Gold Buckle Knockout Determines NFR Qualifiers in the Bareback Riding and Saddle Bronc Riding

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The Gold Buckle Knockout was established as one last shot for saddle bronc riders and bareback riders on the bubble to jump up in the World Standings and get to the NFR.

The top 20 in both events faced off today on the Cervi Ranch in Stoneham, Colorado, on the final day of the rodeo season.

In the end, Richmond Champion and split the win in the bareback and Chase Brooks won the saddle bronc, all going 90.5 in the final round and earning the first ever Gold Buckle Knockout champion titles.

Here’s how it all shook out:

BAREBACK LONG ROUND

1. Richmond Champion, 89 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Baby Face, $2,470; 2. Chad Rutherford, 88, $1,894; 3. Jess Pope, 87, $1,400; 4. Tim O’Connell, 86.5, $906; 5. Winn Ratliff, 85.5, $576; 6. (tie) Tim Murphy and Cole Reiner, 85, $371 each; 8. (tie) Taylor Broussard and Tilden Hooper, 84.5, $124 each.

SADDLE BRONC LONG ROUND

1. Kolby Wanchuk, 89 points on The Cervi Brothers’ Blood Angel, $2,470; 2. (tie) Tanner Butner and Stetson Wright, 87, $1,647 each; 4. (tie) Chase Brooks and Allen Boore, 86.5, $741 each; 6. Isaac Diaz, 84.5, $412; 7. Spencer Wright, 84, $329; 8. Lefty Holman, 82.5, $247

BAREBACK SHORT ROUND

1. (tie) Richmond Champion, on The Cervi Brothers’ Ain’t No Angel, and Tim O’Connell, on The Cervi Brothers’ William Wallace, 90.5 points, $1,921 each; 3. Jess Pope, 90, $1,098; 4. Chad Rutherford, 87, $549

SADDLE BRONC SHORT ROUND

1. Chase Brooks, 90.5 points on The Cervi Brothers’ Womanizer, $2,196; 2. Tanner Butner, 88, $1,647; 3. Kolby Wanchuk, 87, $1,098; 4. Allen Boore, 85.5, $549

To see the official lists of the 2020 bronc riding NFR qualifiers:

Bareback Riding 2020 Top 15

Saddle Bronc Riding 2020 Top 15

The 2024 season is complete, here are the full standings
With a payday north of $86,000 for the winner in each event, the importance of the NFR Average was unmatched in 2024
Mowry won the RAM Top Gun Award with nearly $300,000 in Las Vegas
After three straight second place finishes, Frost finally got his moment in 2024
Wright put an exclamation point on his 2024 season with 89.5 points on his final horse
Wade/Thorp were 3.8 as the last pair out to seal their Gold Buckles
Struxness entered Round 10 projected No. 4 and walked out with his first career Gold Buckle
Thompson did just enough to squeak out his first career Gold Buckle