Rodeo Daily

NFR Bubble Race in Roping Heats Up After West Texas Fair and Rodeo

The 2023 National Finals Rodeo bubble race tightens in the team roping and steer roping after the West Texas Fair and Rodeo.
Alex Cawthon|
NFR Bubble Race in Roping Heats Up After West Texas Fair and Rodeo
NFR Bubble Race in Roping Heats Up After West Texas Fair and Rodeo

As the West Texas Fair and Rodeo in Abilene, TX wraps up, the National Finals Rodeo bubble race tightens in team roping and steer roping with just days left in the regular season.

Brenten Hall and Paden Bray won the average in the team roping, pocketing a total of $4,314 each in Abilene. Bray currently sits 12th in the world standings with $88,551.30 and Hall sits right outside the top-15 with $86,680.56 only $787 from the 15th position.

Hall and Bray are no strangers to being on the bubble. Bray told the Cowboy Channel in an interview after his calf roping round win at the Pendleton Round-Up he has been on the bubble three out of five years of his professional career, but plans to finish the year strong. 

In the steer roping, J. Tom Fisher wins the average with 33.4 on three head, Clay Long winning a close second with 33.8 on three head. Fisher has already secured his spot to his 11th national finals however, Long, who currently sits 16th in the world, is still battling the bubble race.

Long won third in the first round of the West Texas Fair and Rodeo with a 10.6 and second in the average winning for a total of $3,286. Although he is one hole out of the top 15, with a handful of rodeos left in the season, Long is still in the hunt to make the National Finals Steer Roping.

There is less than $1,000 that separates 15-17th in the steer roping world standings. Dalton Walker (15th), Clay Long (16th), and Chet Herren (17th) will battle to the end for a spot inside the top 15. 

Like the breakaway roping, the steer roping national finals are held separate from the NFR in Vegas. The steer roping finals are held in Mulvane, KS Nov. 17-18th. 

As the final push continues for contestant on both sides of the bubble, it will be interesting to see who squeezes into the 2023 NFR. 

Published
Alex Cawthon
ALEX CAWTHON

Alex Cawthon is a writer for Sports Illustrated's Rodeo Daily. She is also an accomplished rodeo athlete and business leader driven by the desire to achieve greatness. Born and raised in Rockwall, TX where she learned the importance of family and enjoying the simple things in life. Growing up Alex focused on her academics as well as fine-tuning her abilities as an athlete, which led her to a rodeo scholarship at Tarleton State University. She competed in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) in the Southwest Region during her time in college rodeo. In addition to a long list of rodeo accomplishments, Alex’s reputation for excellence as well as her grit and determination garnered awards and high-profile brand deals. When not competing full-time as a rodeo athlete, Alex applies her intense work ethic to thrive in the classroom. She graduated from Tarleton State University with a bachelor's degree in Agribusiness in 2022 and will graduate in December 2023 with a Master's in Business Administration. Now based in Stephenville, Tx, Alex continues to make her mark as she establishes a career in the oil and gas industry. In addition, Alex utilizes her expertise and connections to support the sport she loves, as she joins forces with Sports Illustrated as a writer for their acclaimed feature, Rodeo Daily. Beyond Alex’s accomplishments in and out of the arena, to her core, she is tenacious, focused, and driven. Her deep roots in the Western industry have not only shaped her professional journey, but also instilled an unwavering commitment to tradition, excellence, and innovation. 

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