Josh Frost earned his first PRCA Bull Riding World Title after covering 7-of-10 bulls in Las Vegas to win the NFR Average and finish with a career-best $476,887.
Frost entered Round 10 as the overwhelming favorite to win the Gold Buckle. There was one scenario that would change that - if Cooper James was the only cowboy to make the whistle on Saturday night. And that almost happened.
The first eight cowboys bucked off before Hayes Weight broke the ice and officially made Frost the World Champion.
“I was pretty prepared for this scenario, I was mentally prepared for Cooper to be the only guy to stay on and me having to ride that bull,” Frost said. “I showed up the same way I showed up every night, locked in to ride the bull I had drawn. There was maybe a tiny bit of relief when Hayes did secure it, but it didn’t affect how I showed up to ride that bull.”
Despite bucking off in Round 10, Frost was the only cowboy to cover seven bulls and won the Average along with the World Title. In the last four NFRs, Frost has ridden 26-of-40.
“I think (being able to raise my game in Las Vegas) has to do with my training and preparation coming in here, it’s a long 10 days and I think some of the guys, they don’t like getting on practice bulls because they don’t want to get hurt, but I’m very strategic, when Oct. 1 hits, we get to work.”
After finishing as the Reserve World Champion each of the last three years, Frost finally broke through for a Gold Buckle. He won by over $76,000.
“It sucks not to have won one until this year, but finishing second three years in a row, I think says something about the hard work I’ve put in,” he said. “I hate to say I take pride in winning second place, but it wasn’t easy winning second place and to be that close to that Gold Buckle was a huge motivator to just keep coming back and figure out how to come out on top.”
Frost joins Sage Kimzey as the only other PRCA bull rider to make more than $400,000 in three consecutive years. In the last four seasons in ProRodeo, Frost has made $1.65 million.
