Traveling partners Justin Shaffer and Tucker Allen have both succeeded in punching their tickets to the National Finals Rodeo for the very first time.
For Shaffer, it came down to the very last rodeo where big money was paid out at the Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup.
“It’s an awesome event but for what it did for me, it’d have to be my new favorite run,” Shaffer said.
As for Allen, this qualification is one that has just barely eluded him the last two years and it has finally come his way.
“Yeah, I’ve come real close a lot of times and to finally get there... it’s pretty cool,” Allen said.
Being traveling parnters also means hazing for each other, sharing horses and more which makes the first time qualifications for both Shaffer and Allen that makes it mean that much more to reach the pinnacle of the sport.
“Special is the word. I know that the bulldoggers, we’re all tight and we’ve got a big commradere, but I don’t know that very many people get the opportunity that me and Tucker have gotten, to form a friendship, haze for each other, push each other in the practice pen, all those things. So yeah, extra special,” Shaffer said.
One advantage that Allen has going into the Thomas and Mack is that he was selected to run the extra steers in the past.
“I don’t know the exact number but I’ve run some steer there and I’ve broken barriers, completely missed them, been two miles late and made a few good runs. So I’m hoping that I’ve had enough practice there that, you know, hopefully when I get there that it’ll all come back to me like I’ve run steers there before,” he said.
A special regular season with a spectacular end with a story book finish still left to be had is what Shaffer and Allen have going for them. Shaffer will go No. 11 in the World while Allen is No. 13.
