Casper having a fantastic NFR

By Ted Harbin, TwisTed Rodeo

LAS VEGAS – This is exactly what Wyatt Casper has been looking for.

He’s a five-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier whose inaugural run at ProRodeo’s championship event took place at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, during COVID. This year marks his fourth trip to Las Vegas for the NFR, and it’s the best finale he’s experienced since 2020. It might just be his best ever.

“I’ve kind of struggled out here the last three or four years,” said Casper of Miami, Texas. “To finally be able to capitalize on ones like I wanted, it’s a lot of weight lifted off my shoulders. I didn’t know it was possible to come here and have a good NFR, but we’re finally making it happen.

“It’s a lot of fun.”

Winning makes it even better. Casper rode Frontier Rodeo’s Yellowstone for 86.5 points to finish third in Thursday’s eighth round, adding $20,104. He has pushed his NFR earnings to $133,157. Oh, and there are two rounds remaining. Casper leads the all-important aggregate race with a cumulative score of 687 points. He’s six ahead of Canadian Dawson Hay.

“We thought that horse was at the top end of our ‘hopper pen,’ so we wanted to pen him up a little bit,” Casper said. “He fits in the (‘souped-up hopper pen’) pretty good with all those other horses. I was glad to have him.

“That was a nice horse, and I’ve been on him three or four times now. He seems to do almost the same thing every time. He will come around to the left, and he’s up under himself. It makes it a lot of fun.”

His work in Las Vegas has increased his annual salary to $352,941, and he is second on the money list. While he trails two-time world champ Ryder Wright of Beaver, Utah, by $59,000, Casper’s spot in the aggregate race could play into the final outcome. The average winner will add $86,391 after the show closes Saturday night.

Thursday’s round was an opportunity to shine. The horses were the type that cowboys should ride. In fact, just one was bucked off. They’ll be matched Friday with the “eliminator pen,” which features the most difficult broncs in ProRodeo. Scoring high on the “souped-up hoppers” is a chance to be refreshed as they get ready for battle.

“That kind of ride helps your confidence a bunch,” Casper said. “You’re going to have a shot to show off in front of those judges and show them what you can do on that horse.

“I think I need to keep placing in those rounds. I’ll just try to win the rounds, and everything will fall where it needs to fall.”

As he prepares for Friday night, e will be matched with Calgary Stampede’s Freedom Express, which bucked off Logan Hay on Sunday.

“I feel good; I feel confident,” he said. “I’ve got a pretty good horse, so I’m pretty excited. He’s damn sure a bucker, but I think he’s a chance to maybe do something in the round and get some more points in that average.”