Between the mud-filled arena, sold-out crowd, and first-class bucking horses, the Championship Round of the NFR Open has fans on the edge of their seats. For the second year, the NFR Open took place in Colorado Springs, Colorado hosting contestants from across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Bronc riders battled it out in a tournament-style rodeo format to earn their way to the Gold Buckle Round and claim the NFR Open Champion title.
In the bareback riding, Mountain States Circuit cowboy Keenan Hayes rose to the occasion, winning the event with an 86.5-point spur ride on Pass the Hat of Championship Pro Rodeo.
“She was really good,” says Hayes describing the winning ride. “I knew she’d be able to handle this mud pretty good so I was happy to have her and it turned out to be better than I thought. She was really jumping in the air and kind of made you have to work for it, but it was really fun.”
Hayes, originally from Hayden, Colorado loved the opportunity to be close to where he grew up and Colorado’s rodeo circuit.
“It’s awesome representing my home territory and that I got to win the Circuit Finals in my home state,” said Hayes.
Being an NFR Open Champion is a familiar feeling for saddle bronc rider Kade Bruno who won the title just last year. In the four-man championship round, Bruno was matched up with Sue City Sue of Mo Betta Rodeo where he made an 88-point ride to secure the win for the second year in a row.
“Sue City Sue is a good one of Mo Betta’s. It’s been around a long time; I’d seen some videos of like Wade Sundell and Rusty Wright getting on it in 2015-16 but I hadn’t seen him for a while. But that horse is always good, and I was excited for that one,” says Bruno.
Having competed at this rodeo the previous year, Bruno had a good idea of what to expect but did not let that go to his head.
‘For some people it might boost their confidence, but I guess I try to treat every rodeo the same whether it’s a little circuit rodeo or this one, it’s just another horse and you’ve got to do your job.”
Bruno is currently sitting number four in the PRCA World Standings but knows a win like this can help secure your spot at the National Finals Rodeo come December.
“Last year it really helped me make the finals, I was kind of on the outside looking in all year until this point. This year, you don’t want to talk about it this early, but Sage (Newman), Zeke (Thurston), and Stetson (Wright), those guys are all riding really good. They all did good in Calgary this week and I didn’t go so doing well here kind of helps keep me in touch with those guys and hopefully, it keeps going good.”
As the lights go down at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs, both Hayes and Bruno can walk away knowing they proudly represented their rodeo circuits and claimed the coveted title of NFR Open Champions.
