The 65th annual Nationals Finals Rodeo (NFR) has finally arrived in Las Vegas.
On Friday night the best rodeo cowboys and cowgirls in the world began their quest for a national title at the Thomas & Mack Center.
The festivities on Friday kicked off the first of 10 performances that will wrap up on Saturday, Dec. 16.
Stettler’s Beau Cooper is among three central Albertans who qualified for the event where he’ll hope to make some noise.
The 22-year-old tie-down roper is wrapping up a career season that saw him win the Calgary Stampede and book his ticket to his first-ever NFR.
“Everybody says your first grand entry is nothing like you’ve ever experienced so I’m excited,” he said.
“I feel confident. By the time it gets to be calf roping time, I’m sure the nerves will set in but it’s something we feed off of. We live for moments like this… I’m excited and ready.”
Eckville’s Ben Anderson will compete in the saddle bronc competition as well as defending champion Zeke Thurston who’s from Big Valley, Alta.
Thurston also happens to be cousins with Cooper.
When asked if Thurston had passed along any advice for competing at this stage, Cooper said he did but at the end of the day, it’s just another rodeo.
“We just have to do our job. Rope, tie, and let the chips fall where they may,” he said.
“At the end of the day it’s no different than what we do it just happens to be in the largest venue for rodeo. You’ve got to try and get yourself in the right state of mind and perform to the best of your abilities.”
In November, Cooper competed at the Canadian Finals Rodeo (CFR) in Red Deer as a favourite to win the Canadian title in just his second appearance.
However, even though he didn’t have the storybook ending he’d hoped for at the CFR he hopes to use it as a learning experience at the NFR.
“I mean it’s rodeo you’re going to have those days. It can’t always go perfectly every time,” he said.
“I was disappointed… but I’m still learning. I feel like I’ve learned a lot in the last three years going to the Canadian Finals and I think it’s going to help me be a lot more prepared for these next 10 days in Vegas.”
In performance number one Cooper finished with a no score but Thurston had the top score in saddle bronc riding with 86.5 points. Anderson also had a solid run which earned him 78 points.