Why is the 1st FINALS the Toughest One to Make?
There are five Wrangler National Finals Rodeo rookies in the team roping field at this year’s Super Bowl of Rodeo. Headers Brenten Hall (who will rope with Chase Tryan) and Tate Kirchenschlager (Tyler Worley), and heelers Hunter Koch (Matt Sherwood), Caleb Anderson (Jake Cooper) and Worley will take their first swing at twisting the Thomas & Mack in 2019. Each has his own set of circumstances and reasons why that first Finals is the toughest one to make. As we roll into the 61st annual NFR, we thought it would be fun to ask a few of team roping’s big-dog veterans their opinions on this phenomenon in general, what took each of them more than a minute to get to The Show for the first time and their advice to this year’s Finals freshmen.
LUKE BROWN
Luke’s a perfect poster boy for this story. He joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association in 1998. But it wasn’t until his 11th season after going pro that his stars aligned and he qualified for his first Finals in 2008. Since Luke got that Top-15 ball rolling, he’s earned 12 straight NFR back numbers.
“I don’t know if making your first Finals is actually any tougher than the other ones, just because
