I love Brazile!

No, not the country (although my friend Stacie Wenig has told me of it's beauty).  The Brazile I'm talking about is none other than Trevor Brazile, 7 time PRCA All-Around Champion.

For those of you that don't know, I've rodeoed my entire life.  I went to my first one when I was two weeks old, got my first pony at the age of 2 and have been competing ever since.  I breakaway rope, team rope and occasionally will tie a goat or even run barrels (that's a whole different post though).  This lifetime obsession culminates every year when the NFR comes to Las Vegas for 10 nights full of rodeo action and this year the NFR was a thriller!

The 2009 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) was full of surprises and record breaking performances.  For example, the previous world record for team roping was 3.5 seconds held by several teams - it was broken, not once but twice, in the 9th round.  The record now stands at 3.3 - I want you to think abou that.  That team who roped in 3.3 seconds, Chad Masters and Jade Corkill, nodded for their steer and then caught the head and heels, faced their horses and got their flag dropped under 4 seconds.  Most girls can't catch a calf that fast, let alone both ends. 

<-- He's the man - Trevor Brazile

Another thriller this year was my fave, Trevor Brazile (swoon) winning his 7th All-Around title. He is now tied with Ty Murray (you all know him right?) for most AA titles won.  He now also has 11 world championships, tying him for third place on the career list with Dean Oliver and Charmayne James. Ninety percent (or more) of professional cowboys and cowgirls will never win one gold buckle, and Trevor has won eleven.  Too bad he's married.....

Lastly, Lee Graves squeezed by reigning world champion steer wrestler Luke Branquinho to win the 2009 world title.  This is in large part to Branquinho's controversial run in the 10th round.  Branquinho was give a NT (no time) because he wasn't touching the steer when all four legs were pointing the same direction.  Luke's NT gave Lee the window he needed to make a solid run and win the gold buckle.

I would have loved to be at the NFR like my friend Crystal, unfortunately I'm in grad school and have no money.  But if you want to know more about the excitement that is the NFR, visit Crystal's blog.

If you want to learn more about PRCA rodeo, visit http://www.prorodeo.com/ - start following some of the competitors and maybe someday you'll be as obsessed as I am!

Until next time,
~Buzzard~