Navajo Nation Athletes Heading to the NFR

In partnership with the Navajo Nation, we are excited to cover the Navajo Nation Athletes you will be able to follow at the NFR this year in Las Vegas. Both men are not veterans of rodeo and are ready to show Las Vegas what they’ve got. Introducing your two 2022 NFR Navajo Qualifiers, Derrick Begay and Erich Rogers!

Erich Rogers

At 35 and 10 NFR’s under his belt, Erich is ready for his second World Title and he isn’t too far off! Sitting at number two in the World Standings, Erich is heading into his 11th NFR. Born and raised in Round Rock, a small Navajo Nation town in northern Arizona, Erich grew up in a rodeo family and fell into competition pretty naturally. He has been competing in both the PRCA and the Indian National Finals Rodeo for at least a decade. He actually is just coming home from a huge win at the INFR where he came home with both the Team Roping World Title and the All-Around World Title. We are hoping his luck continues at the 2022 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo!. Good luck Erich!

Derrick Begay

The Navajo Son is headed to yet another Wrangler National Finals Rodeo! After a slow year in 2020, Derrick Begay hit the rodeo road hard in 2021 and is headed to the Thomas and Mack Center sitting at number 11 in the world for team roping (header). Derrick Begay, a 38-year-old team-roping cowboy from Arizona, is the epitome of the American cowboy. Begay is from a small community on the Navajo Reservation, called Seba Delkai, located 50 miles north of Winslow, Arizona. He is a high school graduate from Winslow High School and also has his Associates Degree in Industrial Arts from Northland Pioneer College. We don’t know about ya’ll, but we are excited to see what wins he and his partner can score this year!

Good luck to both Navajo Nation athletes in the team roping, make sure to regularly check back during the NFR to see how they progress. Let’s rodeo!