Who's qualified for the 2014 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo

The WNFR 2014 Bareback Contestants

by: Gretchen Kirchmann

Leading the Bareback Riding field is reigning World Champion Kaycee Feild looking for his fourth consecutive world championship (2011-2013).   In the number two position is Oregon cowboy Steven Peebles who finished second last year in both the world and average race. Peebles won rounds 2 and 3 at the WNFR 2013. Just $4,000 separates fellow Oregonian Austin Foss from Peebles.   Tim O’Connell from Iowa makes his rookie debut at the WNFR in fourth position. O’Connell is the 2013 PRCA Resistol Bareback Riding Rookie of the Year and 2012 PRCA Bareback Riding Permit Holder of the Year. Three-time World Champion Will Lowe is making his 13th WNFR appearance in fifth position. The third Oregon cowboy to qualify in bareback riding is Four-time World Champion Bobby Mote in number sixth position.

If there is any luck to the number seven in Las Vegas all bets are on Richmond Champion who won $1.1 million dollars this past March at THE AMERICAN. Caleb Bennett won the first go-round last year and he’s making his third WNFR since 2012 in eighth place. In the past seven years since joining the PRCA he’s earned over $400,000. Contestants entering 9th – 15th are nearly $100,00 behind the leader, Feild sitting in first place. The go-rounds pay well and rankings can change quickly along with consistency in the average.
Winn First Ratliff is making his second WNFR appearance and representing Louisiana in 9th position. His name alone represents his accomplishments this year where he won first at 11 PRCA Rodeos including his win at the Wrangler Champions Challenge in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Wyoming cowboy J. R. Vezain finished third last year overall and enters in 10th place for 2014. The newly crowned 2014 Canadian World Champion Jake Vold is making his first WNFR appearance. Jessy Davis from Power, Montana earned $37,260 last year at the WNFR and will make his sixth appearance overall.
Texas sends two in bareback riding along with Champion is Tilden Hooper from Carthage. Hooper is making his fourth appearance at the WNFR. He is the former 2007 College National Finals Rodeo Bareback Riding champion and 2007 PRCA Resistol Bareback Riding Rookie of the Year. The 2008 World Champion Justin McDaniel enters in 14th place and Steven Dent from Mullen, Nebraska rounds out the top 15. Dent is making his 7th WNFR and this year and won 12 all around titles in the regular season.

 2014 PRCA World Standings

1	Kaycee Feild	Spanish Fork	UT	$172,383.69
2	Steven Peebles	Redmond	OR	$126,929.25
3	Austin Foss	Terrebonne	OR	$122,717.16
4	Tim O’Connell	Zwingle	IA	$102,889.96
5	Will Lowe	Canyon	TX	$99,013.12
6	Bobby Mote	Culver	OR	$95,308.82
7	Richmond Champion	The Woodlands	TX	$89,934.85
8	Caleb Bennett	Tremonton	UT	$84,225.26
9	Winn Ratliff	Leesville	LA	$73,039.46
10	J.R. Vezain	Cowley	WY	$70,207.51
11	Jake Vold	Ponoka	AB	$67,785.58
12	Jessy Davis	Power	MT	$67,686.37
13	Tilden Hooper	Carthage	TX	$65,779.44
14	Justin McDaniel	Porum	OK	$65,178.27
15	Steven Dent	Mullen	NE	$64,567.26

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