BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
There are three heelers in the 2024 NFR field that have won two team roping Gold Buckles and none have done so more recently than Junior Nogueira, who went back-to-back in 2021 and 2022.
After yet another terrific regular season, Nogueira has a chance to make it three in four years as he sits No. 3 in the World and about $12,000 behind leader Levi Lord entering his 11th NFR in a row.
La Fiesta De Los Vaqueros, $4,387
Nogueira and his long-time header Kaleb Driggers won their first big check of the year at the end of February with a second place finish in Round 2 in Tucson.
It was Nogueira’s first time competing at La Fiesta De Los Vaqueros since 2017.
San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, $6,000
Nogueira did not compete in Fort Worth, so San Antone served as his Texas Swing kickoff and despite just two qualified times, he and Driggers made their trip worth it.
They nabbed just enough money ($2,000) to advance on their third and final run in Bracket 4 and then a 4.4 in the Semifinals was enough for second place and another $4,000.
It would kick off a streak of three straight Texas Swing events with at least $6,000 earned for Driggers/Nogueira.
RodeoHouston, $7,500
Once again, Driggers/Nogueira only placed in one of three Qualifying Round and once again $2,000 was just enough to get them by to the Semifinals.
The pair would go on to win another $3,000 for winning Super Series Semifinal 1 and were paid another $2,500 as consolation for not advancing out of the Championship Round into the Shootout.
A year ago, Driggers/Nogueira won $1,500 in their Super Series and did not advance.
Rodeo Austin, $6,505
On the third and final stop in their string of Texas Swing success, Driggers/Nogueira made three runs of 4.9 seconds or faster to finish fourth in the Average in Austin at 13.8 seconds on two, which made up about $4,000 of their earnings.
Every pair in front of them featured at least one NFR qualifier - Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord were first, Lightning Aguilera/Jonathan Torres were second and Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin were third.
St. Paul Rodeo, $10,492
In their best finish of the Fourth of July Run, Driggers/Nogueira placed in both rounds, including a win in Round 1 on their way to a second place finish in the Average, two tenths off of the pace set by Lightning Aguilera/Lane Mitchell.
Over Cowboy Christmas, Nogueira also won at least $2,500 at the World’s Oldest Rodeo in Arizona, the Home of Champions Rodeo in Montana and the Basin City Freedom Rodeo in Washington.
Between July 1-9, Nogueira moved from No. 12 to No. 5 in the PRCA World Standings.
NFR Open, $16,000
Just a week after the conclusion of Cowboy Christmas, Driggers/Noguiera turned right around to compete at the NFR Open, which they won with a 4.4-second run in the Finals.
It was their first time competing at the event since it replaced the Ram National Circuit Finals.
Cheyenne Frontier Days, $12,992
Driggers/Nogueira won money on all four of their runs in Cheyenne despite narrowly making it out of the Long Round. After an 8.5 in the Qualifier sent them comfortably to the Fourth Performance, they barely advanced as they tied for the fourth and final spot with a 10 flat.
In the Semifinals and Finals, they didn’t rope any better, but had better luck in terms of the competition surrounding them. A 10.3 in the Second Semifinal got them second place and a 10.8 in the Finals was good enough for third, and a $6,800 boost.
Pendleton Round-Up, $12,384
Noguiera changed things up in Pendleton in September and roped with nine-time NFR qualifier Coleman Proctor and the new partnership yielded tremendous results.
Proctor/Nogueira won more than $5,000 for a second place finish in Round 1, their first run together and also took fourth in the Finals to end up fourth in the Average at 19.8 seconds on three, which paid $6,000.
North Dakota Roughrider Cup, $11,170
At the inaugural event every pair in the money was 4.7 seconds or faster. Driggers/Nogueira settled into third with a 4.1-second run.
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