A repeat champion saddle bronc horse, and a star bull were rewarded for their performances at the 2021 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, and a newcomer joined them in the spotlight.
Macza Pro Rodeo’s OLS Tubs Get Smart was selected as the Wrangler NFR top saddle bronc horse for the second year in a row and Powder River Rodeo’s Chiseled was the top bull. Chiseled is reigning two-time Pendleton Whisky “Let ‘er Buck” Bull of the Year.
Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Night Gazer, 8, the top bareback horse, was making her Wrangler NFR debut.
Get Smart, 20, weighs 1,100 pounds and is 14.2 hands. Get Smart is no stranger to acclaim. He was the 2019 PRCA Saddle Bronc Horse of the Year and the top saddle bronc horse of the 2018 NFR.
“I’m just proud of him because he’s so old, and he still bucks like he’s 8,” Ward Macza said. “He marches to his own drummer. He has an attitude. He’s not hard to handle and he’s nice to be around, but I will promise you he doesn’t do anything he doesn’t want to. He’s an exception to the rule and I might not live long enough to have another one like him.”
At the Thomas & Mack, Get Smart bucked off Ben Andersen in Round 5 and was named saddle bronc horse of the night. Dawson Hay finished second aboard Get Smart in Round 10 with a 90-point ride and the horse was once again horse of the night.
Stetson Wright had a 94.5-point trip on Chiseled to take the Round 5 title and Chiseled was chosen bull of the night. In Round 10, Chiseled bucked off Braden Richardson and selected bull of the night.
Chiseled, 6, is owned by H.D. Page of D&H Cattle and bucks under the Powder River Rodeo umbrella. He weighs 1,700.
“This honor (Top Bull of the NFR) kind of solidifies his bull of the year award,” Page said. “He has all the right categories. He gets his front end off the ground and extends his kick and he turns close. He has a bunch of intensity. He has all the characteristics a bull needs to have.”
Orin Larsen had a 91-point trip on Night Gazer to win Round 6 and the horse was horse of the night. Clayton Biglow had an 86-point ride on Night Gazer in Round 10 and split sixth place.
Night Gazer weighs 1,800 pounds and is 16 hands.
“This means a lot for Night Gazer to get this award, that’s what I shoot for,” Cullen Pickett said. “That horse, she really gets up in the air and stays close and kicks hard. She has a lot of eye appeal to her.”
To be eligible for the 2021 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo top stock award, all bareback horses, saddle bronc horses and bulls had to perform twice during the Finals, Dec. 2-11. The top three animals in each event were determined on total animal judges’ scores on two outs.
TOP STOCK OF 2021 NFR
BAREBACK HORSES
- Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Night Gazer
- Frontier Rodeo’s Gun Fire
- Frontier Rodeo’s Southern Star
SADDLE BRONC HORSES
- Macza Pro Rodeo’s Get Smart
- Calgary Stampede’s Wild Cherry
- Bridwell Pro Rodeos’ Indian Burn
BULLS
- Powder River Rodeo’s Chiseled
- Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Record Rack’s Smoke Stack
- (tie) Andrews Rodeo’s Velocity
Salt River Rodeo Company’s Pistol Whip