2013 National Finals Rodeo

Taking place the first full week in December at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, the National Finals Rodeo is the largest championship rodeo event in the United States.   The NFR is organized by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and highlights the nations 15 best money-earning cowboys in each event in order to win the national title.

The different events include:

•    Bareback riding
•     Steer wrestling - Also known as Bull Dogging
•     Team roping - Divided into "Headers" and "Heelers" in 1995
• Headers - Cowboys who rope the steer's head
• Heelers - Cowboys who rope the steer's hind feet
•     Saddle bronc riding
•     Tie-down roping - formerly known as calf roping
•     Barrel racing
•     Bull riding

Of special interest, the rodeo uses 'special dirt' and that dirt is housed only at the UNLV campus for use in the next NFR.

While the NFR is the biggest national event, the world's largest event is the Professional Bull Riders competition (PBR).  Brazil is the country to beat as they have won the competition that past three years.  Silvano Alves has been the PBR World Champion for the past two years.