The professional rodeo season features thousands of bucking bronc and bull rides. The 2022 Saddle Bronc Championship has not yet been decided.

When the 10th and final round of the National Finals Rodeo began Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center, Sage Newman, Lefty Holman, Stetson Wright and Jayke Thurston were separated by $5,600 — which, in a season-long ride, resembles a spring cleaning sofa cushion in change. finds

Thurston won the gold buckle by riding Andrew Rodeo's All or Nothing for 89.5 points to share the go-round victory and take first place in the NFR average — a competitor's total score over 10 rounds that earns the winner a $74,150 bonus.

When the dust clears on Saturday, that's the bonus that enables Thurston to outlast the other contenders.

"It's been an unreal week," said Thurston, who pumped his fists and slapped high-fives with arena staff after winning a third world title with an NFR haul of $256,077 and nearly $400,000 in season earnings. He and Wright, who finished tied for fifth, were the only pace-setters to add to their wins in the final round.

"I've drawn some outstanding horses," said the Canadian cowboy from Alberta's Big Valley. “My goal coming here was to get the best ride I could on every horse I had. I think I did it, and this is the end result."

It was another spectacular NFR for Wright in his bid for a rare triple championship (all-around, saddle bronc, bull riding) despite coming up short in the saddle bronc.

Heading into the 10th round, the 23-year-old four-time champion all-around cowboy from Milford, Utah had already set the record for season earnings ($822,545) as well as all-around money won. $653,433) and bull riding ($517,994).

He placed in 15 of the 20 rounds he competed in and rode eight of 10 bulls.

The steer wrestling battle also went down in the final round. Tyler Waguspack tied for fourth ahead of projected champion Will Lummas, who failed to place Saturday and dropped to third in the NFR average with a disastrous time of 14.6 seconds.

Lummus finished runner-up to four-time world champ Waguspack for $2,693 - less than his sixth-place round finish in the final.

The 2022 champions:

Bareback riding

Jess Pope

Waverly, Kansas

Age: 24

Season earnings: $390,620

World championships: 1

2022 NFR earnings: $231,361

2022 NFR go-round wins: 2

Steer wrestling

Tyler Waguespack

Gonzales, Louisiana

Age: 31

Season earnings: $268,881

World championships: 4

2022 NFR earnings: $145,008

2022 NFR go-round wins: 1

Team roping (header)

Kaleb Driggers

Hoboken, Georigia

Age: 32

Season earnings: $340,708

World championships: 2

2022 NFR earnings: $112,830

2022 NFR go-round wins: 0

Team roping (heeler)

Junior Nogueira

Presidente Prudente, Brazil

Age: 32

Season earnings: $340,708

World championships: 2

2022 NFR earnings: $112,830

2022 NFR go-round wins: 0

Saddle bronc riding

Zeke Thurston

Big Valley, Alberta

Age: 28

Season earnings: $399,915

World championships: 3

2022 NFR earnings: $256,077

2022 NFR go-round wins: 2

Tie-down roping

Caleb Smidt

Bellville, Texas

Age: 33

Season earnings: $374,736

World championships: 4

2022 NFR earnings: $225.220

2022 NFR go-round wins: 2

Barrel racing

Hailey Kinsel

Cotulla, Texas

Age: 28

Season earnings: $302,172

World championships: 4

2022 NFR earnings: $182,782

2022 NFR go-round wins: 5

Bull riding

Stetson Wright

Milford, Utah

Age: 23

Season earnings: $592,143

World championships: 2

2022 NFR earnings: $271,544

2022 NFR go-round wins: 3

All-around cowboy

Stetson Wright

Milford, Utah

Age: 23

Season earnings: $758,828

World championships: 8

2022 NFR earnings: $414,240

2022 NFR go-round wins: 4

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