Record-Setting NFR Payoffs Make World Championships Anyone's Game

The NFR is drawing very near and it is clear that anybody in the standings can catch the leader.

Wacey Schalla/ Nathan Meyer Photography

The National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas is set to kick off on Thursday as the top 15 in the world standings get ready to battle it out for the gold buckle. Contestants battled all year for the opportunity to compete at the Thomas & Mack for their share of the $13.5M total NFR payout. With that much up for grabs, are any event leaders safe? No.

There are some events like the tie-down roping or the bull riding that make one pessimistic that the No.15 athlete could surprise everyone to be crowned the victor, but with a $94,000 payout at the end of 10 days for the average title, it is clear that anything is possible.

This Year's Payouts

There are 10 rounds of action and those alone make none of the world leaders safe as there is over $118,000 in the pot each night.

• 1st $36,667.95
• 2nd $28,979.51
• 3rd $21,882.48
• 4th $15,376.88
• 5th $9,462.70
• 6th $5,914.19

There are definitely No.1 cowboys that have distanced themselves in a rather large fashion from the rest of the pack where a round win by the No. 2 man isn't going to catch him right off the bat like Rocker Steiner in the bareback riding and Riley Webb in the tie-down roping.

Both Steiner and Webb were the lone members of their events that amassed more than $300,000 on the year, but neither is safe from anyone else in the top 15, with what the average is going to payout.

The rounds are going to affect the world standings, yes, however, the real money is in the average, which makes the gold buckle up for grabs no matter what spot in the world standings they are entering into round one.

• 1st $94,035.54
• 2nd $76,292.99
• 3rd $60,324.69
• 4th $44,356.39
• 5th $31,936.60
• 6th $23,065.32
• 7th $15,968.30
• 8th $8,871.28

Some of the closer battles to watch are in both the all-around race and the bull riding between the 8x world champion Stetson Wright and the 20-year-old Wacey Schalla. Schalla has the edge over Wright in the bull riding, but by less than $2,500.

This is the first time in recent years that someone has given a healthy Wright a run for his money in the all-around, but Schalla is right on his heels and both qualified in their other event, Schalla in the bareback and Wright in the saddle bronc.

The all-around race has a little bit more distance between the two as Wright has nearly $33,000 over Schalla, or one round win.

The NFR is always a good one with the best in the world competing for 10 days straight. Anything can happen and don't be surprised at the end when more than one world leader is not crowned the champion.

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