The National Finals Rodeo 2025

Cody Fousnough

Cody Fousnough

Active member
All of you know just how much we love professional rodeo and that, years ago, I was a PRCA member in Team Roping. Anyway, some of you may be interested and some may not, but here is what we did during the 10-Day run of this professional (PRCA) rodeo in Las Vegas:

Other that one night, we watched 9 nights of it at home on The Cowboy Channel. The one night, we were at South Point Hotel/Casino and watch it in their Showroom, which was literally packed, as in "standing room only". Every table was full and people standing along two walls. We were sitting at a table where another older, as in mid 80's, were sitting. The husband had been a full-blown rancher in a cow-calf operation, in Washington, as well as involved in rodeo. Very interesting talking with them.

My wife took three days off work last week, so we could attend three Autograph Sessions of Top 15 Contestants: Tie-Down aka Calf Ropers, Bull Riders and Saddle Bronc Riders. We knew all of the Tie-Down Ropers, only three of the Bull Riders and most of the Saddle Bronc Riders. We got the autographs of all in each session. On Saturday, December 6th, we drove to the MGM Hotel/Casino and had breakfast buffet at the MGM Buffet, before going to the Tie-Down Autograph Session in the Main Lobby. The following Monday, we went to South Point Hotel/Casino to walk thru a Gift Show, watch some Team Roping (not part of the NFR), eat at their buffet and watch a performance of the rodeo there. Wednesday, we headed to Treasure Island for the Bull Riders Autograph Session and last Friday, we drove to Resorts World for the Saddle Bronc Riders Autograph Session.

My wife's older sister, you know, the one that hates hearing one word "no" from anyone, drove to Vegas to see us. Fortunately, for us, a girlfriend of hers came along. The girlfriend had absolutely no interest in rodeo, so we saw very little of my wife's sister.

The final night of the rodeo, last Saturday, the World Champions were crowned and given new highly-tooled saddles and trophy buckles. We watched this on the Cowboy Channel. Anyway, that's it!
 
Hey @Cody Fousnough Did you get to see Jesse Brown, steer wrestler (I still call it bulldogging) at the finals? He made it for 6 straight years. He ended up tied for 3 place in the 7th round. I think his time was 4.3 seconds. The winning time in the 10th round was 3.5 seconds by Ty and I forget his last name. Masterson?

I knew Jesse when he was little and his folks, Jim and Vickie, Uncle Rocky, Aunt Diana, and his Grandpa, Pleas (RIP). His dad was a great saddle bronc rider and his mom held her own running the barrels.

Glad you are feeling well and able to enjoy pro rodeo and being around others that love it. Are you planning to attend the PRCA Hall of Fame events in Colorado Springs this year?

Here he is in Pendleton 2024 Amazing! 14 second video.
 
Last edited:
Faye Fox said:
Hey @Cody Fousnough Did you get to see Jesse Brown, steer wrestler (I still call it bulldogging) at the finals? He made it for 6 straight years. He ended up tied for 3 place in the 7th round. I think his time was 4.3 seconds. The winning time in the 10th round was 3.5 seconds by Ty and I forget his last name. Masterson?

I knew Jesse when he was little and his folks, Jim and Vickie, Uncle Rocky, Aunt Diana, and his Grandpa, Pleas (RIP). His dad was a great saddle bronc rider and his mom held her own running the barrels.

Glad you are feeling well and able to enjoy pro rodeo and being around others that love it. Are you planning to attend the PRCA Hall of Fame events in Colorado Springs this year?

Here he is in Pendleton 2024 Amazing! 14 second video.
Click to expand...
When we were at Cowboy Christmas in 2024, we ran into Will Lumas and a few other NFR Steer Wrestler/"bulldoggers". We have never met Jesse Brown, but the other "doggers" name is Ty Erickson.

We won't be able to attend this years Hall of Fame Induction, but still pay yearly for our public membership to the Hall and, of course, our yearly cost for the Cowboy Channel on our Roku device.

The Wright brothers are making all kinds of "rodeo history" in Saddle Bronc Riding and Stetson Wright in Bull Riding. This last December, we attended an autograph session for the NFR Saddle Bronc Riders and met the Wright Brothers. I'll try and put a picture on here of Nancy (my wife) standing with them at the autograph session.
 
Faye Fox said:
Yes, the Wright brothers out of Utah. You remember Sage Kimzey, the great PRCA bull rider. He is riding in PBR and rated number one last week. He also rides for the Austin Gamblers team.
Click to expand...
From what I understand, Sage is no longer riding bulls for PRCA, but his brother, Trey, still is. Funny, and somewhat weird, but the PRCA judges in Houston having been scoring the BB and SB riders pretty low and the bull riding hasn't been much to brag about. The Rounds that we have watched on the Cowboy Channel, the bulls are swinging most of the riders off right and left. Even Boyd and Andy have noticed it.
 
Faye Fox said:
Yep, very true. Most great bull riders are going to the PBR where they can make a lot of money. Sage quit riding for PRCA since he had won so many titles and J B Mauney got him in the PBR. A few weeks ago, 4 seconds of his ride were hanging off the side of the bull. It wasn't a big score, but it gave him 3 scores and got him in the championship. All the old pros said they had never seen anything like it. I know I hadn't.
Click to expand...
He walked. What else matters?
 
I have been looking at the photos and video of President Trump having all of the top contestants at the White House and the presentation of the white Resistol cowboy hat with the Constitution of the United States on the lining.
President John Kennedy was also given the same hat on the morning of the day that he was assassinated, and never got to even try it on.
 
Yvonne Smith said:
I have been looking at the photos and video of President Trump having all of the top contestants at the White House and the presentation of the white Resistol cowboy hat with the Constitution of the United States on the lining.
President John Kennedy was also given the same hat on the morning of the day that he was assassinated, and never got to even try it on.
Click to expand...
The hat given to Kennedy was a white Stetson. Trump was also given a white Stetson, but for Made in America Day. The pro rodeo cowboys and cowgirls, gave Trump the Resistol, 100X (pure beaver fur) (Resistol calls it 1000X because of embellishments) and Texas made, for honoring them at the white house. It was one of 250 made by American Hat Company (that makes Resistol), for the countries 250th birthday, and sells for $10,000. Trump was given the #1 made hat of this limited series.

Glad to see the president honoring a sport that is very patriotic and the National Anthem is sung, prayers are said, and contestants , even from other countries, are thankful for freedom and appreciate the opportunities the USA offers.

Stetson Wright, all around cowboy, from Utah, was one of the rodeo cowboys honored by the president.
 
Last edited:
The White House gathering, with President Trump in the Oval Office, was the 2025 NFR World Champions, along with 2026 Miss Rodeo America and a Rep. from Resistol. We loved seeing the pictures that were taken of each one with President Trump and the entire group with him. The President looked "mighty good" wearing that Resistol Silverbelly Hat!
 
Now, as far as the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo goes, those that run the entire thing chose to do something about the Dress Code. Changing the Dress Code was all over the internet, as well as Facebook. There were pictures of ladies, both Black, White and Hispanic that were dressed pretty provocatively and too many reports of that from rodeo attendees. So, the Dress Code had to be changed. There were fans saying, "you ladies aren't going to a nightclub", "cover up!" and "this rodeo is a family event!". There were those, on Facebook, that stated, "the Dress Code was changed, but we still seen numerous ladies wearing revealing clothes." And then, some short lady on Facebook complained about people wearing cowboy hats to the rodeo. "I'm short and could barely see the arena. Please either take off the hat and place in your lap or leave it in your vehicle." And, she was very serious when she posted that comments.
I replied to her in Facebook, "We have never been asked, or told, to remove our hats at a rodeo, in a restaurant or anywhere else. We have gone to Cowboy Church in Colorado Springs and in Loveland where anyone wearing a cowboy hat, leaves it on during the Service. Heck, even the Pastor/Minister was wearing his hat when we done the Sermon. Now, when I enter a regular church, I always take my hat off, if I'm wearing one and either place it on the floor in front of me or in my lap. There is no place to put a cowboy hat in a restaurant, even though there have been a few times that I've taken it off and put on an empty chair next to me (same table).

And, now, I've read that there are now restaurants that are updating their Dress Code to a more formal thing. IOW, no t-shirts, foot thongs or whatever that would seem inappropriate to some customers.
 
Cody Fousnough said:
Now, as far as the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo goes, those that run the entire thing chose to do something about the Dress Code. Changing the Dress Code was all over the internet, as well as Facebook. There were pictures of ladies, both Black, White and Hispanic that were dressed pretty provocatively and too many reports of that from rodeo attendees. So, the Dress Code had to be changed. There were fans saying, "you ladies aren't going to a nightclub", "cover up!" and "this rodeo is a family event!". There were those, on Facebook, that stated, "the Dress Code was changed, but we still seen numerous ladies wearing revealing clothes." And then, some short lady on Facebook complained about people wearing cowboy hats to the rodeo. "I'm short and could barely see the arena. Please either take off the hat and place in your lap or leave it in your vehicle." And, she was very serious when she posted that comments.
I replied to her in Facebook, "We have never been asked, or told, to remove our hats at a rodeo, in a restaurant or anywhere else. We have gone to Cowboy Church in Colorado Springs and in Loveland where anyone wearing a cowboy hat, leaves it on during the Service. Heck, even the Pastor/Minister was wearing his hat when we done the Sermon. Now, when I enter a regular church, I always take my hat off, if I'm wearing one and either place it on the floor in front of me or in my lap. There is no place to put a cowboy hat in a restaurant, even though there have been a few times that I've taken it off and put on an empty chair next to me (same table).

And, now, I've read that there are now restaurants that are updating their Dress Code to a more formal thing. IOW, no t-shirts, foot thongs or whatever that would seem inappropriate to some customers.
Click to expand...

Sadly, the Houston Rodeo has devolved into a money-grubbing free-for-all. People who don't know how to conduct themselves ruin it for everyone. They have no respect for others who have spent a significant amount on tickets, shows, etc. The carnival area looked more like a "Carnival cruise" with all the fights and profanity. Such a shame that everything has to be ruined by rude, entitled people.
 
Beth Gallagher said:
Sadly, the Houston Rodeo has devolved into a money-grubbing free-for-all. People who don't know how to conduct themselves ruin it for everyone. They have no respect for others who have spent a significant amount on tickets, shows, etc. The carnival area looked more like a "Carnival cruise" with all the fights and profanity. Such a shame that everything has to be ruined by rude, entitled people.
Click to expand...
Well, the payout to rodeo contestants is still the highest there is of any regular season rodeo and that's all the contestants are thinking about. We met a few of the Finals winners at Autograph Sessions this past December during the National Finals Rodeo in Vegas. It's being said that, due to that singer Lizzo having a concert in the arena and how singer Beyoncé dressed in the "way out there" western attire, including a white hat, that many young Black ladies were following that look. Then again, we seen numerous White and Hispanic young ladies in the stands, from watching The Cowboy Channel, that were dressed the same way.
 
Cody Fousnough said:
Now, as far as the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo goes, those that run the entire thing chose to do something about the Dress Code. Changing the Dress Code was all over the internet, as well as Facebook. There were pictures of ladies, both Black, White and Hispanic that were dressed pretty provocatively and too many reports of that from rodeo attendees. So, the Dress Code had to be changed. There were fans saying, "you ladies aren't going to a nightclub", "cover up!" and "this rodeo is a family event!". There were those, on Facebook, that stated, "the Dress Code was changed, but we still seen numerous ladies wearing revealing clothes." And then, some short lady on Facebook complained about people wearing cowboy hats to the rodeo. "I'm short and could barely see the arena. Please either take off the hat and place in your lap or leave it in your vehicle." And, she was very serious when she posted that comments.
I replied to her in Facebook, "We have never been asked, or told, to remove our hats at a rodeo, in a restaurant or anywhere else. We have gone to Cowboy Church in Colorado Springs and in Loveland where anyone wearing a cowboy hat, leaves it on during the Service. Heck, even the Pastor/Minister was wearing his hat when we done the Sermon. Now, when I enter a regular church, I always take my hat off, if I'm wearing one and either place it on the floor in front of me or in my lap. There is no place to put a cowboy hat in a restaurant, even though there have been a few times that I've taken it off and put on an empty chair next to me (same table).

And, now, I've read that there are now restaurants that are updating their Dress Code to a more formal thing. IOW, no t-shirts, foot thongs or whatever that would seem inappropriate to some customers.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately you cannot fix stupid.
Sometimes I would just love to show some of the ladies snap shots of them from the back:)
 
Faye, you are so right, concerning your last post about PRCA rodeo. However, there were lots and lots of, what wife and I call "serious rodeo fans", that brought their young kids to the Houston rodeo that were extremely glad that a Dress Code was brought up. However, during summer months, there are young lady fans that will wear shorts to a rodeo. And, we all know that those shorts aren't the "cargo shorts" type. The pictures that we seen on Facebook, as well as what we seen while watching some of the Houston Rodeo on CC, there were some young ladies that were dressed pretty wild looking. Some people were calling the look "hooker" look and most definitely the "nightclub" look.

During my single/divorced years of going to local nightclubs on a Friday/Saturday night that a rodeo wasn't going on, I seen very little-to-none of the "wild" look like was pictured at Houston. However, just like pro-rodeo, things have changed since those years. The few nightclubs that wife and I have gone to, before and after we married, weren't in big/major cities like Houston.

Now, what we are wondering is, will other PRCA rodeos follow what Houston has done, if complaints start rolling in about how young ladies are dressed coming into the rodeo grounds? Will be interesting to find out.

One last thing here, I do remember seeing a Dress Code sign outside the door into InCahoots nightclub in Fullerton, California.
 
A little OT @Cody Fousnough but Mule Days in Columbia, TN starts today thru April 11th, if you and yours are up for a roadtrip🤠

Columbia, Tennessee mule days is as big or bigger than Bishop Mule days in Bishop California.


For once, the weather is going to be great for Mule Days. I’ve been there when it was snowing. I have stayed home when the tornado warnings were up.🤠🤠
 
Connie Bennett said:
A little OT @Cody Fousnough but Mule Days in Columbia, TN starts today thru April 11th, if you and yours are up for a roadtrip🤠

Columbia, Tennessee mule days is as big or bigger than Bishop Mule days in Bishop California.


For once, the weather is going to be great for Mule Days. I’ve been there when it was snowing. I have stayed home when the tornado warnings were up.🤠🤠
Click to expand...
Staying at mule days during tornado warnings seems appropriately stubborn.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top