Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira went 4.4 in the final round to make the fastest run of the 2024 NFR Open team roping, setting a bar no other team could match in the sudden death round to win $13,000 a man to win the first national circuit titles of their storied careers.
The win—worth $16,000 with their Round 2, 4.6-second win in their set at the Colorado Springs rodeo included—put Driggers north of $113,000 and Nogueira over the $106,000 mark with two and a half months left in the regular season, putting both men near the top of the world standings with money still trickling in from weekend rodeos.
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“It feels good to make some good runs,” said Nogueira, the 33-year-old 2016 All-Around World Champ and 2021-2022 heeling world champ. “You know, to have a run together and just doing our job. I think that’s the main thing here. We’re not trying to beat nobody. We’re trying to make the best we can. And I know my partner did a good job and rides great horses. I’m just worried about me.”
In the final round, Driggers scored sharp on the same steer they were 4.6 on in Round 2 and teed Nogueira up for an even faster shot.
@teamropingjournal Men. On. A mission. @Kaleb Driggers Official and @CSISaddlepads’ @Junior Nogueira- Official are your 2024 NFR Open CHAMPS after coming with a 4.4-second run tonight as the first team out in the Championship Round.😮💨 Full story to follow at the #linkinbio
♬ We Takin’ Over – DJ Khaled
“You kind of show them what they have to do and they’re either going to beat you or they’re not,” Driggers, 34, from Hoboken, Georgia, said. “But I think that in this situation, third’s paying $7,000. I just thought if we made a good run, then we should win a good check. And that was kind of my game plan was just make sure and score good and get a good start.”
Nogueira rode Timon—registered as Kiehnes Frosty Pepto—the 14-year-old gelding he’s ridden since 2019. Driggers rode the 15-year-old gelding he calls Cowboy—registered as Hot Freckled Leo. Both horses are the ones responsible for the lion’s share of the record-breaking earnings the two amassed over the 2024 Fourth-of-July run a week before the NFR Open.
Notably, Derrick Begay and Colter Todd, who’d been dry as of late on the rodeo trail, picked up $10,000 a man for second with a 4.5-second run in the final round, while Erich Rogers and Paul Eaves grabbed third for with a 4.9 for $7,000 a man.
Full Results: NFR Open Team Roping 2024
Pool A: First round: 1. Manny Egusquiza Jr./Evan Arnold, 5.3 seconds $3,000 each; 2. Garrett Rogers/Tyler Worley, 5.5, $2,250; 3. Clayton Van Aken/Cullen Teller, 5.6, $1,500; 4. Grady Quam/Denim Ross, 11.7, $750; 5. Shawn Bird/Ike Folsom, 11.9; 6. Waylon Cameron/Scot Brown, 14.2; 7. (tie) Dillon Green/Justin Yost, Cooper Bruce/Wyatt Kanan and Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins II, NT.
Second round: 1. Manny Egusquiza Jr./Evan Arnold, 6.1 seconds, $3,000 each; 2. Garrett Rogers/Tyler Worley, 6.5 seconds, $2,250; 3. Waylon Cameron/Scot Brown, 7.8, $1,500; 4. Clayton Van Aken/Cullen Teller, 9.0, $750; 5. Shawn Bird/Ike Folsom, 16.0; 6. (tie) Grady Quam/Denim Ross, Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins II, Cooper Bruce/Wyatt Kanan and Dillon Green/Justin Yost, NT.
Qualifiers: 1. Manny Egusquiza Jr./Evan Arnold, 11.4 seconds on two head; 2. Garrett Rogers/Tyler Worley, 12.0; 3. Clayton Van Aken/Cullen Teller, 14.6.
Pool B: First round: 1. Erich Rogers/Paul Eaves, 5.0 seconds, $3,000 each; 2. Jeff Flenniken/Jake Minor, 6.6, $2,250; 3. Blake Hirdes/Mike George, 7.1, $1,500; 4. Luis Baeza/Jose Rodriguez Cortes, 7.6, $750; 5. Eric Fabian/Derek Carey, 7.8; 6. (tie) Cody Reed/Jace McDaniel, Zane Murphy/Dusty Taylor, Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira and Bodie Mattson/Cash Hetzel, NT. Second round: 1. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 4.6 seconds, $3,000 each; 2. Erich Rogers/Paul Eaves, 5.7, $2,250; 3. Blake Hirdes/Mike George, 7.7, $1,500; 4. Bodie Mattson/Cash Hetzel, 10.0, $750; 5. (tie) Cody Reed/Jace McDaniel, Jeff Flenniken/Jake Minor, Eric Fabian/Derek Carey, Luis Baeza/Jose Rodriguez Cortes and Zane Murphy/Dusty Taylor, NT.
Qualifiers: 1. Erich Rogers/Paul Eaves, 10.7 seconds on two head; 2. Blake Hirdes/Mike George, 14.8, 3. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 4.6 seconds on one head.
Pool C: First round: 1. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 5.8 seconds, $3,000 each; 2. Clay Ullery/Tyce McLeod, 12.4, $2,250; 3. Cutter Machado/Dalton Pearce, 13.2, $1,500; 4. Derrick Begay/Colter Todd, 15.1, $750; 5. (tie) Tanner Pallesen/Max Kuttler, Jon Peterson/Trae Smith, Bart Brunson/Clay Green, Coy Brittain/Boogie Ray and Brady Tryan/Zachary Schweigert, NT. Second round: 1. Jon Peterson/Trae Smith, 5.0 seconds, $3,000 each; 2. Coy Brittain/Boogie Ray, 5.2, $2,250; 3. Bart Brunson/Clay Green, 5.4; $1,500; 4. Clay Ullery/Tyce McLeod, 8.0, $750; 5. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 8.5; 6. Derrick Begay/Colter Todd, 11.7; 7. Tanner Pallesen/Max Kuttler, 20.3; 8. (tie) Cutter Machado/Dalton Pearce and Brady Tryan/Zachary Schweigert, NT.
Qualifiers: 1. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 14.3 seconds on two head; 2. Clay Ullery/Tyce McLeod, 20.4; 3. Derrick Begay/Colter Todd, 26.8.
Finals: 1. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 4.4 seconds, $13,000 each; 2. Derrick Begay/Colter Todd, 4.5, $10,000; 3. Erich Rogers/Paul Eaves, 4.9, $7,000; 4. Garrett Rogers/Tyler Worley, 5.3, $3,500; 5. Clay Ullery/Tyce McLeod, Blake Hirdes/Mike George, Clayton Van Aken/Cullen Teller, Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin and Manny Egusquiza Jr./Evan Arnold, NT, $1,500 each.