BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
Since 2016, Tyler Wade has punched his ticket to the NFR seven times, but last season, he finally broke through to claim his first Gold Buckle after years of finishing no better than eighth in the world.
Arriving in Vegas at No. 2 in the World Standings, he’s less than $10,000 behind Dustin Egusquiza, setting up a fierce 2024 bid for back-to-back World Titles.
National Western Stock Show and Rodeo, $10,940
Wade and his partner Wesley Thorp impressed in Denver, winning the first three rounds they competed in, each worth at least $2,800. They placed fifth in the Finals, which was by no means indicative of their performance throughout the rodeo.
San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, $9,000
Wade and Thorp’s success in San Antonio came down to two crucial runs. In Round 3 of their bracket, they posted a time of 4.6 seconds to secure their advancement, and in the Finals, they clocked in at 3.9 seconds—their best run of the rodeo and the entire Texas Swing.
Central Wyoming Fair and Rodeo, $9,843
Wade and Thorp’s first of two PRCA Playoff Series wins came in July when they won Round 1 and the Average in Sheridan. They were able to overcome a 6.4-second run in Round 2 to finish at with an aggregate time of 15.6 seconds on three. It was Wade’s first win in Wyoming since 2016.
Cheyenne Frontier Days, $10,582
Wade and Thorp improved with each of the first three rounds—they placed third in the Qualifier, second in their Long Round performance, and first in the First Semifinal. Though they didn’t place in the Finals, they still earned three checks of at least $1,500 each.
Douglas County Fair and Rodeo, $5,421
Wade and Thorp were blazing fast in Castle Rock, Colorado as part of a huge weekend to begin August. Not only were they 3.7 to win there, they also won the Mountain Valley Stampede in Heber City, Utah with a 3.8.
Horse Heaven Roundup Rodeo, $7,629
After a 10.1 in Round 1, Wade and Thorp rallied with runs of 4.6 and 5.0 seconds to finish second in the Average. They were 19.7 seconds on three which put them two tenths behind fellow NFR qualifiers Andrew Ward/Kollin VonAhn.
North Dakota Roughrider Cup, $15,112
Wade and Thorp could not have picked a better time for their fastest run of the season, going 3.6 to make over $15,000 on a single run. They were four tenths faster than the next closest team.
Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup, $30,125
One week after the Roughrider Cup, Wade and Thorp turned up the heat to close out the season. They made three consecutive runs of 4.3 seconds or faster in Sioux Falls, and despite a time of 14.0 in the Finals, they still earned $15,000 for finishing third.
Over the last two weeks of the season, Wade moved up two spots in the World Standings.
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