Colorado cowboy takes on National Finals Rodeo in second pro year
Steamboat Pilot & Today
Click Thompson/Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
The 2023 rodeo season was a dream come true for Hayden bareback rider Keenan Hayes, and the dream only continues to grow.
Last year, Hayes broke several records including becoming the first cowboy to win a bareback riding world championship title in a rookie season. He also became the holder of the highest bareback single-season earnings total at $434,050.
This season, Hayes looks to defend his crown — or in this case belt buckle — but is entering the 66th National Finals Rodeo as the second-ranked bareback rider.
Each year, the National Finals Rodeo is held at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas where champions across all professional rodeo disciplines are crowned.
This year’s rodeo will take place Dec. 5-14.
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Starting out competing in all three roughstock events, Hayes’ career has taken him from earning the title of National High School Finals Rodeo champion and Junior National Finals Rodeo champion all the way to national champion last year. The 21-year-old phenom has the chance to repeat as champion this season, but the path will not be easy.
Hayes has currently accumulated $219,083.09 this season, putting him at world No. 2. He sits around $14,000 behind world No. 1, Rocker Steiner of Weatherford, Texas.
Last season, Hayes entered the National Finals Rodeo with a $103,000 lead over the second-place rider. He was pinned against a veteran class of former world champions and other legends in the sport.
His season came down to the final ride of the rodeo where he took a horse named Straight Ringer the full eight seconds for a 90-point ride and the title. With some experience under his belt, the keys to this year’s championship will come down to drawing good horses to ride and simply riding them well. The latter of which, Hayes has proven he can do time and time again.
This season, Hayes has amassed 13 rodeo wins, including the New Years Eve Buck and Ball, San Angelo Cinch Chute-out, NFR Open and Larimer County Fair and Rodeo. His experience from last year will be key to earning a second buckle in just two years.
The bareback riding portion of the National Finals Rodeo takes the top 15 ranked cowboys who battle over a 10 day span, riding one bronco each night. Each round is centered around big money and the rider who has accumulated the most money across the entire season by the end of the 10th night, is named world champion.
Hayes intends to do it again.
To watch Hayes and the rest of the National Finals Rodeo, visit CowboyChannelPlus.com. The stream will come with a fee.
To reach Tom Skulski, call 970-871-4240, email tskulski@SteamboatPilot.com.
