Brown finishes sixth in world standings
Published 10:47 pm Sunday, December 12, 2021
- Baker City’s Jesse Brown takes down his steer in 3.9 seconds in Round 9 of the National Finals Rodeo on Friday, Dec. 10, 2021, in Las Vegas. Brown tied for first in the round with three other steer wrestlers.
LAS VEGAS — Jesse Brown was waiting for that one big run at the National Finals Rodeo, and it came in Round 9 on Friday, Dec. 10.
The Baker City steer wrestler was one of four men who took down their steers in 3.9 seconds to share first place in the round and pick up a check for $18,941.
Also in that group of steer wrestlers were Stetson Jorgensen, Stockton Graves and Tyler Waguespack.
On the victory lap, the steer wrestlers doubled up on horses. Jorgensen rode with Brown.
“That was good,” Brown said. “That was pretty funny. I’m glad I didn’t fall off.”
Brown did not place in Round 10 on Dec. 11, which left him fifth in the average, which was worth another $23,513. He finished 15th last year.
Will Lummus finished first in the average (43 seconds on 10 runs) to win the NFR title, but Waguespack won the world title.
Brown went into the NFR sitting second in the world standings behind Jacob Talley, who ended up third. Brown, making his second trip to the NFR, finished sixth with $165,061.
“Every year I have been doing this, it’s dang sure not where I want to be,” Brown said. “This is my best year so far. Last year was a bit different with COVID.”
Over the course of 10 rounds, Brown placed in five. He tied for fifth in the first round, was fourth in the second round, sixth in the sixth round, tied for sixth in the eighth round, and tied for first in the ninth. He earned $62,675 for his efforts.
The 2022 season has already begun, and Brown will be back on the dusty trail in January.
“We have already kind of started,” he said. “I have gone to three rodeos so far. Denver and Odessa (Texas) are coming up in January.”
Stetson Wright, who won the Pendleton Round-Up all-around, saddle bronc and bull riding titles, won the world all-around title the night of Dec. 11 with a record $585,850.
It’s Wright’s third all-around title in a row, and he broke Trevor Brazile’s Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association record for most money won in a season at $518,011, which he accomplished in 2015.
Wright also won the world saddle bronc title, edging his older brother Ryder by $1,187.
Sage Kimzey became a seven-time world champion in bull riding, and needs just one more to tie Don Gay’s record of eight.
Also winning world titles were Kaycee Feild (bareback), Caleb Smidt (tie-down roping), Jordon Briggs (barrel racing), and Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira in team roping.