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Las Vegas Events announced today that three Vegas NFR Icons will be honored at the 2022 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. The Vegas NFR Icons include Trevor Brazile, Charmayne James and Ty Murray.

During the first three performances, each of the rodeo champions will be honored on the hallowed dirt of the Thomas & Mack Center. The presentation will include each receiving a 14” custom-made bronze statue of their likeness and a ceremony to unfurl a banner in the rafters at the Thomas & Mack Center.

The in-arena schedule for the icons is as follows:
Thursday, Dec. 1 – Trevor Brazile
Friday, Dec. 2 – Charmayne James
Saturday, Dec. 3 – Ty Murray

“Las Vegas Events is committed to honoring the history and legacy of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas,” says LVE President, Pat Christenson. “Since 1985, Las Vegas has crowned more than 320 World Champions. Winning one World title makes a career. Winning more than nine is iconic. The history and legacy of the Wrangler NFR is driven by its great champions. This year we will begin to honor the most decorated contestants of the past 36 years, both in arena and at the luncheon in their honor.”

For each icon, LVE will develop a promotional campaign to promote the three legends and build a daily activation calendar to build anticipation for the ceremony inside the Thomas & Mack Center that evening.

In addition to the ceremony raising their banners to the rafters during the first three performances, several events are planned for the Icons. They will appear at The Cowboy Channel Cowboy Christmas on The Cowboy Channel. The Inaugural Vegas NFR Icons Tribute Luncheon is set for Thursday, Dec. 1 at the Virgin Hotel where all three will go three on two with hosts Butch Knowles and Jeff Medders. The two announcers are icons themselves as they have been the broadcast team for the NFR for more than 30 years. This is sure to be one of the hottest tickets at this year’s NFR.

Related News: Golden Circle Of Champions To Bring Families And Message Of Hope To The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo

For more details on programming and the Vegas NFR Icons Tribute Luncheon, please go to NFRexperience.com/VegasNFRIcons.

Brazile is simply one of the greatest cowboys in ProRodeo history. He has won 26 world titles, including 14 All-Around. In 2010, he completed the second Triple Crown in four years, winning the all-around along with those for tie-down roping and team roping (header). His overall winnings of more than $7 million is unsurpassed in rodeo history. In 2022, he was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame.

James grew up in Clayton, N.M., ironically the home of the very first barrel racing National Finals Rodeo. Her historic career was set in motion in 1982 when a bay gelding, Gills Bay Boy “Scamper,” found a home in James’ barn after paying just $1,200. Together they became the most iconic duo in the equine industry, dominating the barrel racing ranks from 1984 until his retirement in 1993. James won the first of 10 world titles at the age of just 14 in 1984. The following year, she and Scamper would make an historic run on Friday the 13th, winning the round despite breaking the bridle during the ride.

Later, James became the first WPRA member to wear the coveted No. 1 NFR back number in 1987 and became the first barrel racer to surpass $1 million in career earnings. James and Scamper won the NFR average title six times (1984, 1986-87, 1989-90 and 1993). James added a cherry on top of her illustrious career winning her 11th WPRA world title and seventh NFR average title aboard Cruiser in 2002.

“This is tremendous recognition, and I am so appreciative to be honored along with Trevor and Ty,” James says. “That is a real treat to share this with them because they are my buddies.”

Murray’s childhood goal was to become the best cowboy ever and to be the first to beat the record of six world all-around titles set by Larry Mahan and matched by Tom Ferguson. He started to fulfill that dream at the age of two, riding calves. He progressed through Little Britches, the High School Rodeo Association and the Intercollegiate Rodeo Association at Odessa College. Murray competed in all events, but discovered his true ability lay with saddle broncs, bareback horses and bulls.

He joined the PRCA at the age of 18 and never looked back. He went on to win the World All-Around Title seven times (1989-94, 1998). The dominant cowboy of his era, Murray is recognized by his peers as one of the great all-around champions. A true crossover star, Murray has appeared in numerous commercials, television programs and appeared on Dancing with the Stars in 2009, placing fourth in the competition.

Known as the richest and most prestigious rodeo in the world, the Wrangler NFR attracts the top 15 contestants in bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, barrel racing and bull riding to compete for a share of the increased purse and the coveted PRCA Gold Buckle. In 2021, the event had a total attendance of 169,539 over the 10 days of competition at the Thomas & Mack Center and has sold out more than 340 consecutive performances in Las Vegas.

For more information on the Wrangler NFR, please visit NFRexperience.com or through social media at /LasVegasNFR and use #WranglerNFR. For the latest Pro Rodeo news and how to watch Wrangler NFR, please visit WatchNFR.com or through social media at @PRCA_ProRodeo.

The Miss Rodeo Wyoming pageant crowned its 2023 winner on August 18 to represent the state’s rodeo scene at events across the state and on the national stage. The annual event has been a staple of the Wyoming State Fair for years, and for many, celebrates and represents the sport of rodeo and the Western way of life.

The first Miss Rodeo Wyoming, Marilyn Scott Freimark of Cheyenne, was also the first winner of the Miss Rodeo America pageant, which was held in Casper in 1955. Since then, three other Wyomingites have achieved the title.

Three contestants competed for the title this year.

“I rodeoed when I was younger, and it’s just an opportunity to really show what Wyoming is and who our community is and represents,” said Reata Cook, 21, Miss Sheridan WYO Rodeo.

Cook and the others began preparing for this competition a long time ago, like Crystal Myers who held the title in 2007. Now Myers is the National Director for the pageant. She understands the preparation and effort that goes into competing for the title.

“I mean, most of them have been preparing for over a year for this pageant, and so the rodeo knowledge they have to know, the horsemanship they have to know, current events, public speaking, they have to give an impromptu speech that they have 10 minutes to prepare for,” she said.

Myers added that they ultimately are looking for a title holder that will represent the state well, which includes competing for the Miss Rodeo America title in Las Vegas. But she said that things have changed over the years, which led to a decline in the number of women competing.

She added that they’ve discussed why this is and what they feel can be done to promote the pageant and its benefits to young women. Emphasizing life skills, such as public speaking and building self-confidence, are just two of the aspects they’re trying to convey to prospective contestants.

But this year’s contestants understood that there’s something bigger than themselves in competing for the Miss Rodeo Wyoming title.

“Ever since I was little, I’ve always wanted to support rodeo and be the person to help it out and inform people about the sport,” said Jordan Lutz, 21, who grew up in Jackson.

Competing in rodeos and showing horses at the state fair in addition to holding several rodeo royalty titles beginning at the age of eight are some of her previous experiences with rodeo and agriculture, though she said she’s a first-generation cowgirl. She most recently held the title of Miss Historic Jackson Hole Rodeo before deciding to go for the Miss Rodeo Wyoming title.

“I grew up with Desiree Bridges, who was Miss Rodeo Wyoming 2014, and so she was a big role model in my life, and so I always looked up to her. And when she won, I was like ‘That’s where I want to be when I’m about her age,'” she added.

Alexis Wheeler, 20, is from Laramie and was crowned Miss Laramie Jubilee on New Year’s Eve of last year.

“As I was doing my Laramie Jubilee Day stuff, I was just meeting all these state queens and I thought it’d be an amazing experience to try out for a state queen title,” she explained. “Even if I didn’t get it, it would be a great experience at the pageant.”

After a long day of competition, the three hopefuls waited to see which one of them would be crowned.

A grandstand full of spectators cheered and applauded for Cook.

“I was very surprised,” Cook said. “I think me and Alexis and Jordan were very, very close. We were all great competitors, and everything that I got to see, of course, personal interviews I didn’t get to see, but all of us are excelling in our horsemanship, our speaking, our personality, and our appearance. And I was truly surprised when I won. I couldn’t have done it without those two girls challenging me, pushing me this whole week.”

Cook will now go on to compete for Miss Rodeo America in Las Vegas, Nevada from Nov. 27- Dec. 4, which is held in conjunction with the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. The last Miss Rodeo Wyoming to win that title was in 1994.

Courtesy of Wyoming Public Media