NFR Round 1

By Patrick Everson

There were plenty of firsts going on Friday night at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. It was the first go-round of 2023. Sissy Winn got her first-ever NFR go-round win, in barrel racing. John Douch did likewise in tie-down roping.

And bull rider Ky Hamilton got his first solo NFR go-round win.

All of that happened after an emotional open to the evening. Wrangler NFR contestants, officials and 17,675 fans joined in a heartfelt moment of silence to pay respects to those lost and affected by Wednesday’s tragic event on the UNLV campus, not far from the Thomas & Mack Center.

The cowboys and cowgirls understood the magnitude of the moment.

“What happened is absolutely devastating. I just pray for their families and their hearts,” Winn said, while noting she plans to pay further respects during Saturday’s second go-round. “I’m gonna wear something to honor the UNLV community.”

Added Hamilton: “Our prayers and thoughts go out to those affected. Hopefully, this rodeo might be a spring of light for them.”

On the arena dirt, Winn had a fantastic run aboard her horse Scoop. World standings leader Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi posted a blazing 13.75-second effort as the first racer out of the chute. Winn didn’t go until 10 riders later and clocked 13.71, beating Tonozzi by the blink of an eye.

This is Winn’s second NFR, and after not getting a go-round win in 2022, she took care of business right away in 2023.

“I just can’t believe it,” an ebullient Winn said, noting that the competitiveness of her peers – and their horses – made the strategy pretty simple. “I’m thinking I better go for it, because everyone else is going for it. I know we have nine more rounds in front of us. But getting this one was really sweet.”

Douch is in his third Wrangler NFR, also competing in 2021-22. He finished fifth in the 2022 world standings. But Friday night brought him his first NFR go-round win, with a 7.7-second clocking.

“I feel like it’s been coming. But it’s like a heavyweight fight with some of these guys,” Douch said, tipping his hat to a talented field of tie-down ropers, while noting he didn’t think his time – as the third roper to compete – would hold up the rest of the way. “I knew it’d place pretty good, but I didn’t think it’d place first. I’m excited for the next nine rounds.”

Hamilton is no stranger to first-night NFR success. In the first go in 2021, he split first place with J.B. Mauney. In 2022 – though not on Night 1 – he split a go-round win with Stetson Wright, his traveling partner.

But Friday night, he got the bull riding win all to himself. Hamilton rode Vitalix Theodore to a score of 86.5 points, edging Josh Frost’s 85.5.

“It’s a cool feeling. I’ve really been wanting to win my own round, and I got it done tonight,” Hamilton said. “To get the ball rolling like that, that’s what you want to do – and what you want to keep doing!”

The $30,706 first-place check vaulted Hamilton to second in the bull riding world standings, with $294,871. He still trails Wright ($378,630) by a significant amount, but Wright is banged up. So Hamilton might have a shot at something much bigger than a go-round win over the next week – a first-ever gold buckle.