rough stock chute boss. That is going to be Tom Neuens this year, while Tony Amaral will be the boss at the end of the arena for the timed events.

The Entertainment

There are a few different people that fans will hear announcing this event, all are well known throughout the rodeo industry.

This year will feature Wayne Brooks, Roger Mooney, Anthony Lucia, and a special appearance from Bob Tallman. Three of these talents have plenty of experience at the Thomas and Mack, but this will be Lucia's long overdue chance.

The announcers will be assisted by a pair of music directors. They will be working side by side with Brad Narducci. Narducci will be teaming up with Josh Hilton this year as they work together to keep the crowd entertained.

The music isn't all that matters when it comes to entertaining the crowd. Specialty acts have a special place in people's hearts as well. The acts for this year will feature Tomas Garcilazo, Rider and Bethany Kiesner, as well as Haley Proctor.

The amount of work to put the NFR on is astronomical. There isn't enough time or room on a page to explain what these people (among many others) do to make this rodeo happen, but we thank them nonetheless.