LAS VEGAS — Justin McDaniel, Luke Branquinho, Stran Smith and J.W. Harris won PRCA world titles and average championships for their events Saturday during the 10th and final round of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
In bareback riding, McDaniel, from Porum, Okla., moved up from third to first in the world standings to take the title away from Bobby Mote of Culver, Ore. Mote hurt his chances by scoring a 76 on Street Moves in the 10th round.
McDaniel, sixth with an 85 on Star Burst, earned a bonus of $43,000 for winning the NFR average championship with an aggregate of 859 on 10 rides. He earned $126,292 in the NFR and finished the season with $216,967.
“Today is the best day of my life,” McDaniel said.
In steer wrestling, Branquinho, from Los Alamos, Calif., was second in 3.7 seconds to take the world and average championships.
Branquinho earned an event-record $242,018. He had a 10-round total of 41.90 seconds.
Steer wrestler Trevor Knowles of Mount Vernon, Ore., finished first at the NFR for the fourth time in a row with a 10th-round win in 3.4.
In tie-down roping, Smith, from Childress, Texas, placed second in 7.2 and claimed both the world and average championships. Hunter Herrin of Apache, Okla., who placed third in 7.4, had the world lead over second-place Trevor Brazile of Decatur, Texas, and third-place Josh Peek of Pueblo, entering the final round.
Jeff Chapman of Athens, Texas, won his second NFR round with a 7.1 in round 10.
In bull riding, Harris, of May, Texas, overtook Chance Smart of Philadelphia, Miss., for the world championship. Harris ended 2008 with $208,437, compared with $197,224 for Smart.
