BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN
This year will mark the 14th time tie-down roper Tyson Durfey competes at the Wrangler NFR and 2020 may have been the most improbable qualification of his storied career.
Durfey entered the ProRodeo Tour Finale outside of the Top 15, so he did what any former Gold Buckle winner would do: He cowboy’d up and won the event.
The Brock, Texas native placed in all four rounds and won $8,500 to vault him into 12th in the world standings, comfortably in position for another NFR.
“I knew I had to win high and luckily I was able to capitalize and drawing some really good calfs,” he said after his win. “I’m so thankful, I’m so thankful, it’s one of those things, it’s a photo finish, it’s what songs are made out of.”
TYSON DURFEY - 8.0 SECONDS TO WIN PRORODEO TOUR FINALE
TYSON DURFEY ON TOUR FINALE WIN
Durfey set himself up to have a chance at the NFR at the Finale by coming out of the gate with a great performance in Fort Worth all the way back in January.
He finished third at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo and won more than $10,000. He also won $2,500 in San Antonio shortly after by finishing first on the first run of his bracket.
Durfey’s biggest one-day check outside of Fort Worth came from a in Cody, Wyoming. He was 8.3 seconds for fourth place to win $5,939.
The last time Tyson Durfey had to qualify for the Wrangler NFR through the ProRodeo Tour Finale was 2016 and that year, he won his only Gold Buckle.
In 2020, it will be a tall task for any cowboy to catch Shad Mayfield, who is No. 1 in the world with $156,669. Durfey will enter the Wrangler NFR with $47,292.
RELATED:
2020 NFR on Cowboy Channel+ Streaming Pass
Meet the 2020 NFR Athletes - Ryan Jarrett
Meet the 2020 NFR Athletes - Shane Hanchey
