Las Vegas Weekly

December 10, 2009 · 2:34 PM

NFR Day 7 Photo Gallery: Trevor Brazile is new MGM ambassador

By Robin Leach

Trevor Brazile prepares to launch his lasso during day five of the 2009 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo at the Thomas & Mack Center on Dec. 6, 2009.

Photo: Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

In just three days, nine-time world champion cowboy Trevor Brazile could claim a record-tying 10th title in his 13-year career. Yesterday, the 33-year-old rodeo star signed an exclusive three-year agreement with MGM Grand to be the casino resort hotel’s goodwill ambassador.

The two parties agreed to the deal in anticipation of Trevor’s probability of winning his 10th Wrangler National Finals Rodeo world title on Saturday here at the Thomas & Mack Center as the 51st anniversary year wraps up its 25th annual trek to Las Vegas.

Trevor, who hails from Decatur, Texas, has earned more than $3.3 million in Pro Rodeo Cowboy Association career earnings and has qualified for 31 WNFR championship events. Trevor will tie legendary cowboy Ty Murray’s all-time record if he captures this year’s all-around title.

“The MGM Grand brand is one of the best in the hospitality industry, and I’m proud to be associated with such an impressive resort,” Trevor said in the NFR official report. “Whether it is the hotel, gaming, restaurants, shopping or the spectacular events at the Grand Garden Arena, MGM Grand is a first-class operation.”

John Shigley, executive vice president, added: “We are honored to have this partnership with Trevor, as he is the most recognized name today in professional rodeo. His accomplishments are impressive, and he is an excellent ambassador for the sport. MGM Grand is the ‘Home of Champions’ to the biggest names in rodeo, and we are proud to have Trevor on our team.”

Trevor will visit MGM Grand for autograph signings and other special events during the year, and the MGM patch will be on his outfits for all future rodeo appearances.

A successful 2009 WNFR will put a close on yet another outstanding chapter to Trevor’s career. The popular cowboy has racked up extraordinary accomplishments during his 13-year career, including many all-around titles and individual victories.

He has been inducted into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, won the all-around world champion crown for a sixth time in seven years and set an earnings record for two events at the 2008 WNFR, with a combined $149,099 in team and tie-down roping. Trevor became the first Triple Crown winner in 24 years and only the eighth in history by winning the all-around, tie-down roping and steer-roping gold buckles.

After Day 7 yesterday, Trevor continued to lead the PRCA World Standings with $166,227, and barring mishaps, he looks certain to nail the title one more time on Saturday night.

Day 7 highlights

*The official NFR report for Day 7 showed that no cowboy had performed at the WFNR the way that five-time world champion saddle bronc rider Billy Etbauer has in his 21 appearances. He added to his legacy in front of 17,069 fans at the Thomas & Mack Center last night. The Edmond, Okla., bronc rider added to his record for most Wrangler NFR round victories by taking No. 50 with a thrilling 90-point ride aboard Bar T Rodeo’s Son of Sadie. That mark was four points better than PRCA World Standings leader Jesse Kruse -- who is half Billy’s age -- and left the 46-year-old legend smiling and thankful after the round.

*The seesaw battle in the steer wrestling world standings continued, as two-time and reigning world champion Luke Branquinho retook the No. 1 spot from 2005 world champion Lee Graves by winning the round. Luke stopped the clock in 3.8 seconds to claim the round victory by one-tenth of a second over Casey McMillen. Luke leads the Wrangler NFR average with a total time of 28.2 seconds and holds a $3,153 world standings lead over Lee, who is fourth. Jake Rinehart and Curtis Cassidy are third and fourth, respectively, in the world standings and are solidly in the average race, so the last three rounds will be a shootout.

*Team roping can result in lightning-fast times. Just ask Derrick Begay and Cesar de la Cruz, who won Round 7 with a 3.6-second run that was just one-tenth of a second off the PRCA world record. Their blistering time was four-tenths-of-a-second faster than second-place JoJo LeMond and reigning world champion Heeler Randon Adams and put $17,139 into both of their wallets. Chad Masters, the 2007 world champion, and Jade Corkill tied for fourth in the round to widen their PRCA World Standings leads after second-place header Luke Brown and partner Martin Lucero and second-place heeler Kollin Von Ahn and partner Nick Sartain finished out of the money.

*Five-time world champion tie-down roper Cody Ohl kept his hot week going by tying for the round victory with 2008 world title runner-up Hunter Herrin. The cowboys recorded 7.1-second times to edge Blair Burk by one-tenth of a second. It was the third win or share of first place for Cody in the past four rounds and kept him third in the Wrangler NFR average and the PRCA World Standings. “Last night, it came down to where I was gathering (the calf’s legs) up too fast," said Cody, who has won an event-best $47,825 through seven rounds. Tuf Cooper leads the Wrangler NFR average with a seven-head total time of 59.2 seconds.

*For the fourth time in seven days, the bareback riding ended in a tie at the top. PRCA World Standings leader Clint Cannon and 36-year-old Wrangler NFR rookie D.V. Fennell greatly improved subpar weeks by sharing the win in Round 7. Clint gained $13,960 on two-time world champion Bobby Mote and now leads the world standings with $251,243 to Mote’s $216,644. Clint has his work cut out for him, as that $34,599 lead is less than the $43,954 that goes for first place in the average.

*Bull rider Corey Navarre made it two in a row by winning the seventh round with an 88-point score on Silverado Rodeo’s Black Gold, two points better than Colin McTaggart’s ride on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Tokyo Drift. Corey, who is competing in his first Wrangler NFR since 1999, took hold of the average lead with a 320 points

*Reigning champion barrel racer Lindsay Sears placed for the seventh consecutive night and won her second round with a 13.71-second run in Round 7. She finished six-hundredths of a second ahead of Sue Smith for the win and pushed her Wrangler NFR-leading money total to $80,813. The victory also moved her into the No. 1 spot in the world standings with $222,031, $11,707 ahead of 2007 world champion Brittany Pozzi, who finished out of the money after knocking over a barrel.

Injury report

Reigning world champion J.W. Harris began his second two-day doctor release, sitting out with a broken bone in his right (riding) hand. Bareback rider Royce Ford, who broke his right fibula in Round 6, also began a two-day hiatus in the seventh round and also will be out in Round 8.

Manly in pink

It was the “Tough Enough to Wear Pink Night” cancer fundraising night of the NFR. Juice Newton starred at the opening ceremony.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

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