The average is steadily building as we enter Round 3 of the 2024 NFR. We tapped nine-time NFR heeler Cesar de la Cruz to hear his analysis on how the best in the world have done thus far and his predictions for the remainder.

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Cody Snow & Hunter Koch

Round 2: 4.6 + 5

Round Winnings: 0

Total NFR Earnings: 0

World Standings Earnings: $118,268.78; $120,279.79 

Average: 9.6 on 1; 13

World Standings: 15

de la Cruz’ take: Cody Snow and Hunter are one of my favorite teams because I’ve known both those guys since they first started rodeoing. I saw them when they first bought their cards and first started rodeoing coming out here, and they’re one of the most talented team ropers; I feel like they’re going to be here for years to come. Hunter got a leg last night, they had kind of a tougher cow, though. The first night they had a little bit of a tough steer, so last couple nights they haven’t just drawn at the best end of them. But it doesn’t last forever. Sometimes it feels like it does, but the good steers are coming for those guys and once they get kind of on a roll, I feel like those guys are very, very fast. Both of them are on very nice head and heel horses, so I have a feeling that team right there is going to be out for blood now. They’re going to be going for nothing but day money. So be on the lookout for that team.

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Cyle Denison & Tanner Braden

Round 2: 4.7

Round Winnings: 0

Total NFR Earnings: 0

World Standings Earnings: $118,811.88; $134,958.76 

Average: 4.7 on 1; 10

World Standings: 14; 12

de la Cruz’ take: They got one down last night. They didn’t get any money being here. First timers, the hardest thing is to get a good run down, and they got one clean last night. I’m looking forward to seeing those guys because I feel like Cyle’s got a really, really good head horse, and he’s a really fast header. I feel like I’ve known Tanner for a little while, and I know he’s going to catch everything that’s turned for him for sure.

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Clay Smith & Coleby Payne

Round 2: 4.7

Round Winnings: 0

Total NFR Earnings: $15,433.42

World Standings Earnings: $128,516.32; $137,630.37 

Average: 9.4 on two; 5

World Standings: 13; 10

de la Cruz’ take: I’ve known Coleby since he was a little bitty guy. I met him when he was about 10 years old, and I think he’s going to do really, really good. He started off really well and for a rookie getting a good start, that’s one of the hardest things to do. I think he’s on a good horse, and I think they’re going to do really, really well. Those guys are really good and dangerous in the average, as well as the day money.

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Derrick Begay & Jonathan Torres

Round 2: 6.2

Round Winnings: 0

Total NFR Earnings: $24,126.88

World Standings Earnings: $129,195.43; $141,831.66 

Average: 10.4 on two; 6

World Standings: 12; 8

de la Cruz’ take: They got two caught. They had a little bit of an issue, but they’re going to get them caught, for sure. I think Jonathan is one of the better young heelers, and I think he’s going to catch as many as Derrick turns for him, for sure. Derrick, he’s also one of my favorite headers of all time.

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Luke Brown & Travis Graves

Round 2: 4.5

Round Winnings: $7,063.44 

Total NFR Earnings: $17,063.44 

World Standings Earnings: $134,481.78; $129,105.57 

Average: 16.3 on two; 7

World Standings: 11; 13

de la Cruz’ take: I think as many average titles as both of those guys have won, those guys are going to continue to keep catching them. If they have a good steer, they might capitalize and try to go for a day money, but both those guys are really, really smart about their roping. So, I think they’re just going to go ahead and keep making their runs. TG got a leg the first night, so they’re not out of it at all. It’s a long race, but I’m glad they kind of got on a roll. It’s the hardest place in the world to rope at that place, so just hardest thing is to get on a good start.

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J.C. Yeahquo & Buddy Hawkins

Round 2: 5.4 + 5

Round Winnings: 0

Total NFR Earnings: $10,000

World Standings Earnings: $326,295.58; $124,789.14 

Average: 10.4 on 1; 14

World Standings: 10 / 14

de la Cruz’ take: J.C., he was getting it lined out. I feel like he got one caught, and so it is going to be a good rhythm for him. I look forward to them guys in the next few runs because I think that J.C., he’s one of the fastest headers, so I think it’s very important to get that good catch under his belt. Once he kind of gets the rhythm of the start and rhythm of the cattle, I think he’s going to be very, very dangerous in the day money.

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Jake Smith & Douglas Rich

Round 2: 4.8 + 5

Round Winnings: 0

Total NFR Earnings: $10,000

World Standings Earnings: $139,366.12 

Average: 24.6 on two; 8

World Standings: 9

de la Cruz’ take: Jake Smith heeled for years, so he really knows a lot about what it takes on the heel side right there. I think Douglas Rich is one of my favorite heelers out there. He has no expression when he ropes. Whether he catches or misses, he looks the same; he reminds me of Clay Cooper a little bit of that. But I feel like the Smith boys kind of took the place of the Tryan boys a little bit. They win a lot and I think that those guys in the Thomas & Mack are some of the most dangerous headers. Now that I’ve seen Jake rope the last two, because he heeled for so long, it’s like, man, if you’d have headed. Me being a heeler, I kind of wish he headed earlier on in his career because we’d have had another great header out there in the mix. So, I’m looking forward to the future for those guys, too. Jake has the rhythm of the start and has it kind of figured out what he wants to do. I think he’s going to catch all 10 of them and some of them very fast, too.

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Andrew Ward & Kollin VonAhn

Round 2: NT

Round Winnings: 0

Total NFR Earnings: $10,000

World Standings Earnings: $146,581.02; $135,382.46 

Average: 5.2 on 1; 11

World Standings: 8; 11

de la Cruz’ take: Andrew has the record on 10 head over here, but he also is a very fast header. Kollin is on one of my favorite heel horses throughout the year. He’s one of the best trainers out there as well. So I feel like Andrew’s going to turn the next one and Kollin’s dang sure going to catch two feet for them for the day money. They’ll be at top of the leaderboard for the next day moneys.

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Erich Rogers & Paul Eaves

Round 2: 3.9

Round Winnings: $26,623.74

Total NFR Earnings: $45,317.21

World Standings Earnings: $153,630.47; $154,229.48 

Average: 8.5 on two; 4

World Standings: 7

de la Cruz’ take:  I live right up the road from Erich, so I’m kind of playing favorites with those guys. Erich didn’t have the best year last year or the year that he wanted to, but he’s kind of making a comeback this year. They got two really good down. They’re making it look very easy out there. To me, they’re doing it like Wesley and TWade; they’re just making really smooth runs, but they’re very fast as well. I think those guys are one of the most consistent headers and heelers and they’re both on really nice horses. I know they caught their steer really fast and placed really good last night, so I have a feeling they’re going to keep doing that. If they have one that’s going to be a little tough, they’re going to get it caught anyways.

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Clint Summers & Jake Long

Round 2: 4.5

Round Winnings: $7,063.44

Total NFR Earnings: $17,063.44

World Standings Earnings: $150,209.42; $153,647.19 

Average: 4.5 on 1; 9

World Standings: 6

de la Cruz’ take: I love that Transmission horse–he’s one of my favorite head horses. I’m going to say he’s the best head horse in the Thomas & Mack. He’s such a nice head horse. Those guys last year were on a rhythm and won a lot of day moneys. They went out in the first round and had a lot of bad luck. It wasn’t really their fault, animals are animals and the steer really went bad to the right. But they got back in the money last night, so that’s a very, very dangerous team in the day money.

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Brenten Hall & Kaden Profili

Round 2: 4.2

Round Winnings: $20,103.64

Total NFR Earnings:  $56,727.38 

World Standings Earnings: $182,390.53 ; $183,563.59 

Average: 8.1 on two; 2

World Standings: 5

de la Cruz’ take: Brenten Hall and Kaden have got a couple caught, they placed in both day moneys. I’ve seen Kaden since he was a young kid out there in south Texas, and he is a very, very great great heeler. I think that is going to be a good team in the future for sure. I think they’re going to continue catching.

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Kaleb Driggers & Junior Nogueira 

Round 1: NT

Round Winnings: 0

Total NFR Earnings: 0

World Standings Earnings: $187,360.55 / $198,486.30

Average: 9.3 on 1; 12

World Standings: 4;3

de la Cruz’ take: Kaleb and Junior went out last night. It was an accident. And if I know anything about this Kaleb Driggers, it’s he’s a fighter and he’s not a quitter. He’s going to stay after them right now. I’m almost going to say it just made him just a little bit angry in a way, and that team is going to be my pick for Round 3. I know you’ve got to go through Wesley Thorp and they’re going to be kind of a toss up, but I feel like Junior got a leg in the first round and Kaleb had a mistake last night, and when you make both those guys a little bit upset, be on the lookout; they’re going to go on a rampage. They’re very, very dangerous in the day money. From what I think about those two guys, I think they’re going to go for nothing but day money here on out.

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Coleman Proctor & Logan Medlin

Round 2: 4.3

Round Winnings: $14,126.88

Total NFR Earnings: $44,230.52 

World Standings Earnings: $200,020.81; $186,787.60 

Average: 8.3 on two; 3

World Standings: 3; 4

de la Cruz’ take: They were in the money, and Coleman, I got to visit with him and he is a very calculated header. He’s on a mission to make sure to catch all of his steers and ride the barrier really well. That’s going to be his goal. I think he rode the barrier really well again (last night) and took another good shot, and he understands heeling really well, so I’m sure he set his heeler up wweet. Logan’s on one of the best heel horses in the game. One of my top favorite ones that I’ve ever seen. If you give that guy an opportunity on that horse, they’re going to catch two feet. Be on the lookout for them to not only catch all 10, but be very fast the next few rounds.

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Dustin Egusquiza & Levi Lord

Round 2: NT

Round Winnings: 0

Total NFR Earnings: 0

World Standings Earnings: $211,007.70 

Average: 0; 15

World Standings: 2

de la Cruz’ take: Dustin and Levi are just like Kaleb and Junior in my book. I feel like those guys are going to be very, very dangerous. They are known throughout the year as being one of the fastest teams in the country, and so same thing as Kaleb and Junior: maybe got them just upset enough where you better be on the lookout. They’re like sharks, once they get a taste of blood, they’re going to keep after it. And this year they’ve proved they’re one of the fastest teams in the world, so be on the lookout for them one the next few rounds, they’re going after the day moneys from here on out I imagine.

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Tyler Wade & Wesley Thorp

Round 2: 3.7

Round Winnings: $33,687.18

Total NFR Earnings: $77,374.36 

World Standings Earnings: $269,111.92 

Average: 7.4 on two; 1

World Standings: 1

de la Cruz’ take: TWade and Thorp are making this building look super easy. They’re making roping look like it’s easy out there. They’re making it look like 3.0 is just a regular chip shot, it’s no big deal. And those guys right now, they were last year’s world champions; they know what it takes, and I feel like my vote for world champions this year. Once you get on a start like this, even if you have a little bit of a mistake, it’s easy to get back on track again. They’ve already blasted two. They’ve already won a lot of money, and so they jumped in the lead and I see those guys just continuing their rampage, making it look really easy. The head horse is working really well, Wesley Thorpe is known for riding really nice heel horses and he’s on the world champion heel horse this year. So you put a world champion heeler on a world champion heel horse, it’s going to be two feet. I promise you he is going to catch all 10 from here on out.