As pay continues to increase, the NFR average becomes a more critical piece of the Gold Buckle race each year. In 2023, NFR winners collected almost $80,000.
BAREBACK RIDING
In all three rough events, the average NFR winner was also the world champion. Rookie sensation Keenan Hayes knocked Jess Pope off the mountaintop in Round 10 with a career-high 90 points. Pope had won the three previous NFR Average titles riding bareback.
| 1. | Keenan Hayes | 850/10 | $78,747 |
| 2. | Jess Pope | 845.5/10 | $63,889 |
| T3. | Cole Reiner | 843/10 | $43,831 |
| T3. | Kade Sonnier | 843/140 | $43,831 |
| 5. | Leighton Berry | 841/10 | $26,744 |
| 6. | Tanner Aus | 837/10 | $19,315 |
| 7. | Mason Clements | 836/10 | $13,372 |
| 8. | Jacob Lees | 830/10 | $7,249 |
| 9. | Richmond Champion | 829/10 | $0 |
| 10. | Clayton Biglow | 828.5/10 | $0 |
| 11. | Tim O’Connell | 826/10 | $0 |
| 12. | Rocker Steiner | 823.5/10 | $0 |
| 13. | Jayco Roper | 749/9 | $0 |
| 14. | Orin Larsen | 720/9 | $0 |
| 15. | Dean Thompson | 653.5/8 | $0 |
STEER WRESTLING
Don Payne was perhaps the most unlikely NFR Average winner in 2023, as he not only entered NFR No. 15, but stayed there until after Round 10, because he won the Average without finishing better than fourth in a round. Each of his times were between 4.2 and 5.5 seconds and when it was all said and done, Payne found himself ranked No. 6 in the final PRCA Steer Wrestling world rankings.
| 1. | Don Payne | 44.9/10 | $78,747 |
| 2. | Jesse Brown | 46.2/10 | $63,889 |
| 3. | Tyler Waguespack | 50.3/10 | $50,517 |
| 4. | Stephen Culling | 53/10 | $37,145 |
| 5. | Stan Branco | 62.4/10 | $26,744 |
| 6. | Dalton Massey | 68.6/10 | $19,315 |
| 7. | Dakota Eldridge | 40.9/9 | $13,372 |
| 8. | Nick Guy | 43.5/9 | $7,429 |
| 9. | JD Struxness | 46.7/9 | $0 |
| 10. | Ty Erickson | 58.2/9 | $0 |
| 11. | Dirk Tavenner | 43.2/8 | $0 |
| 12. | Jacob Talley | 54.1/8 | $0 |
| 13. | Bridger Anderson | 28.6/7 | $0 |
| 14. | Cody Devers | 36.3/7 | $0 |
| 15. | Will Lummus | 51/7 | $0 |
TEAM ROPING (HEADERS)
Derrick Begay/Colter Todd were the only ones to catch all 10 and that allowed Begay to finish with $269,125, the most money he has ever won in a season.
| 1. | Derrick Begay | 69/10 | $78,747 |
| 2. | Luke Brown | 51.9/9 | $63,889 |
| 3. | Tyler Wade | 58.9/9 | $50,517 |
| 4. | Andrew Ward | 59/9 | $37,145 |
| 5. | Clint Summers | 41.5/8 | $26,744 |
| 6. | Nelson Wyatt | 62.8/8 | $19,315 |
| 7. | Rhen Richard | 68.8/8 | $13,372 |
| 8. | Erich Rogers | 39.7/7 | $7,429 |
| 9. | Marcus Theriot | 47.3/7 | $0 |
| 10. | Tanner Tomlinson | 49.8/7 | $0 |
| 11. | Clay Smith | 30/6 | $0 |
| 12. | Kaleb Driggers | 35.3/6 | $0 |
| 13. | Jake Clay | 35.4/5 | $0 |
| 14. | Coleman Proctor | 49.1/5 | $0 |
| 15. | Dustin Egusquiza | 26.3/4 | $0 |
TEAM ROPING (HEELERS)
In his first NFR since 2008, Colter Todd showed no rust as he left the average champion. He finished third in the PRCA world standings.
| 1. | Colter Todd | 69/10 | $78,747 |
| 2. | Hunter Koch | 51.9/9 | $63,889 |
| 3. | Wesley Thorp | 58.9/9 | $50,517 |
| 4. | Buddy Hawkins | 59/9 | $37,145 |
| 5. | Jake Long | 41.5/8 | $26,744 |
| 6. | Jonathan Torres | 62.8/8 | $19,315 |
| 7. | Jeremy Buhler | 68.8/8 | $13,372 |
| 8. | Paul Eaves | 39.7/7 | $7,429 |
| 9. | Cole Curry | 47.3/7 | $0 |
| 10. | Patrick Smith | 49.8/7 | $0 |
| 11. | Paden Bray | 30/6 | $0 |
| 12. | Junior Nogueira | 35.3/6 | $0 |
| 13. | Tyler Worley | 35.4/5 | $0 |
| 14. | Logan Medlin | 49.1/5 | $0 |
| 15. | Levi Lord | 26.3/4 | $0 |
SADDLE BRONC RIDING
Zeke Thurston became the first saddle bronc rider to win the World Championship and NFR Average in consecutive years. Over the past two seasons, Thurston is averaging 87 points in the NFR and, since 2021, has ridden 30 consecutive Broncs in Las Vegas. In 2023, his average NFR check helped break the single-season earnings record with $456,356. He now has four Gold Buckles titles and three NFR Average titles since 2016.
| 1. | Zeke Thurston | 863/10 | $78,747 |
| 2. | Brody Cress | 856/10 | $63,889 |
| 3. | Lefty Holman | 852.5/10 | $50,517 |
| 4. | Damian Brennan | 851/10 | $37,145 |
| T5. | Tanner Butner | 844.5/10 | $23,030 |
| T5. | Sage Newman | 844.5/10 | $23,030 |
| 7. | Kade Bruno | 764/9 | $13,372 |
| 8. | Ryder Wright | 761.5/9 | $7,429 |
| 9. | Wyatt Casper | 751/9 | $0 |
| 10. | Layton Green | 717/9 | $0 |
| 11. | Ryder Sanford | 666/8 | $0 |
| 12. | Dawson Hay | 665.5/8 | $0 |
| 13. | Chase Brooks | 662.5/8 | $0 |
| 14. | Ben Andersen | 566.5/7 | $0 |
| 15. | Stetson Wright | INJ | $0 |
TIE-DOWN ROPING
Haven Meged was the only Cowboy to set an NFR average record in 2023, with a 77.4 out of 10. Along the way, Meged also broke the Thomas & Mack arena record with a 6.4-second run in Round 7 and He placed in eight rounds in total. He finished the year No. 2 in the world with $411,263.
| 1. | Haven Meged | 77.4/10 | $78,747 |
| 2. | Riley Webb | 82.9/10 | $63,889 |
| 3. | Caleb Smidt | 92.6/10 | $50,517 |
| 4. | Kincade Henry | 93.3/10 | $37,145 |
| 5. | Shane Hanchey | 94.9/10 | $26,744 |
| 6. | John Douch | 95.8/10 | $19,315 |
| 7. | Cory Solomon | 109.1/10 | $13,372 |
| 8. | Blane Cox | 115.3/10 | $7,429 |
| 9. | Westyn Hughes | 119.6/10 | $0 |
| 10. | Tuf Cooper | 69.8/9 | $0 |
| 11. | Hunter Herrin | 95.1/9 | $0 |
| 12. | Brushton Minton | 104.4/9 | $0 |
| 13. | Ty Harris | 116.1/9 | $0 |
| 14. | Shad Mayfield | 57.3/7 | $0 |
| 15. | Beau Cooper | 58.4/5 | $0 |
BARREL RACING
In her 17th NFR, Lisa Lockhart won the NFR Average title for the third time since 2014. She won the second most of any barrel racer in the NFR and broke Sherry Cervi’s all-time earnings record in the process.
| 1. | Lisa Lockhart | 137.18/10 | $78,747 |
| 2. | Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi | 141.18/10 | $63,889 |
| 3. | Kassie Mowry | 141.20/10 | $50,517 |
| 4. | Paige Jones | 142.21/10 | $37,145 |
| 5. | Jordon Briggs | 142.43/10 | $26,744 |
| 6. | Jessica Routier | 142.76/10 | $19,315 |
| 7. | Ilyssa Riley | 144.54/10 | $13,372 |
| 8. | Hailey Kinsel | 148.67/10 | $7,429 |
| 9. | Sue Smith | 149.00/10 | $0 |
| 10. | Summer Kosel | 152.66/10 | $0 |
| 11. | Sissy Winn | 156.64/10 | $0 |
| 12. | Stevi Hillman | 158.09/10 | $0 |
| 13. | Emily Beisel | 161.48/10 | $0 |
| 14. | Wenda Johnson | 163.64/10 | $0 |
| 15. | Tayce Matthews | 154.88/9 | $0 |
BULL RIDING
Ky Hamilton’s toughness was on display throughout the NFR as he battled a concussion, broken rib and lung injury to remain the only cowboy to ride six bulls. The NFR average is ultimately what pushed him to break Stetson Wright’s single-season earnings record by approximately $3,000.
| 1. | Ky Hamilton | 514.5/6 | $78,747 |
| 2. | Sage Kimzey | 437/5 | $63,889 |
| 3. | Josh Frost | 429.5/5 | $50,517 |
| 4. | Jared Parsonage | 421/5 | $37,145 |
| 5. | Trey Kimzey | 412/5 | $26,744 |
| 6. | Creek Young | 344.5/4 | $19,315 |
| 7. | Jeff Askey | 260/3 | $13,372 |
| 8. | Jordan Hansen | 258/3 | $7,429 |
| 9. | T Parker | 239.5/3 | $0 |
| 10. | Hayes Weight | 177/2 | $0 |
| 11. | Tristen Hutchings | 169.5/2 | $0 |
| 12. | Cody Teel | 167.5/2 | $0 |
| 13. | Trey Holston | 166/2 | $0 |
| 14. | Cullen Telfer | 0/0 | $0 |
| 15. | Stetson Wright | INJ | $0 |
This Article Update By thecowboychannel.com