Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira ended March with a win at the 2025 Bob Feist Invitational worth $154,000, then began April with the 2025 American Rodeo title and another $100,000 each—making it the legacy team’s richest month to date since they began roping in 2016.
This American win marks Driggers’ fifth American win—always as an invitee so he’s never been eligible for the million—and Nogueira’s third.
Driggers also won the Lone Star Shootout in Abilene with Nicky Northcott March 22, to split another $62,000 and win a Hart Trailer.
“The American has single-handily changed the trajectory of my career and my life,” Driggers said. “To win $100,000 in one day allows us to pay down some debt from rodeoing, buy more horses and invest in some land for later. I won it a couple times back-to-back earlier on in my career, that was a big step up for me.”
Driggers won the inaugural American Rodeo produced then by RFD-TV in 2014 with Patrick Smith, again in 2015 with Travis Graves, and in 2018, 2023 and now 2025 with Nogueira.
Editor’s Note: We initially reported that Driggers and Nogueira won $140,000 a man, as that was what was announced in the arena. After the rodeo, officials with Teton Ridge reached out to clarify that was an error, and no ground money was paid in the team roping. The teams that missed in the final round earned $13,333 a man for their efforts.
They qualified back to the American’s clean-slate final round in last place, having roped a leg in the semifinals and barely hanging on to advance. At first out, Driggers pinged the barrier and got it in him fast, and Nogueira threw fast and pulled back to stop the clock in 3.95 seconds. The rest of the teams in the field—Tyler Wade and Wesley Thorp, Clint Summers and Jake Long and Chad Masters and Cory Petska—all took a no-time, gaining them $13,333 a man for their earlier efforts.
“I thought there was no way I was making it back with a leg,” Nogueira said. “I just roped an outside leg, and I was frustrated. But I went back to my truck, and I sat there, and I prayed. And it was all God.”
Nogueira won the rodeo on his 15-year-old gelding Kiehnes Frosty Pepto, the gelding he won it on in 2023 and won the PRCA world title aboard the same year.
“Jeff Flenniken has been staying at the house, and he brought seven fresh steers, really nice ones,” Nogueira explained. “We never rope them. My herd is lopers, so I slow down. I go to Kaleb’s and we go at them three or four days a week, but then every day I come home and slow everything down. Then I draw the loper at the BFI and the loper at The American. At the BFI one that’s supposed to try lopes, and at the American he was supposed to go right but he trots and stops. I’ve just been working on keeping my horse listening, and it worked because when that steer stopped in the final round, I needed him in my hand.”
Nogueira spent all last week roping his lead steer, Gigolo, on only his best, older horses. That’s part of getting back to the fundamentals for Nogueira—who’s been working to rebuild his confidence while struggling all winter at the rodeos.
Driggers subbed in “Stewie”, his 15-year-old registered as Sparks R Flyin, a newer horse to his herd that he’s working into his rotation of good ones.
“I bought Stewie year and half ago from Jason Stewart,” Driggers said. “I rode him a little bit in fall at two or three rodeos, then I took him to the NFR. It was going to be a toss up between him and Cuervo that year, and he got crippled in the run throughs. He was out for about nine months, but Doc (Josh) Harvey and his team at OE—along with Danita Walker—brought him back late September 2024. I got him ready for NFR and took him, but he just wasn’t in quite good enough shape yet to ride. Then, this winter I was going to ride 45 and Stewie was just sitting here. Marcus needed a horse for the smaller setups so I told him to take him. He did really good on him. Then when all my stuff started getting hurt we both rode him at Houston. He’s not 100% sound still, so we have to kind of pick and choose where we ride him. But that’s how it seems like it goes with them old faithfuls. In order for them to compete at the highest level on that stage without any distractions they are going to have a little wear and tear on them.”
The American does not count toward the PRCA world standings. Driggers and Nogueira have $19,908.78 won each, putting them 20th in the world.
“It’s no secret I’ve had a rough winter with horses,” Driggers said. “I’ve had six get crippled, two of them being my very best ones. I had to go buy more horses just to even practice. But each time GOD provided me with the horse I needed for each occasion.”
Full American Rodeo Team Roping Results
1 Kaleb Driggers & Junior Nogueira 3.95 $100,000.00 each
2 Tyler Wade & Wesley Thorp NT $13,333.33 each
3 Clint Summers & Jake Long NT $13,333.33 each
4 Chad Masters & Cory Petska *W NT $13,333.33 each
