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Lightning Aguilera and Kaden Profili topped Round 9 of the 2025 NFR for their third round win.Aguilera and Profili pocketed another $36,667.95 apiece for their 3.4-second run. They've collected $130,846.52 a man inside the Thomas & Mack to jump from 15th and 14th in the world to sixth and fifth.Heading into Round 10, Kolton Schmidt and Jonathan Torres continue to lead the aggregate after a 4.3 in Round 9, as well as the world standings with $294,451.12 and $286,185.02, respectively. Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira have moved up in the world standings again, now sitting third and second, trailing by $19,714.53 and $11,448.43. Andrew Ward and Jake Long sit second in the aggregate, behind Schmidt and Torres by 7.1 seconds. They're also fifth and fourth in the world, sitting $47,472.13 and $40,952.58 behind the world leaders.___This episode is presented by Oz On A Hot Streak, the stallion that wins everywhere he goes. AQHA World Champion. PRCA champion. Calgary champion. And now the first AQHA World Champion stallion ever to rope at the NFR. Oz breedings are $500 off all NFR long. Lock your contract in at SoloSelectHorses.com or by calling Madison at 940
Haven Meged joins The Tie-Down Breakdown after picking up his first go-round win of the week in Round 9 of the 2025 NFR, stopping the clock at 7.0 to earn $36,668 and pushing his Finals earnings to $74,801. The 2019 world champion talks about the grind it took just to qualify for his seventh straight NFR, how this season came down to the final week, and why patience mattered as the week in Las Vegas unfolded.Meged also dives into adjusting without his standout gelding Lil Punch and competing aboard Smoke, breaking down how the horse's style has changed his approach in the box. From capitalizing on a good Round 9 draw to joking about all the winnings going toward diapers as he and Shelby prepare to welcome a baby boy, Meged reflects on the highs, the learning curves, and what it means to finally get one won under the bright lights.About EquinetyEquinety offers a powerful combination of supplements for horses at any stage of life, no matter their job. Equinety Horse XL is a 100% pure amino acid supplement that targets the pituitary gland with amino acids to release necessary hormones for cellular repair. Equinety Ultimate OEC contains a combination of natural ingredients, such as flaxseed-based Omega-3, natural vitamin E, and colloidal silver, which provides nutrition for optimal cell function and reduces inflammation. Colloidal silver can also help fight bacterial and viral infections and improve gastric ulcers and tying up in horses. Together, these supplements make for a strong supplement foundation that promotes cellular repair, optimal cell function, and reduced inflammation. Equinety's products are perfect for any horse at any stage of life, no matter their job. Click here for more information on Equinety.
Lightning Aguilera and Kaden Profili topped Round 9 of the 2025 NFR for their third round win.Aguilera and Profili pocketed another $36,667.95 apiece for their 3.4-second run. They've collected $130,846.52 a man inside the Thomas & Mack to jump from 15th and 14th in the world to sixth and fifth.Heading into Round 10, Kolton Schmidt and Jonathan Torres continue to lead the aggregate after a 4.3 in Round 9, as well as the world standings with $294,451.12 and $286,185.02, respectively. Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira have moved up in the world standings again, now sitting third and second, trailing by $19,714.53 and $11,448.43. Andrew Ward and Jake Long sit second in the aggregate, behind Schmidt and Torres by 7.1 seconds. They're also fifth and fourth in the world, sitting $47,472.13 and $40,952.58 behind the world leaders.___This episode is presented by Oz On A Hot Streak, the stallion that wins everywhere he goes. AQHA World Champion. PRCA champion. Calgary champion. And now the first AQHA World Champion stallion ever to rope at the NFR. Oz breedings are $500 off all NFR long. Lock your contract in at SoloSelectHorses.com or by calling Madison at 940
Kolton Schmidt and Jonathan Torres not only won Round 8 of the 2025 NFR, they officially lead the pack.Schmidt and Torres turned in a 3.8-second run for the round win to give them the lead in the average with a 28.7 on seven head and the lead in the world standings with $279,074.24 and $270,808.14, respectively. They've raked in $159,136.03 a man to skyrocket from 14th and 15th in the world to No. 1. They join The Short Score for the third time this week to talk through their run and their world-championship chances.___This episode is presented by Oz On A Hot Streak, the record-breaking grey from Nebraska. AQHA World Champion. PRCA money winner. And the first stallion with an AQHA world title to rope at the NFR. Solo Select is offering $500 off all Oz breedings during the NFR. Lock your contract in at SoloSelectHorses.com or by calling Madison at 940-580-0156.
In this week's Talk Dirt To Me episode, we're joined by a special guest: Drew Hanks, Bobby Lee's little brother, fellow veterinarian and cattleman, fresh off his trip to the 2024 National Finals Rodeo (NFR). We dive deep into everything happening in Vegas, from the arena floor drama to the behind-the-scenes issues most fans never hear about. Drew breaks down what it was really like attending the NFR this year! We then discuss some of the latest happenings with it. Of course, we get into the Stetson Wright Night 6 debacle, the decision that shook the rodeo world, and why fans are divided about what really went down. The Horse Herpes Outbreak: What Veterinarians Are Saying Drew explains the EHV-1 outbreak (horse herpes) that has hit while the NFR is happening and the biosecurity measures veterinarians and stock contractors are taking to prevent disaster. This is a rare behind-the-scenes look at rodeo animal health from someone who actually was there. $11 Billion Farmer Assistance Package: Is It Enough? We shift gears into agriculture news and break down the newly announced $11 billion USDA farmer assistance plan. Spoiler: we don't think it's anywhere close to a bailout. We explain why the numbers fall short, what farmers are actually facing, and how far off Washington is from understanding the real problem on the ground. Reese Bro. Mules: A Mule Dynasty Drew closes the show with a wild piece of ag/livestock history; his wife's family, Reese Bro. Mules, one of the most legendary names in the mule world. They've sold mules to celebrities like Tommy Lee Jones, and Drew gives us a look into the culture, breeding, and tradition behind this iconic family business. Go check out Agzaga! It is the ultimate online farm store. American owned and operated. Go check out their site and get what you need. Be sure to use the code TalkDirt20 to get $20 off your order of $50 or more! Visit them at: https://agzaga.com
Kolton Schmidt and Jonathan Torres not only won Round 8 of the 2025 NFR, they officially lead the pack.Schmidt and Torres turned in a 3.8-second run for the round win to give them the lead in the average with a 28.7 on seven head and the lead in the world standings with $279,074.24 and $270,808.14, respectively. They've raked in $159,136.03 a man to skyrocket from 14th and 15th in the world to No. 1. They join The Short Score for the third time this week to talk through their run and their world-championship chances.___This episode is presented by Oz On A Hot Streak, the record-breaking grey from Nebraska. AQHA World Champion. PRCA money winner. And the first stallion with an AQHA world title to rope at the NFR. Solo Select is offering $500 off all Oz breedings during the NFR. Lock your contract in at SoloSelectHorses.com or by calling Madison at 940-580-0156.
In this episode, Luke welcomes 2012 PRCA World Champion Bull Rider Cody Teel, Callie Adams, Director of Events at Montana Silversmiths, and Barry Berg of Cactus Ropes for a look at the craftsmanship, people, and perspectives that shape the Western world. Cody reflects on the bittersweet side of stepping away from competition — the pride in what he accomplished and the challenge of watching the sport's biggest event from the sidelines. He talks about that familiar “December fever” the NFR brings every year, why it pulls every cowboy right back into the excitement, and why that fire often fades by spring. Callie shares insight into the artistry and legacy behind Montana Silversmiths' nightly round buckles and world champion buckles, while Barry breaks down what goes into building the ropes trusted by top hands across the sport at Cactus Ropes. Together, they highlight the craftsmanship and culture driving the athletes and makers who keep rodeo moving forward. ━━━━━━━━━━ ★
Dawson and Dillon Graham were back for their second go-round win at the 2025 NFR after winning the Round 7 team roping fight.The Grahams turned in a 3.5-second run for $36,667.95 apiece to push them to fifth in the world standings with $229,858.23. They join The Short Score to talk about their round win, their first solo win.___This episode of The Short Score is presented by Oz On A Hot Streak, the stallion who brings the same run every time. AQHA World Champion. Major rodeo winner. And the first AQHA World Champion stallion ever to rope at the NFR. Oz breedings are $500 off during the entire NFR. Lock
Joel Harris kept things rolling in Round 7 with a 7.5-second run, marking his second straight go-round win on Daddys Shiner Cat, “Peso,” and adding $36,668 to his NFR week.A night after his 6.8 in Round 6, Harris backed in and capitalized again, bringing his 2025 NFR earnings to $137,210 through seven rounds. His week now includes: second in Round 1, sixth in Round 2, second in Round 5 and wins in Rounds 6 and 7—all aboard Peso, owned by Logan Bird. Harris joins The Tie-Down Breakdown to talk about his run, family support, Peso's "it" factor and more. About EquinetyEquinety offers a powerful combination of supplements for horses at any stage of life, no matter their job. Equinety Horse XL is a 100% pure amino acid supplement that targets the pituitary gland with amino acids to release necessary hormones for cellular repair. Equinety Ultimate OEC contains a combination of natural ingredients, such as flaxseed-based Omega-3, natural vitamin E, and colloidal silver, which provides nutrition for optimal cell function and reduces inflammation. Colloidal silver can also help fight bacterial and viral infections and improve gastric ulcers and tying up in horses. Together, these supplements make for a strong supplement foundation that promotes cellular repair, optimal cell function, and reduced inflammation. Equinety's products are perfect for any horse at any stage of life, no matter their job. Click here for more information on Equinety.
Dawson and Dillon Graham were back for their second go-round win at the 2025 NFR after winning the Round 7 team roping fight.The Grahams turned in a 3.5-second run for $36,667.95 apiece to push them to fifth in the world standings with $229,858.23. They join The Short Score to talk about their round win, their first solo win.___This episode of The Short Score is presented by Oz On A Hot Streak, the stallion who brings the same run every time. AQHA World Champion. Major rodeo winner. And the first AQHA World Champion stallion ever to rope at the NFR. Oz breedings are $500 off during the entire NFR. Lock
NFR stock pusher, Andy Hilton, and stock contractor, Reno Rosser, join the Rally today.Send us a textSend your thoughts and feedback to nospinfeedback@gmail.com or text 817-668-2395
Tanner Tomlinson and Travis Graves got their first round win of the 2025 NFR in Round 6. Tomlinson and Graves came within one-tenth of a second of the Thomas & Mack arena record with a 3.4-second run to pocket $36,667.95 apiece.The win puts Tomlinson No. 1 in the world with $276,605.71 and Graves No. 2 with $242,717.48. It also puts them fourth in the aggregate. They join The Short Score to talk about their win, a horse change and more.___This episode is brought to you by Oz Ona Hot Streak,, the Nebraska-raised stallion built for both AQHA gold and NFR pressure. Oz is the 2019 AQHA Jr. Heading World Champion, a top-ten heeler, and
In honor of the NFR, we're bringing back one of the most badass rodeo conversations ever recorded. This is a special throwback episode from Logan's old show, because when the National Finals Rodeo is happening, there's no better time to revisit a story like this. In this episode, Logan is joined by Tim O'Connell, the 3x World Champion Bareback Rider and one of the most dominant cowboy athletes in modern rodeo. Rodeo runs deep in Tim's blood, and you'll hear that from the very beginning of his journey. Tim walks us through his early days as a bull rider, the pivotal wreck that made him realize bull riding wasn't his future, and the moment he shifted into the bareback world—where he ultimately became a champion. We talk about the mindset, the injuries, the physical toll, the adrenaline, and what it actually takes to compete at the highest level in rodeo. You'll hear about: • Tim's start in rodeo • The brutal bull riding wreck that changed his direction • Why bareback riding "clicked" and how he found his groove • What the bareback rigging actually does to your body • How elite cowboy athletes train and stay in the fight • Insights into the rodeo lifestyle during NFR season Tim completely opened our eyes to the reality of professional rodeo, the cowboy culture, and the grit it takes to be the best in the world. With the NFR in full swing, We figured there's no better time to bring this story back to life. A brand new episode will still drop Friday morning, but enjoy this special NFR-week release with one of the greatest bareback riders to ever do it. Go check out Agzaga! It is the ultimate online farm store. American owned and operated. Go check out their site and get what you need. Be sure to use the code TalkDirt20 to get $20 off your order of $50 or more! Visit them at: https://agzaga.com
Joel Harris put the Thomas & Mack on notice in Round 6, stopping the clock at 6.8 seconds to snag his first go-round win of the 2025 NFR and pocket $36,668 aboard the legendary Daddys Shiner Cat, “Peso.”Harris has pieced together a solid week with checks in three rounds, but a no-time in Round 4 knocked him out of the average conversation. Still, Round 6 was his moment—clean start, sharp finish, and Peso doing Peso things. Harris joins The Tie-Down Breakdown to talk about his run, the momentum shift and what it means heading into the back half of the Finals. About EquinetyEquinety offers a powerful combination of supplements for horses at any stage of life, no matter their job. Equinety Horse XL is a 100% pure amino acid supplement that targets the pituitary gland with amino acids to release necessary hormones for cellular repair. Equinety Ultimate OEC contains a combination of natural ingredients, such as flaxseed-based Omega-3, natural vitamin E, and colloidal silver, which provides nutrition for optimal cell function and reduces inflammation. Colloidal silver can also help fight bacterial and viral infections and improve gastric ulcers and tying up in horses. Together, these supplements make for a strong supplement foundation that promotes cellular repair, optimal cell function, and reduced inflammation. Equinety's products are perfect for any horse at any stage of life, no matter their job. Click here for more information on Equinety.
Tanner Tomlinson and Travis Graves got their first round win of the 2025 NFR in Round 6. Tomlinson and Graves came within one-tenth of a second of the Thomas & Mack arena record with a 3.4-second run to pocket $36,667.95 apiece.The win puts Tomlinson No. 1 in the world with $276,605.71 and Graves No. 2 with $242,717.48. It also puts them fourth in the aggregate. They join The Short Score to talk about their win, a horse change and more.___This episode is brought to you by Oz Ona Hot Streak,, the Nebraska-raised stallion built for both AQHA gold and NFR pressure. Oz is the 2019 AQHA Jr. Heading World Champion, a top-ten heeler, and
Six-time NFR calf roper Ty Harris joined Rump and Bone on the Cinch Stage during day 6 of RümpChät Live. Rodeo statistician Brett Nierengarten from US Cowboy Inc. also stopped by to recap the first half of the NFR competition.
Kolton Schmidt and Jonathan Torres were back for another round win at the 2025 NFR, this time on their own.Schmidt and Torres took the Round 5 with a 3.7-second run for $36,667.95 a man Dec. 8. The win pushed Schmidt to fifth in the world with $223,776.61 and Torres to fourth with $215,510.51 on the year. Schmidt and Torres join The Short Score to break down their win.___This episode is presented by Oz On A Hot Streak, the stallion that wins everywhere he goes. AQHA World Champion. PRCA champion. Calgary champion. And now the first AQHA World Champion stallion ever to rope at the NFR. Oz breedings are $500
During the ten days of the NFR in Las Vegas, we all get to watch the product of a year-long—and often lifelong—journey to the Thomas & Mack. What we don't always see is the small army behind each competitor who helps make that run possible.In this episode, I'm thrilled to sit down with Lorissa Jo Merritt— sister of Katelyn Scott and sister-in-law to Halyn Lide, who both qualified for this year's National Finals Rodeo. While Lorissa is a talented horsewoman herself, her role behind the scenes is one we don't talk about enough—and it is a pivotal role in the road to the NFR.Lorissa shares how she's embraced her role as the “horse finder” and “accountability partner" in Katelyn's journey, the story of how Peanut Seed—Katelyn's main mount for this year's finals—came into their lives, how he got his name, and the team effort that goes into an NFR qualification.
John Douch jumped back into the NFR spotlight in Round 5 of the 2025 NFR with a 7.4 to win $36,667, bumping himself to No. 2 in the average and holding strong at No. 4 in the world with $240,267 won. The other storyline trailing Douch this week? Horses—lots of them. He's been on a different horse almost every night: starting on “Bo” in Round 1, switching to “Tomcat” in Round 2, back to Bo in Round 3, then borrowing Shad Mayfield's mare “Tootsie Pop” in Round 4. He planned to stay on her for Round 5, but when she came up lame, Bo got the call again.His Round 5 win marks the second-go round win of his career and comes on the heels of his third-place split in Round 4, bringing his total Finals earnings to $55,297. Douch joins The Tie-Down Breakdown to talk through the run, horse changes and more. About EquinetyEquinety offers a powerful combination of supplements for horses at any stage of life, no matter their job. Equinety Horse XL is a 100% pure amino acid supplement that targets the pituitary gland with amino acids to release necessary hormones for cellular repair. Equinety Ultimate OEC contains a combination of natural ingredients, such as flaxseed-based Omega-3, natural vitamin E, and colloidal silver, which provides nutrition for optimal cell function and reduces inflammation. Colloidal silver can also help fight bacterial and viral infections and improve gastric ulcers and tying up in horses. Together, these supplements make for a strong supplement foundation that promotes cellular repair, optimal cell function, and reduced inflammation. Equinety's products are perfect for any horse at any stage of life, no matter their job. Click here for more information on Equinety.
Kolton Schmidt and Jonathan Torres were back for another round win at the 2025 NFR, this time on their own.Schmidt and Torres took the Round 5 with a 3.7-second run for $36,667.95 a man Dec. 8. The win pushed Schmidt to fifth in the world with $223,776.61 and Torres to fourth with $215,510.51 on the year. Schmidt and Torres join The Short Score to break down their win.___This episode is presented by Oz On A Hot Streak, the stallion that wins everywhere he goes. AQHA World Champion. PRCA champion. Calgary champion. And now the first AQHA World Champion stallion ever to rope at the NFR. Oz breedings are $500
The reigning World Champs Tyler Wade and Wesley Thorp joined Dustin Egusquiza and Levi Lord atop the Round 4 team roping leaderboard at the 2025 NFR.Wade and Thorp and Egusquiza and Lord turned in 3.8-second runs to split the round for $32,823.73 apiece. The win comes as redemption for both teams after two no-times for Wade and Thorp and a no-time in Round 3 for Egusquiza and Lord.Both teams join The Short Score to talk about their Round 4 win.___This episode is presented by Oz On A Hot Streak, the record-breaking grey from Nebraska. AQHA World Champion. PRCA money winner. And the first stallion with an AQHA world title to rope at the NFR. Solo Select is offering $500 off all Oz breedings during the NFR. Lock your contract in at SoloSelectHorses.com or by calling Madison at 940-580-0156.
Kincade Henry stepped back into the NFR winners circle for the first time since 2022, taking the Round 4 win with a 7.1 to earn $36,667.95.After a tough Round 2, Henry regrouped with Duals Crescent Boon, “Mario,” made a few adjustments and finally shook the NFR monkey off his back. The reset paid off in Round 4 and his win keeps him firmly planted at No. 3 in the world standings with $262,366 won.It's the third NFR go-round win of Henry's career, and he joins The Tie-Down Breakdown to talk through the run, the mindset shift and what it means moving forward in Las Vegas.About EquinetyEquinety offers a powerful combination of supplements for horses at any stage of life, no matter their job. Equinety Horse XL is a 100% pure amino acid supplement that targets the pituitary gland with amino acids to release necessary hormones for cellular repair. Equinety Ultimate OEC contains a combination of natural ingredients, such as flaxseed-based Omega-3, natural vitamin E, and colloidal silver, which provides nutrition for optimal cell function and reduces inflammation. Colloidal silver can also help fight bacterial and viral infections and improve gastric ulcers and tying up in horses. Together, these supplements make for a strong supplement foundation that promotes cellular repair, optimal cell function, and reduced inflammation. Equinety's products are perfect for any horse at any stage of life, no matter their job. Click here for more information on Equinety.
The reigning World Champs Tyler Wade and Wesley Thorp joined Dustin Egusquiza and Levi Lord atop the Round 4 team roping leaderboard at the 2025 NFR.Wade and Thorp and Egusquiza and Lord turned in 3.8-second runs to split the round for $32,823.73 apiece. The win comes as redemption for both teams after two no-times for Wade and Thorp and a no-time in Round 3 for Egusquiza and Lord.Both teams join The Short Score to talk about their Round 4 win.___This episode is presented by Oz On A Hot Streak, the record-breaking grey from Nebraska. AQHA World Champion. PRCA money winner. And the first stallion with an AQHA world title to rope at the NFR. Solo Select is offering $500 off all Oz breedings during the NFR. Lock your contract in at SoloSelectHorses.com or by calling Madison at 940-580-0156.
Yes… it's that special time of year in Las Vegas. It's when rednecks, from all over the country, invade Vegas for 2-weeks for an event called “NFR”or as Chunga and Chandler call it…HELL!!!Hey!!! Chris is back!!!! He doing the show from the U.K.!!! How's your mom and dad doing mate!?!Radio Ronin would like to remind everyone… If you know someone who is a BYU football fan, be kind. Just—be kind…F1 fans rejoice!!!!!!! We have a new world champion!! What do you think!? Are you happy about this!?!What do you want for Christmas!? We'll find out in the Chunga Poll Shout Outs!!!!Gregg has a review of perhaps the greatest Christmas “chick-flick” of all time, AND!!!! It's time for Your Really Stupid News!!!!!!Listen NOW!!! It's on www.radioronin.com and everywhere you get your podcasts!!!!
The third round of the 2025 NFR was crowded at the top of the team roping with a three-way tie for first.Dawson Graham and Dillon Graham took an early lead in the round with a 3.8-second run as the second team out. Lightning Aguilera and Kaden Profili and Kolton Schmidt and Jonathan Torres joined the 3.8-second club back-to-back. All six men pocketed $29,176.65.The Short Score caught up with the Grahams, Aguilera, Profili, Schmidt and Torres after their runs.___This episode of The Short Score is presented by Oz On A Hot Streak, the stallion who brings the same run every time. AQHA World Champion. Major rodeo winner. And the first AQHA World Champion stallion ever to rope at the NFR. Oz breedings are $500 off during the entire NFR. Lock
The third round of the 2025 NFR was crowded at the top of the team roping with a three-way tie for first.Dawson Graham and Dillon Graham took an early lead in the round with a 3.8-second run as the second team out. Lightning Aguilera and Kaden Profili and Kolton Schmidt and Jonathan Torres joined the 3.8-second club back-to-back. All six men pocketed $29,176.65.The Short Score caught up with the Grahams, Aguilera, Profili, Schmidt and Torres after their runs.___This episode of The Short Score is presented by Oz On A Hot Streak, the stallion who brings the same run every time. AQHA World Champion. Major rodeo winner. And the first AQHA World Champion stallion ever to rope at the NFR. Oz breedings are $500 off during the entire NFR. Lock
Rodeo promoter, Rorey Lemmel joins the Rally to discuss his insights on the production side of the NFR in Las Vegas.Send us a textSend your thoughts and feedback to nospinfeedback@gmail.com or text 817-668-2395
Josh and Joe Frost join the No Spin Rodeo Rally to talk about Round 3 of the NFR.Send us a textSend your thoughts and feedback to nospinfeedback@gmail.com or text 817-668-2395
Jarrod catches up with Tyler Halverson at The Westgate Las Vegas before his show at the Cabaret Theater. Tyler recently recut his hit song "Beer Garden Baby" featuring Parker McCollum and released a brand new song "Fort Worth Losing" yesterday. Presented by Espuela Productions l NFR 2025 Upcoming Shows:Bart Crow 12/10Jarrod Morris 12/12Giovannie & The Hired Guns 12/13 & More!See Full Concert Schedule: https://www.instagram.com/espuela_productions/Tyler Halverson: Spotify | Instagram | TourEnjoy The Jarrod Morris Vibe? Please leave us a review on Apple & SpotifyThe Jarrod Morris Vibe Links:Patreon | TikTok | Instagram | Facebook
From singing on stage with Nickelback to horses. Check out what Zeke Thurston chats about at the 2025 NFR!
Jake Smith got his first NFR go-round win, taking top honors in Round 2 of the 2025 Finals with Douglas Rich.Smith and Rich turned in a 3.9-second run for $36,667.95 a man. After the round, they unofficially moved to fourth in the world standings with $194,087.46 and $183,337.45, respectively.They join The Short Score to talk about their win.___This episode is brought to you by Oz Ona Hot Streak,, the Nebraska-raised stallion built for both AQHA gold and NFR pressure. Oz is the 2019 AQHA Jr. Heading World Champion, a top-ten heeler, and the first stallion with that title to rope inside the Thomas & Mack. During the NFR, Solo Select is offering $500 off every Oz breeding. Lock your contract in at SoloSelectHorses.com or by calling Madison at 940-580-0156.
Jake Smith got his first NFR go-round win, taking top honors in Round 2 of the 2025 Finals with Douglas Rich.Smith and Rich turned in a 3.9-second run for $36,667.95 a man. After the round, they unofficially moved to fourth in the world standings with $194,087.46 and $183,337.45, respectively.They join The Short Score to talk about their win.___This episode is brought to you by Oz Ona Hot Streak,, the Nebraska-raised stallion built for both AQHA gold and NFR pressure. Oz is the 2019 AQHA Jr. Heading World Champion, a top-ten heeler, and the first stallion with that title to rope inside the Thomas & Mack. During the NFR, Solo Select is offering $500 off every Oz breeding. Lock your contract in at SoloSelectHorses.com or by calling Madison at 940-580-0156.
The first team out of the 2025 NFR took top honors in the team roping with Lightning Aguilera and Kaden Profili stunning the field.The pair of two-time NFR qualifiers set the pace with a 4.0-second run that stayed No. 1 for the remaining 14 teams. Aguilera and Profili pocketed $36,667.95 apiece to bump them to No. 8 and 7 in the world with $161,403.70 and $160,203.50, respectively. The round was a first for Aguilera and a second for Profili, and they join The Short Score to break down their win.__This episode is brought to you by Oz Ona Hot Streak, the 2015 grey stallion rewriting what a rope horse can do. Oz is the 2019 AQHA Junior Heading World Champion, a top-ten heeler the same year, and now the first AQHA World Champion stallion ever to compete at the NFR. Dec. 4, is officially National Oz Day, and Solo Select is celebrating with a Buy-One-Get-One breeding special, today only. Starting tomorrow Dec. 5, mare owners get $500 off every Oz breeding during the NFR. Lock your contract in at SoloSelectHorses.com or by calling Madison at 940-580-0156.
Send us a textTen days of rodeo action starts now! Las Vegas is hosting NFR again and we have so much going on. There's entertainment, activations, experiences, food and hat pop-ups and more. We talk with Tracy Renk from the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.Monsoon damage? Insurance company low-balling you? Call Jonathan Wallner of Galindo Law for a FREE Claim Review at 800-251-1533. VegasNearMe App If it's fun to do or see, it's on VegasNearMe. The only app you'll need to navigate Las Vegas. Support the showFollow us on Instagram: @vegas.revealedFollow us on Twitter: @vegasrevealedFollow us on TikTok: @vegas.revealedWebsite: Vegas-Revealed.com
The first team out of the 2025 NFR took top honors in the team roping with Lightning Aguilera and Kaden Profili stunning the field.The pair of two-time NFR qualifiers set the pace with a 4.0-second run that stayed No. 1 for the remaining 14 teams. Aguilera and Profili pocketed $36,667.95 apiece to bump them to No. 8 and 7 in the world with $161,403.70 and $160,203.50, respectively. The round was a first for Aguilera and a second for Profili, and they join The Short Score to break down their win.__This episode is brought to you by Oz On A Hot Streak, the 2015 grey stallion rewriting what a rope horse can do. Oz is the 2019 AQHA Junior Heading World Champion, a top-ten heeler the same year, and now the first AQHA World Champion stallion ever to compete at the NFR. Dec. 4, is officially National Oz Day, and Solo Select is celebrating with a Buy-One-Get-One breeding special, today only. Starting tomorrow Dec. 5, mare owners get $500 off every Oz breeding during the NFR. Lock your contract in at SoloSelectHorses.com or by calling Madison at 940-580-0156.
Shad Mayfield lit up the Thomas & Mack on Thursday, taking home his first NFR Round 1 win. The seven-time NFR qualifier stopped the clock at 6.8 seconds, winning the round and pocketing $36,667.95. The win kept him at No. 2 in the world with $292,97.95 won, just $30,783.74 behind world No. 1, Riley Webb. The round marks Mayfield's fourth career NFR round win, and he joins The Tie-Down Breakdown to talk about it.About Roping.comGive the tie-down roper in your life something they'll actually use. Gift a Roping.com membership this holiday season and check one name off your shopping list. They'll get full access to Roping.com's comprehensive tie-down video library and learn from World Champions Caleb Smidt and Shad Mayfield plus top hands Logan Harkey, Justin Maass and Blane Cox. They can even stream the 2025 NFR Calf Break-In for a behind-the-scenes look at preparing this years pen of calves, then binge hundreds of hours of archived tie-down livestreams. Choose anywhere from one month to a full year of membership, delivered just in time for the holidays.
Night one of the NFR is in the books. The first bull rider to nod his head at the 1985 NFR, Ted Nuce, joins us to discuss 40 years of the NFR being in Las Vegas. Send us a textSend your thoughts and feedback to nospinfeedback@gmail.com or text 817-668-2395
Rump & Bone kick off the 2025 NFR with the first edition of RümpChät Live from the Cinch Stage inside Cowboy Christmas!!! Bullfighting Legend Rob Smets stopped by, along with Kathy Laughlin, Glen Montero and Savannah Montero from the Trenton Montero Foundation. Our Rodeo of the Day is the Tri-State Rodeo in Fort Madison, Iowa, represented by Bob Huffman!
Send us a textProp Comedian Carrot Top celebrates 20 years at the Luxor! We talk to him about it. Plus, a few holiday pop-up attractions and bars you may want to check out in December. We head to the annual "Miracle on Spring Mountain" at the Sand Dollar Lounge. We also check out the Oasis Ice Rink at Fontainebleau. Did you know there's free admission? We also tell you about a new restaurant that opened at Neonopolis on Fremont. It's also open late! And, there's a new Thai restaurant in the same plaza as The Golden Steer. Weera Thai opened its 5th location. NFR is back in town. There are all sorts of events and concerts happening for 10 days. Monsoon damage? Insurance company low-balling you? Call Jonathan Wallner of Galindo Law for a FREE Claim Review at 800-251-1533. If your home was damaged in the California wildfires, Galindo Law may be able to help you get more compensation. Call 800-251-1533 or visit galindolaw.com VegasNearMe App If it's fun to do or see, it's on VegasNearMe. The only app you'll need to navigate Las Vegas. Support the showFollow us on Instagram: @vegas.revealedFollow us on Twitter: @vegasrevealedFollow us on TikTok: @vegas.revealedWebsite: Vegas-Revealed.com
Jarrod Morris is opening the NFR at the Thomas & Mack on December 5 — and he's bringing his full Rodeo Rock sound to the biggest stage in rodeo. Before he hits Vegas, he sat down with Luke for a conversation packed with music, grit, and the real stories behind his journey. Texas musician Jarrod Morris breaks down his path from farrier to full-time artist, why barrel racers call him a “pixie dancer,” and how shoeing horses actually fuels his songwriting. He talks about getting “holed up” in his dorm after wrecking his car — the moment that pushed him deeper into music — and why hyper-specific lyrics end up connecting with so many people. They dive into his new album Day Money, the punk-leaning cover of “Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old),” and the high-energy track “Kick Rocks,” which he's performing live when he opens the NFR. Jarrod also shares how he landed both his Dec 5 NFR performance and his Westgate show on Dec 12, thanks to Bo Gardner and a little help from Chancey Williams. ⭐ This Week's Sponsor: Mountain High Furniture Huge thanks to Mountain High Furniture, a longtime craftspeople's operation led by John & Wendy Powers. They'll be at Cowboy Christmas at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Dec 4–13 — swing by their booth 2711 and check out their handcrafted pieces. ━━━━━━━━━━ ★
A busy week coming up for the Mafia, NFR, awards, buckles, and awesome chaos. Jersey Jake makes his annual return to the show, offering insight on what it took to be nominated for Top 5 Music Director of the Year. The guys make their NFR World Champion predictions! Fun, Laughter, and a great episode to get you ready for Round 1 of the National Finals Rodeo! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The No Spin Rally has begun! We talk to Hall of Fame veterinarian, Doug Corey, about the EVH-1 outbreak and how it will affect the NFR.Send us a textSend your thoughts and feedback to nospinfeedback@gmail.com or text 817-668-2395
In this special pre-NFR episode, WSF Interim Executive Director Brit Harvey joins Kaycie to share everything Western Sports Foundation has planned for the 2025 National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. From athlete meet-and-greets at the YETI booth to youth development programming through Rodeo's Next Up, this episode covers it all. Later in the episode, WSF providers Katie Hollingsworth and Natasha McCann join the show to talk about the mental and physical foundations every athlete needs—plus what they'll be presenting to junior rodeo athletes during the Rodeo's Next Up Youth Conference. In this episode: • NFR Week: Happy Hours with YETI + autograph signings • YETI Booth location & athlete schedules • Rodeo's Next Up Youth Conference details • Mental performance fundamentals with Katie • Physical wellness & injury prevention with Natasha • Where to find WSF throughout Cowboy Christmas • How to get involved and support WSF Event & Resource Links: YETI Happy Hour Schedule: wsf.org/events-list-FuDSU/cocktails-for-cowboys Rodeo's Next Up Registration: wsf.org/events-list-FuDSU/rodeos-next-up-conference Western Sports Foundation: wsf.org War Party Ranch: warpartymovement.org Katie Hollingsworth / KRAVE Coaching: kravecoaching.learnworlds.com Natasha McCann / McCann Athletic Therapy: mccannathletictherapy.com
Here are our NFR picks and predictions! Big thanks to Ty Roger's on the media team for losing the camera angle of him and Pablo! Super clutch move by the main podcast guy on the media team. Thanks for watching and don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe! A lot of you aren't subscribed and lemme tell you, it matters! RodeoTime.com is MY apparel line, please go check it out! This is how we are about to afford to make the videos! ALSO text me "Special Offer" to (940)353-0890 and I will let you know about new deals on the apparel. Yes, it is really me texting you. RanchFuel.com use code DALE for 15% off MtnOps.com use code DALE for 20% off RockandRollDenim.com use code DALE for 15% off ol son! TotalFeeds.com to find a dealer near you for your horses nutrition! FeedBuggyCorporate.com takes you to the Can-Am you need! Americanhat.net is where you can hear more about the hat real COWBOYS wear!
This episode airs on December 3rd and that means we are one day away from the kick off of the 2025 National Finals Rodeo! To start things off on the right foot, we have an amazing episode with two of the best to ever barrel race! The 19x NFR Qualifier Lisa Lockhart who is knocking on the door of $4million in WPRA earnings and the 9x NFR Qualifier and 4x World Champion Hailey Kinsel who is within arms reach of a 5th World Title! Please note, these interviews were recorded before the EHV-1 Outbreak that happened in November, so keep that in mind as you listen as quite a bit has changed, and their plans for their NFR might look a little different.This episode is brought to you by Martin Saddlery - build your custom saddle and experience the Martin difference at www.MartinSaddlery.com
Discover how Kate Wik, CMO of Las Vegas, drives bold innovation and storytelling to transform the city into a global destination brand. Episode TranscriptPlease note, this transcript may contain minor inconsistencies compared to the episode audio. Damian Fowler (00:00):I'm Damian Fowler.Ilyse Liffreing (00:01):And I'm Ilyse Liffreing.Damian Fowler (00:02):And welcome to this edition of The Big Impression.Ilyse Liffreing (00:09):Today we're joined by Kate Wik, chief Marketing Officer at the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. The team behind the city's newest brand campaign, which launched in September,Damian Fowler (00:20):Las Vegas, is known around the world for its energy, its entertainment, and its edge. But this ladies' campaign takes a closer look at what the city means today beyond the casinos and into its growing identity as a cultural and sports destination.Ilyse Liffreing (00:34):We'll talk with Kate about the ideas behind the campaign, how Vegas is connecting with new audiences, and what it takes to evolve one of the most recognizable brands in the world. Q,Damian Fowler (00:45):Frank Sinatra. It's okay. You have an unusual role in that you represent a city as an iconic one, but could you tell us about the role?Kate Wik (00:56):That's exactly right. So I work for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Nobody knows what that is or what that means. So really, I shorthand it and I say I am the CMO of four Las Vegas. Las Vegas is my product, which is very unique. It is a city, it's a destination. It's unbelievably dynamic. And what's so unique and thrilling for a CMO of Las Vegas is that our product is always changing, always evolving. If you think back, we were known as the gaming destination. We've evolved into, we're the number one hospitality destination in the US with more hotel rooms than any other destination. And we are the entertainment capital of the world. You've got the world's best artists coming and performing on stages across destination every single night. And we've worked really hard to evolve ourselves into the sports destination as well through a lot of recent things. So really the exciting thing for me in this role is no one day is ever the same. Our product is constantly iterating and evolving, and that is a marketer's dream come true.Damian Fowler (02:10):Just on that point about the evolution of the city and the perception of it, how fast has that happened in the last, say, five, 10 years?Kate Wik (02:20):Yeah, absolutely. Incredibly fast. And so today we are known as the sports and entertainment capital of the world, but less than 10 years ago, we did not have any sports teams. Yes, sports has kind of always been in our DNA. We'd host major boxing matches in the eighties, NFR we've had for decades. NBA, we hosted their in-season tournament, NBA Summer League, but really it was through infrastructure development that really led to the explosion of sports today. So what I mean by that is we had T-Mobile Arena, which was a joint venture between MGM resorts and a EG that enabled NHL to come to town with the Vegas Golden Knights in 20 17, 20 18, we purchased the WNBA team, which we renamed the Las Vegas ACEs. And so now we've got A-W-N-B-A team. And then in 2020, of course with Allegiant Stadium, we welcome the Raiders. And so now we've got the Las Vegas Raiders, and we are, so actually in four years, we went from having zero professional sports teams to having three, and we're actively working to bring our fourth to town, which is the major league baseball. We're welcoming the Las Vegas a,Damian Fowler (03:34):Not to mention Formula One.Kate Wik (03:36):Yes, exactly. And Formula One now an annual event on our calendar. So it's a lot. It's a lot. And it creates new reasons to come to Las Vegas for our visitors. And what we found through research actually, is that the sports traveler, number one, we know sports tourism has just exploded the sports traveler. Through our research, we found that it creates a new reason to come to Las Vegas for those that haven't been here before. It creates a reason to explore the destination, see it, consider it, and then ultimately come. And then most importantly, we find that they spend more money than the average leisure traveler. So it's a really rich new audience for Las Vegas. And F1 has definitely exploded that for us too.Ilyse Liffreing (04:24):Do you know by just how much more do they spend?Kate Wik (04:27):It's usually anywhere from 500 to 800 more per trip.Ilyse Liffreing (04:31):Wow, that's a lot. And the rest on gambling,Kate Wik (04:36):AnythingIlyse Liffreing (04:36):Extra? It'sKate Wik (04:37):Funny. Gambling hasn't been, revenue from gaming hasn't been the primary source of how consumers are spending their budget while they're in town. Hasn't been that for over a decade.Ilyse Liffreing (04:51):AndKate Wik (04:51):I think it speaks to the diversification of the experience in Las Vegas. And when I say we're the entertainment capital of the world, we absolutely are. People come here to see shows, to see comedians, to experience not just like a touring show, but unbelievable residencies where our property resorts will build these amazing theaters where Lady Gaga performs, Bruno Mars performs, Adele performs, they'll create these residencies, which is unlike nowhere else in the US or world.Damian Fowler (05:26):I mean, I've been aware of that. I mean, obviously it goes right back to the Rat Pack, but more recently, like Sting had a residency there. I've been aware, IKate Wik (05:34):Just saw Backstreet Boys at the Spear, which was probably mind blowing, which was mind blowing. That's a whole nother level to the entertainment experience where it's just completely immersive that has changed the game for live music.Damian Fowler (05:48):The perception of Vegas has changed or is changing, and maybe that teases up to talk a little bit now about the new brand campaign and why this is the right moment to do it.Kate Wik (06:00):Yeah, absolutely. So we just launched a new campaign September of this year, so just a couple of weeks ago really. And the intent behind it is this notion that there are so many different reasons to come to Vegas, but there are also so many different vacation options. What we wanted to do was break through the noise and make sure that people understood that Vegas is the ultimate destination regardless of the experience you're looking for. We have it all, the breadth and depth that exists within our destination iss, it's uncomparable to any other destination. So we needed to get out there and get that message out there in big form. And why now what we found was through a lack of big brand messaging over the summer, we actually took a hit with a lot of negative headlines. And so we needed to get in front of that. And I think one of the big takeaways for marketers out there is that if you're not actively talking about your brand day in and day out, you create room for others to create their own narrative. And so after we launched the campaign, it's been about a month in market, we've seen a lot of that negativity drop because now everybody's covering, oh, here's the new elements, here are the new promotions they're doing, here are the new experiences that you can find. So it's really about driving the narrative that you want for your brand.Ilyse Liffreing (07:29):Very cool. And could you tell us a little bit about the campaign itself, maybe the creative, and then what channels are you leaning into?Kate Wik (07:36):Yeah, absolutely. In looking at how we were going to develop the work around this new brand campaign, what we wanted first and foremost was to be really authentic about Las Vegas and be very unique to a message that only Las Vegas can deliver. And so we took inspiration from our iconic welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign. So it's the sign that exists literally on Las Vegas Boulevard as you drive into town. And that sign, it's 65 years old today, but it is more iconic. And the awareness on that is it puts it as one of the highest elements assets within our portfolio. So you think Las Vegas, you think of Bellagio, you think of Wynn, even Luxor or all these amazing resorts. When we show that sign, the amount of awareness of what that is and where it is and what it's for just exceeds every other asset that we have out there. So we took inspiration from that. We took the neon, the lights, the really, the notion of setting the example of fabulous Las Vegas. That's the experience that our visitors can come to expect when they come to Las Vegas. So it truly has been our brand promise for over 65 years. So that's the inspiration behind the campaign.Damian Fowler (08:57):Yeah, I can see that sign now.Ilyse Liffreing (08:59):Yes,Kate Wik (08:59):That's right.Ilyse Liffreing (09:00):Yeah, that's right. Do you have a sense of the audience that you're trying to reach and through, I guess, which channels are you trying to reach them?Kate Wik (09:10):Yeah, so we have a really diverse audience set, which is very unique for a marketer, which usually has a single product or they've got a very specific audience for that product. Vegas is really the 21 and older adult playground. And so if you look at just an average audience, it's like a 45-year-old split, 50 50 male, female, et cetera. But what we offer is an unbelievable unbeatable experience at every single price point. So we absolutely cater to that high-end luxury market, that luxury traveler, all the way down to the entry level budget conscious traveler. And so we've got products from a circus circus all the way up to a win Las Vegas. And so for us, our audience is very broad, but generally it's adult travelers, people that have traveled in the past year looking to travel again,Ilyse Liffreing (10:11):We just had Marriott on the podcast and we were talking about how more travelers now are singles and single people. And I would think that might be particularly true for Vegas. For some reason, people are coming for a new experience and to get away.Kate Wik (10:28):I think that's exactly right. Not necessarily single travelers, but the idea of it's a getaway, it's a new experience. What we find from our visitors is number one, it's really high repeat visitation because every time they come, they're finding something new. So we usually get at least 80% repeat visitation from our visitors and really high satisfaction rate, but it's that mindset of wanting to try something new. For sure. Yeah.Damian Fowler (10:56):One thing that just occurs to me as we are talking is how the awareness of Las Vegas has been so kind of embodied in so many movies and TV shows. I was just thinking, I watched the studio recently, the Seth RoganKate Wik (11:09):Show,Damian Fowler (11:09):Which I think that has a combination in Vegas whileKate Wik (11:12):I actually haven't seen it yet. So no spoilers on my list.Damian Fowler (11:16):I mean, I was thinking about Oceans 11, you can go back and back. I have to see it. But that is all kind of part of the kind of braided cultural iconography as it were of the city, I guess.Kate Wik (11:27):Yeah, I think movies represent, you almost have to think of it as a channel for marketing. It represents an amazing opportunity to penetrate culture, reach new audiences that you wouldn't normally get to talk to. And so we have a history of iconic movies. Actually this past summer, you might've seen it, but the F1 movie, that was a partnership that we did with them to make sure that they filmed in Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Grand Prix circuit. That was really important. But again, reaching new audiences, keeping us sort of at the pinnacle and sort of leading culture. Also really awesome to have Brad Pitt lead in that. I'm not going to lie. That was pretty awesome. But a ton of movies. And it's kind of interesting to think of it as almost like a marketing channel, not a traditionalIlyse Liffreing (12:17):One, but yes. Yeah, like free marketing too sometimes, because a lot of things are based in Vegas,Kate Wik (12:22):Right? On the marketing channel front, I know you had sort of asked about how do we launch the campaign, and it was very much an integrated multi-channel approach. We did everything from brand marketing, product marketing, I call it value, but it's really promotional as well as experiential. So of course, from a brand marketing point of view, TV or movies are wonderful, but there's also tv. And we launched the campaign actually with NFL kickoff, so September 4th. We know that when people tune into tv, they're tuning in really into an NFL game. That's where the most eyeballs are at any single time. So from a marketing point of view, it's great return on your investment there. So we launched with a 62nd ad on September 4th on kickoff, but really it was about making sure that this is not just a TV campaign, but it's a platform that reaches the consumer at every different touch point throughout their travel journey or through their daily life.(13:27):And so we maximized the viewership by making sure that, yes, we had a TV spot, but we partnered with the Raiders to actually take over the tunnel walk. And so when players arrive at the stadium, any stadium across the us, it's usually sort of this gray back of house space. And what we did was we installed neon all over the wall as the backdrop. And so it gave our players the sense of pride as they're walking in where they see this huge fabulous Las Vegas neon sign, and then they get a bit of a swagger. And then we partnered with GQ to cover sort of the fit that the players are wearing because that's a whole thing, this sort of new cultural moment where you've got the intersection of professional sports and these athletes in fashion. And so GQ wants to cover that. And so now the backdrop for all of this is the fabulous Las Vegas neon sign that we installed.(14:22):And so then CVS and ESPN want to cover it because they're like, oh, what's going on with the Vegas tunnel walk? And so every time Vegas shows up, we want to make sure that we're sort of breaking through the clutter. We're doing something very unique, bold and different, and whatever we do, it's sort of Vegas worthy. So I guess another channel is outdoor. We don't just buy outdoor. We worked with media partners to find these super high impact spectacular units that just command attention. So around the corner, in Times Square, we have this huge 3D board where you've got a 3D view of the iconic welcome to Las Vegas sign that rotates and dice come out, chips come out, an F1 race car comes out, right? It's a showstopper. And when you walk into Times Square, you see people taking pictures of advertising and that blows your mind.(15:21):And then on the other side of the country, we've got an actual neon installation on Sunset Boulevard. So we took, quite frankly, one of the ideas behind the campaign is let's take the neon and export it. Let's take our Neon National. And so we've got these big neon relics all across the us and so this one on Sunset Boulevard is spectacular. And then you walk across any of our resorts in Las Vegas and you see our Neon Signs Launch week. We took over all of our, well in our top 10 markets, we took over our digital outdoor boards and we had a roadblock for the whole week of launch. So just doing these big spectacular moments to capture the attention of our viewers. Wow,Damian Fowler (16:08):That's a lot that you're doing a tremendous amount, but on the other side of it, how are you kind of measuring and tracking all of these moments that you've created?Kate Wik (16:18):Yeah, I think measurement is incredibly important for any brand. We are actually consistently in market every single week with a research tracker, a brand health tracker. We've been doing it for decades. Making sure that we're keeping a finger on the pulse of our consumer is really important to us. So before we launched the campaign, obviously we tested it to see, number one, does it break through? Does it resonate? Does it deliver on the message of escape? Does it make people want to go to Las Vegas? It actually tested stronger than any other campaign that we've tested, and we test all of our campaigns. So that was pretty exciting. And then post-launch, again, we're in the market every single week. We found that we continue to uptick in terms of likability of the campaign, the campaign that makes you want to travel to Las Vegas. Those metrics are really important to us, intent to travel, and so it's continued to climb every single week since we've been in market. That's really strong. I think outside of traditional campaign testing, something that we consistently do is social listening, and so understanding what the current conversation is on social, I had mentioned this summer was a little bit rough. There was a lot of negativity out there for us. What we found was we had peaked in terms of negativity online in, gosh, in August. We launched Campaign in September, and that number has dramatically reduced, which is fantastic. It goes back to this point of you have to constantly be talking and driving your own narrative.(18:01):Otherwise if there's a void, others are going to fill it for you. That's was aIlyse Liffreing (18:05):Quick turnaround time too fromKate Wik (18:07):InIlyse Liffreing (18:07):August to launching inKate Wik (18:08):September. Absolutely. So a couple weeks. So I would say early August was peak and then Campaign formally launched September 4th, but working with our property partners to seed components of the campaign before, that was a big part of it as well. And then I think a very tactical measurement is we launched actually the first ever destination wide sale, so we called it the Fabulous Five Day Sale. Our campaign is Welcome to Fabulous, so fabulous five day sale. We wanted to make sure that we were putting a spotlight on the value that exists across the destination. And what we found was we drove four times the amount of website volume that we normally do to visit las vegas.com and that we actually were driving more referrals, so people were coming in to see what these deals were, what the sale was, this first ever limited sale, and then the traffic, the referral traffic that we were sending out to the booking engines of each of our property partners. That was 120 times the normal weekly average that we have in terms of, oh my gosh, yeah, referral, wait. So really unbelievable. It was kind of mind blowing for us in terms of the results of that. Nice.Ilyse Liffreing (19:28):And what was the reception from businesses in Las Vegas too, because that involved all of them?Kate Wik (19:34):Absolutely. Yeah. We don't launch a campaign without the support of our property partners. The reception was fabulous to use a cliche, incredibly fabulous. They leaned into it, you'll see part of the campaign. We created these neon elements and literally handed over this toolkit to our property partners so they can push out on all of their digital signage, on all of their marketing elements, sort of reflections of the campaign work as well and tie into it.Damian Fowler (20:05):Great. Just out of curiosity, is the campaign driven from the ground up by businesses or does it come top down as it were, from what your office, what's the kind of interaction?Kate Wik (20:19):Yeah. Well, the interaction is we are the DMO, the destination marketing organization for Las Vegas. So what we do is we work closely with our property partners to understand what's the business needs, what are the trends they're seeing. We do research and provide them top level trends, and then we work with them on what do we need the advertising to accomplish, and then we develop the campaigns. We're funded by them. We're actually funded by a room tax, which is paid by our visitors. And so there is complete coordination with our property partners, and we really do all of the upper funnel marketing for them. That's kind of the role we play for them.Damian Fowler (21:00):Interesting. Yeah. Yeah. I want to ask you, actually, I guess this is a big picture question. Are there other big cities that kind of have similar outreach or similar marketing campaigns, or are you unique in lots of ways?Kate Wik (21:15):I think the big destinations like New York, la, they will have a tourism authority within their destination that we'll do it for them. I think what's unique about Las Vegas is how we're funded. Again, it is through this room tax. And so generally, I'm not out there every day trying to drum up membership funds or anything. Our job is to go market the destination 365 days a year. That is why we exist. And so I think other destinations have something similar, but not quite the structure or the support behind it. And I think what is unique for Las Vegas is tourism is the number one economic driver for southern Nevada, and so we're the engine behind that. We have to make sure we're continuing to fuel that. Tourism represents 55 million or 55 billion, excuse me, in direct economic impact. That's visitors coming, spending fueling the local economy. And so the role we play matters. The advertising that we do matters because it fuels the entire ecosystem and the economic climate for Southern Nevada. Wow.Damian Fowler (22:33):Another quick question, follow up question there because you keep making me think of things. You have a lot of international visitors. Do you have a sense of where the majority of them are comingKate Wik (22:42):From? Yeah. Yeah. So international visitors are really important to us. Interesting. Canada's typically is our number one market. We have seen a decrease this year from our Canadian visitors. That's true for the US overall. We love our neighbors to the north and we welcome them back. But Canada is generally number one. Mexico is number two. Mexico is still going strong. They've actually seen growth year over year. UK is our number three market. We love our UK visitors and our partnership with F1 continues to grow that, which is phenomenal. And then interesting, our fourth market is actually Australia, and we don't have a direct flight there today, but it's an easy stopover from la. But the Australians and the Aussies, they love coming to Las Vegas. Great cultural alignment, but in general, we love all of our international visitors, and it's about anywhere from 10 to 15% of our overall visitor mix,Damian Fowler (23:46):So Cool.Ilyse Liffreing (23:47):Well, so along with just how many changes Las Vegas has seen, how would you, I guess, describe the expectations around hospitality and how that has changed over the years?Kate Wik (23:59):Gosh, hospitality, not unlike marketing, it's really fueled by tech innovation. Everything from keyless check-in, you can check in on your phone, you can use your phone as your key. All of these things have been unbelievable accelerants to a great experience, but that's across the board in every city, across the world. Technology has fueled that. I think what's unique for Las Vegas is actually doubling down on the core of who we are. And that's about service, and that's about kind of going back to the brand promise of the campaign where the welcome to fabulous Las Vegas isn't just a sign. It is the brand promise of the experience you're going to have here. And before we launched the campaign, we actually went around to all the CEOs and all the presidents of all our resort property partners to say and to remind them, we're going to launch this campaign, we're going to go back to the roots of Las Vegas. And the roots of that is hospitality, and it's about making every individual feel like somebody special that is so uniquely Las Vegas. You can walk into a circus, circus, an Excalibur, and have this mind blowing unbelievable experience. You could also walk into a Bellagio, an aria, a fountain blue, and have a mind blowing unbelievable experience. It's not based on your economic value or your financial worth. It's based on who you are as a visitor coming. We're going to deliver that unbelievable experience, and that is service related, hospitality related for us.Ilyse Liffreing (25:39):Very cool. So what's next then? How are you planning to build on the success?Kate Wik (25:44):I think for us, welcome to Fabulous is not just like an A Flash in the Pan ad campaign. What we intended to do was create a marketing platform that will just stand the test of time that will continue to iterate off of it. We have three big announcements, not yet announced, but still coming out later this year that just continue to build on this platform. So it's a platform for us as the DMO, but it's also a platform for our property partners to continue to iterate because it is so unique to us.Damian Fowler (26:20):Now we've got some kind of quickfire questions now we've looked at that bigKate Wik (26:24):Picture.Damian Fowler (26:25):What are you obsessed with figuring out right now?Kate Wik (26:29):I am obsessed with figuring out how you hack the social algorithms. And I think what's super interesting is something that can go viral that isn't necessarily representative of the brand or the experience that you have. And so really making sure that for us, it's fueling a ton of content out there to make sure that we're dominating what that narrative is. And that's not just from brand voice, it's influencers or whatever, but that social algorithms I think is really important forDamian Fowler (27:05):Brands. Yeah, absolutely. I would love to figure that out too. It seems like a kind of a magic unlock.Ilyse Liffreing (27:11):Yes. Right.Damian Fowler (27:14):Okay.Ilyse Liffreing (27:15):This year you are included on the Forbes list of 50 Fierce Global leaders.Kate Wik (27:20):Yes.Ilyse Liffreing (27:20):Congratulations. Thank you. What is one piece of wisdom you'd pass on to other marketers?Kate Wik (27:27):Oh gosh. Constant learning, constant iteration. Nothing is ever done, right? You put something out in the world, there's always a chance to continue to iterate and learn and get feedback and continue to push it further. Yeah.Damian Fowler (27:44):Another is ai, a marketer's friend.Kate Wik (27:46):Yeah, absolutely. But actually, let's be careful with that. It's a friend, but it's like a starting point, right? I think using it as information, as research, as sort of an input but not a final output is really important.Damian Fowler (28:01):I like that. That distinction is important.Ilyse Liffreing (28:03):One last fun one for you, maybe outside of the Brad Pitt movie from the summer. What's your favorite movie set in LasKate Wik (28:12):Vegas? Oh, gosh. I love Oceans 11. I mean, how can you not? I mean, it's still Brad Pitt, butDamian Fowler (28:20):Oh, yeah.Kate Wik (28:20):But it's an icon. He can be at anything, everything.Ilyse Liffreing (28:27):And that'sDamian Fowler (28:27):It for this edition of The Big Impression.Ilyse Liffreing (28:29):This show is produced by Molten Hart. Our theme is by Love and caliber, and our associate producer is Sydney Cairns.Damian Fowler (28:36):And remember,Kate Wik (28:37):If you're not actively talking about your brand day in and day out, you create room for others to create their own narrative.Damian Fowler (28:45):I'm Damian, and I'm Ilyse, and we'll see you next time. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
KC Jones started out as just a farm kid but quickly got interested in horses and rodeoing. While his main event became steer wrestling he also roped. He rodeoed through college and after but never really saw himself as one of the guys at the top. After some big accomplishments he realized he could actually make the NFR and after he set his mind to it he did multiple times. Having an entrepreneurial mind kicked in and he realized there needed to be an official after party for the NFR on the strip. He also wanted to promote his new game Pro Fantasy Rodeo. He developed it into one of the coolest parties in Vegas and the game has blown up. It's amazing what you can do when you set your mind to it. Check out the full story. Review Wizard:https://www.reviewwizard.io/io-demo486587?am_id=crockett9437Sponsorship:https://form.jotform.com/251243256767057Diversified Payments:https://www.diversifiedpayments.com/wealthycowboyThe Wealthy Cowboy Mastermind:https://www.skool.com/the-wealthy-cowboy-vip-6536/about?ref=d30cd83cb8824bc7885158a8ec9366a5
In this episode we cover:Thanksgiving recap, including Molly cooking for 40+ people and Laura getting to ride Julia's horse, Andi.An update on Andi's health and recovery after cellulitis.Laura's first horse show with her new barn and new trainer.The warm-up exercise that totally changed Laura's ride in the ring.A peek inside the VIP tent at Santa Anita Park.The latest on the EHV-1 virus circulating in the horse community and how Las Vegas is preparing ahead of NFR.Thank you to our partner For Horses for helping to make this podcast possible. Our listeners can add the code 3STRIDE to receive 10% off their order at forhorsesusa.com or tackofthetown.com.
When the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo kicks off on December 4, first-time NFR qualifier Lane Mitchell will be backing in the box on a 10-year-old gray stallion named Oz Ona Hot Streak, owned and raised by Nebraska breeder Nate Osentowski.Oz is a 14.3 hand rocket by A Streak Of Fling and out of Oz One Hot Mama, a One Hot Jose daughter. He is fast, honest and about as drama free as a stallion can be. He is also making history. Oz won the 2019 AQHA Junior Heading World Championship and is the first AQHA roping world champion to ever go on and qualify for the NFR in team roping.In this episode, you will hear how Oz got his name, why Nate bought him back after selling him as a baby, how Lane ended up with the ride and what makes this stallion the same horse whether he is running at Salinas, Odessa or under the bright lights of the Thomas & Mack. We will also talk about his growing breeding career, his special day in Nebraska, and what this NFR run means to everyone behind him.---Today's episode of The Score is brought to you by Fast Back Ropes, proud supporters of team ropers and the presenting sponsor of this show.
When the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo kicks off on December 4, first-time NFR qualifier Lane Mitchell will be backing in the box on a 10-year-old gray stallion named Oz Ona Hot Streak, owned and raised by Nebraska breeder Nate Osentowski.Oz is a 14.3 hand rocket by A Streak Of Fling and out of Oz One Hot Mama, a One Hot Jose daughter. He is fast, honest and about as drama free as a stallion can be. He is also making history. Oz won the 2019 AQHA Junior Heading World Championship and is the first AQHA roping world champion to ever go on and qualify for the NFR in team roping.In this episode, you will hear how Oz got his name, why Nate bought him back after selling him as a baby, how Lane ended up with the ride and what makes this stallion the same horse whether he is running at Salinas, Odessa or under the bright lights of the Thomas & Mack. We will also talk about his growing breeding career, his special day in Nebraska, and what this NFR run means to everyone behind him.---Today's episode of The Score is brought to you by Fast Back Ropes, proud supporters of team ropers and the presenting sponsor of this show.