LAS VEGAS – These two are definitely no strangers and their familiarity led to even more success on Tuesday night.
Climbing aboard Calgary Stampede’s star horse Xplosive Skies for the fifth time in his career, saddle bronc rider Zeke Thurston won Round 5 with a 91-point trip before 17,183 spectators at the Thomas & Mack Center.
Thurston earned $30,706 for the victory and moved up to first in the PRCA | RAM World Standings with $313,555. The Big Valley, Alberta, cowboy is aiming for his fourth career world championship and second in a row.
“When I got the draw yesterday, I had a pretty good feeling I was going to get Xplosive Skies,” Thurston said. “That’s the fifth time I have been on her and it’s only her first year competing in the saddle bronc riding. I haven’t won every time but today, I don’t know. She bucked. She bucked hard.”
Calgary Stampede outstanding 13-year-old mare X-9 Xplosive Skies was the 2021 World Champion Bareback Horse and was the 2023 Saddle Bronc Horse of the Year.
“It’s just a special animal, man. I don’t know. She’s got a long build and is an athletic-looking horse,” Thurston said. “She can do just about anything inside the arena. It’s pretty impressive.”
Thurston, who has earned $91,636, the most of any saddle bronc rider so far at this year’s NFR, is first in the average with 433 points on five head.
“My job is to go and ride every bronc that they draw me and do the best I can. That’s what we’re going to do and see how the week plays out,” Thurston said.
On Wednesday – Round 6 (10 a.m. PT) and Round 7 (5:45 p.m.) will take place at the Thomas & Mack Center.
To maintain the tradition of the ten rounds of the NFR, an additional make up-round has been added. There will be no public access to this round. Due to the tragic events that occurred on the UNLV Campus on Wednesday, Dec. 6, the original starting date – Dec. 7 – was cancelled. The Cowboy Channel is the official network partner of PRORODEO® and the exclusive broadcast and streaming partner of the NFR. Live coverage of the NFR is on The Cowboy Channel and RFD-TV through its cable and satellite partners, and online at cowboychannelplus.com.
Steer wrestler J.D. Struxness claims Round 5 victory
During the 2023 PRCA regular season, steer wrestler J.D. Struxness surpassed the $1 million mark in career earnings.
On Tuesday night, he looked like a $1 million man.
The Milan, Minn., cowboy stopped the clock in 3.3 seconds to capture the Round 5 crown.
With his $30,706 payday, Struxness is second in the world standings with $211,144. Struxness, who joined the PRCA in 2014, is making his fifth appearance at the NFR.
“Coming into Round 5, we knew we’d been getting good starts and catching up good,” Struxness said. “We had just a few more cleanups on the ground to go through. You know that was the best steer I’ve had so far, so I was real excited about it coming into tonight. Just knew that we needed to go out and execute and it all came together.”
Struxness has placed in three of the first five rounds and has earned $88,747 at the NFR.
“You know there’s nothing better than making a good run out here in Vegas,” he said. “With the crowd and the noise that helps you make a good run. Whether it’s a 3.3 or a flag on your run, it really gets your blood flowing and fired up. There’s no other place like it. The intensity of the crowd gets you excited.”
Struxness addressed what’s ahead on Wednesday.
“You know it will be different for out here in Vegas, we’ve never done that before, but you know we do it all throughout the year, so I don’t think it’s going to be too big a deal for us,” Struxness said. “We’ll just take it one steer at a time (Wednesday) and just stay aggressive and do our jobs and hopefully it will be the same deal.”
Struxness is thrilled to ride into a jam-packed Wednesday with plenty of momentum.
“Oh man, it gives you a lot of confidence. Anytime you win a round, you take full advantage of the situation early your confidence goes up and you know you’re doing your job well, so you just need to keep rolling,” he said.
Caleb Smidt keeps rolling with Round 5 victory
There are very few cowboys who can turn on the switch and star like Caleb Smidt at the Wrangler NFR.
The Bellville, Texas, product and reigning PRCA Tie-Down Roping World Champion was on his game again Tuesday night, capturing Round 5 with a slick 6.9-second run.
“I was first out, and I just went with whatever happened while going quick at him,” Smidt said. “I had a good calf, made a good run, and it just all worked out. I’ve always enjoyed going first. If I got to pick, I would go first. I like to set the pace and not have to worry about what everyone else is doing. When you go first, you just back in there, go at him, and see what happens.”
Smidt, who also won Round 2 with a 7.3-second run, is fourth in the PRCA | RAM World Standings with $204,541. Smidt has won four world championships and four NFR average titles in his career.
“Yeah, I’ve never been one to try and win a bunch of rounds,” he said. “I’ve always said to try and win third here every night and if you did you would win the average. After a few slipups early on, I just said screw it. I decided to back in there and go as fast as I can, have fun, and see what happens.”
Clayton Biglow, Jayco Roper split bareback riding win
Sharing was a good thing for Clayton Biglow and Jayco Roper Tuesday night.
The cowboys split the Round 5 win with identical 89.5-point rides on star horses.
Biglow, the 2019 PRCA World Champion, made the eight-second whistle on the 2023 Bareback Riding Horse of the Year in Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Night Crawler.
“Oh yeah, it feels the greatest, trust me,” said Biglow about his first-round win since 2020. “It’s been a long time coming. (The ride) felt good, the horse was awesome, she won horse of the year, so she’s been doing her thing all year, she’s everyone’s favorite horse to get on, besides Virgil.”
This was Biglow’s first NFR round win since he took home the title with an 89-point trip on Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Top Flight in Round 5 at the 2020 Wrangler NFR at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
Roper, who is making his NFR debut, split the win with his ride aboard C5 Rodeo’s Virgil.
“I’m about tired of splitting the win with Biglow, but hey if I had to split somewhere I’m glad it’s here, not a bad place to split first place,” said Roper, 22. “(Virgil) is strong, she ain’t no day off I’ll tell you that. I really had to set the brakes on that thing and oh man, it felt good.
Biglow and Roper pocketed $27,487 each for their eight-second performances. Biglow is second in the world standings with $226,144 and Roper is seventh at $190,383.
“I’d like to see my face on video right now. I bet I was going crazy, I can’t even talk right now I’m shaking,” Roper said. “This ride took the book for sure this was by far my favorite ride.”
Bull rider Sage Kimzey stars in Round 5 win
Sage Kimzey knows plenty about winning PRCA Bull Riding World Championships.
The Salado, Texas, cowboy has seven on his resume and he’s making a charge to capture No. 8 and tie Don Gay for the PRCA event record.
Kimzey placed second in Round 4 and then snared top honors in Round 5 with a 92-point ride on Stace Smith Pro Rodeos’ Polar Express.
“Yeah, it was pretty special. It’s a great white bull from Stace Smith (Pro Rodeos). He tries to pull you over that outside shoulder and goes going into gassing it after that,” said Kimzey, whose last world title came in 2021. I felt like I pretty much matched him move for move. It was good ride, got the round win, and we’re happy.”
Kimzey, who has earned $111,529 at this year’s NFR, moved up to fourth in the world standings with $256,549. Kimzey also is second in the average with 262.5 points on three head.
Round 5 was memorable for Kimzey as he and his younger brother Trey finished first and second. Trey had an 87.5-point ride on McCoy Rodeo’s Ridin’ Salty. Sage and Trey were the only two riders to make the whistle in Round 5 and earned $52,746 and $46,307, respectively.
“It’s huge,” said Sage about he and his brother finishing 1-2. “I spotted Trey whenever he got on his bull, and he put a number up on the board early. It was the rank pen of bulls tonight, so we figured that there wouldn’t be that many rides. To split the whole purse with my little brother, it’s pretty special for sure.”
Kimzey knows he needs to keep his foot on the gas pedal if he has any chance to win another gold buckle.
“This is what needs to happen for me to have a chance to win that eighth gold buckle,” Kimzey said. “I had some unfortunate happenings in rounds two and three, so it really shrunk my margin for error. I just have to capitalize on every opportunity and keep taking advantage of every good draw I have.”
Team ropers Luke Brown/Hunter Koch take Round 5 victory lap
During Round 4, Luke Brown/Hunter Koch kicked their 2023 Wrangler NFR into gear with a second-place finish in 3.9 seconds.
On Tuesday night, the duo took the next step, winning Round 5 with a 3.8-second time.
“We had a really good steer, one that we liked. I just got a good go, and it worked out in our favor,” Brown said. “I don’t think we did anything different than any of the others if we had caught them. But it was a good steer, a good setup, and it worked out.”
Brown and Koch are ninth in the header and heeler standings respectively, with $162,727 each.
“Yeah, it’s a great feeling. It’s a dream come true. I’ve been here three times and that’s my first round win,” Koch said. “Getting to do it with one of my best friends, it’s a very, very special day for me.”
The win was the perfect confidence jolt for Koch.
“Once you break the ice and place one time, you just feed into that and keep going,” Koch said. “The horses start to feel good, and the roping feels good. It becomes a snowball effect and we’re hoping that it keeps on rolling.”
On Wednesday, Brown is keeping things in perspective with Round 6 and Round 7 on Wednesday.
“I think it’s the same game plan that we’ve had these entire Finals,” said Brown. “Rope what you draw, try to be as sharp and aggressive as you can, and whatever happens, happens.”
Barrel racer Summer Kosel wins Round 5 with record-breaking run
Summer Kosel’s first appearance at the Wrangler NFR became more memorable on Tuesday night.
The Glenham, S.D., cowgirl clocked a 13.42-second run, breaking the previous Round 5 record of 13.43 seconds while claiming the victory.
“It’s awesome. It’s a huge blessing. I get to hang out with my family in the trailer and my parents are here. It means everything to me,” Kosel said.
Kosel took a moment to discuss her horsepower.
“I bought my pro card in 2017 and Jill Moody took me under her wing,” she said. “When I got Apollo, she knew I had an NFR-type horse. She was telling me, ‘You need to go and get out of your circuit.’ This year was my first time actually going (full-time) and I gave the reigns to Apollo and God, and they just took it.”
Kosel was also thrilled to get her round buckle at the South Point.
“It’s going to be so amazing. My family is super excited about it. It will just be a huge blessing to us,” Kosel said.
By PRCA Press Release
