Wrangler National Finals Rodeo - The Finale

Jason the Champion

There were text messages and voice mails coming in at a rate of more than one per minute the first hour after Jason Miller won the world championship in steer wrestling last night. Lance Creek, Wyoming – make that the whole state – was awash in pride watching Miller get a steer down in 4.8 seconds to win the average battle (total time on ten steers) by almost two seconds. That made the last run worth $42,000 to Miller but he held a gold buckle in his hand and it was the prize. “It’s what you dream about as a kid,” Miller told us. “For me, every time you buy your (PRCA) card it’s with one goal in mind – a gold buckle at the end of the year. It’s just a dream come true.” Miller came out each night trying to get a good start out of the box. “I rode a great horse and drew some good steers. It just worked out,” he said. Miller is a student of the finals and noted that his event seems to roll along at the finals in a similar way most of the time. “Somebody gets a good start and it just rolls over,” he added as his cell phone sounded one more time. You would have a hard time finding a better person to carry Wyoming on his sleeve. “I’m awfully proud to represent the State of Wyoming,” Miller said.

Photo: Jason Miller accepts his gold buckle. Credit: ESPN

Powell man Kanin Asay put a few years on his 21-year-old body this week. He showed me his left arm before Saturday night’s last round at the 49th annual Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and it looked strong. Asay said it felt a little better than previous nights and he looked very solid in the arena sitting tall for a hectic stint on a bull aptly called Rompus. “I’ve watched that bull the last couple of years. He’s not very big; really wild and electric. I wanted to make the best of the opportunity to get on him. He blew back up into me and beat me around the corner. But I got back to finish it off,” Asay said. Nice finish too. He gave the ultimate cowboy signal of respect spinning his hat back toward the spot that left Kanin safely on the dirt with a qualified ride of 85.5 points. He finished second in the round and second in the world standings earning more than $218,000 this year. Asay called his first national finals the experience of a lifetime and plans to make it back for the 50th in 2008.

Photo: Kanin Asay tosses his hat after an 85.5 ride in the final round. Credit: ESPN

Billy Stays On

Probably the most recognized name in the sport of rodeo, and certainly its finest ambassador, picked up a win in the tenth round on a Wyoming horse. Mullin Hill is named for the rise on a pasture where he was born near Rozet, Wyoming. He took Billy Etbauer on an 89.5 point buck last night. “He’s always a good horse and I was just worried about taking care of my end,” Etbauer said. “Everything clicked along tonight so we were just glad to get by one.” The 44-year-old is planning on a return to the arena in 2008. “Right now it’s day by day and horse by horse. We’ll see how it works out,” he smiled. Burch Rodeo Company’s Matt Burch says the eight-year-old Mullin Hill is rider-friendly. “They win a lot of rodeos on that horse year-round.”
Follow Team Wyoming

I hope you’ve had the chance to meet the cowboys and cowgirl we sponsor. They each made appearances at the Corral West Ranchwear area of Cowboy Christmas this year at the finals. I’ve always maintained there are no friendlier, more mannerly, people than those who are a part of rodeo. I’ve been around this sport for a relatively short time – about 25 years – and I can say without fear of correction this is as fine a group of contestants from Wyoming that has ever made a run at world titles. For a state with just a half-million people it is pretty darn good to see seven contestants from the “Cowboy State” make the WNFR. While only one is carrying home a world champion’s gold buckle, each performed admirably and left nothing on the table. They are, to a person, Wyoming champions. Please watch our website this next year as we do our best to keep up with our pro rodeo athletes and tell you where you can see them perform throughout 2008.