Weapon of Choice: These Are the Ropes the Top 15 *Headers* Will Use in Las Vegas

Which ropes will the best headers in the world be swinging and slinging in the Thomas & Mack?

The desert climate of Las Vegas paired with the high-pressure $1.1-million team roper payout in Las Vegas raises the stakes for the NFR headers’ rope choice in the Thomas & Mack.

Some of the top 15 team ropers will stick with the same rope they use all season, while others will adjust their NFR rope choice for the climate and steer and horn size.

Here’s the NFR headers’ rope-choice analysis to start:

Classic has the most ropes (and endorsees) in the Thomas & Mack with seven.
Of the seven Classic ropes used, four are Powerlines, all S lays .
Notably, Kaleb Driggers is the only endorsee using the Triton.
Classic Ropes are responsible for $698,684.70 in ProRodeo earnings within the top 15, averaging $99,812.10 in earnings.
Of the three endorsees using Lone Star Ropes—Coleman Proctor, Tanner Tomlinson and Dustin Egusquiza—each will use a different rope and a different lay.
Lone Star’s three endorsees averaged $108,027.35, with a total earnings of $324,082.04.
Fast Back brings two endorsees to the Finals—Clay Tryan and Lightning Aguilera, using two different ropes, the Centerfire 2 XS and the Natural XS.
Fast Back’s two endorsees average $117,542.21 in earnings totaling $235,084.58 entering the Finals.
Cactus Ropes’ three endorsees—Andrew Ward at third, Riley Minor at 12th and Chad Masters at 14th—bring with them $301,084.73 in 2022 PRCA earnings, averaging $100,361.58 per man on the year.
Chad Masters and JR Dees are the only two unsure of their rope choice at this point. Chad plans to start with the Xplosion, but he could pull a Whistler out of his bag if it feels right. Per Dees, “I used a S all year long, but the horns are a lot littler, and I used a littler rope than I used all year when we broke in the steers. It felt a lot snappier and a lot quicker. With them littler this year than ever, I think I’m going to use an XS but if something out of the ordinary happens I’ll use a S.”
Only two men—Driggers and Egusquiza—will use MS lays in their respective ropes.

So, What Ropes Will Each of the Top 15 Use?

World Standings	Contestant	Pre-NFR Earnings	Rope Company	Rope	Lay
1	Kaleb Driggers	227,877.85	Classic	Triton	MS
2	Clay Tryan	144,663.14	Fast Back	Centerfire 2	XS
3	Andrew Ward	124,618.63	Cactus	Xplosion	S
4	Coleman Proctor	110,691.37	Lone Star	Fever	XS
5	Tanner Tomlinson	107,368.21	Lone Star	Frio	S
6	Dustin Egusquiza	106,022.46	Lone Star	Helix	MS
7	Rhen Richard	99,278.90	Classic	Powerline Lite	S
8	Tyler Wade	98,572.98	Classic	Powerline	S
9	JR Dees	96,045.09	Classic	Spyder	XS
10	Cody Snow	91,842.70	Classic	Powerline Lite	S
11	Lightning Aguilera	90,421.44	Fast Back	Natural	XS
12	Riley Minor	89,022.28	Cactus	Xplosion	XS
13	Clay Smith	88,851.56	Classic	Powerline	S
14	Chad Masters	87,443.82	Cactus	Future, Whistler	XS
15	Jake Orman	85,067.18	Classic	Heat	S