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Grab your cowboy boots and prepare for one of the biggest events of the year: Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. As top competitors and rodeo fans take over the Strip from Thursday, Dec. 7 through Saturday, Dec. 16, Caesars Entertainment Las Vegas resorts will offer the following food, beverage and entertainment specials for those looking to celebrate beyond the arena. Cheers to the rodeo with specialty cocktails at Alto Bar, Spanish Steps, and Cleopatra's Barge at Caesars Palace. Try the Gentleman Caller made with Jack Daniel's Gentleman Jack; take a trip with the South Padre Island made with six specialty liquors; enjoy some Southern Hospitality made with Jack Daniel's; or spice things up with Whiskey Makes Me Frisky. For those seeking a classic cocktail, the Texas Mule and Orange Madness are both great ways to kick off NFR week. Rodeo-goers can also enjoy a bucket of five Coors Banquet Beer or Coors Light for $30. In addition to daily drink specials, Alto Bar will feature a live country DJ from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. at Alto Bar. Feel like you're in the center of the action and watch the live feed of NFR main events at the outdoor Spanish Steps bar. Guests can enjoy country music nightly from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. and try out their dancing shoes with line dancing Dec. 7 through Dec. 10 and Dec.14 through Dec. 16 from 9 p.m. to midnight. Stop by for MillerCoors rider autograph signings on Dec. 8 beginning at 10 p.m., Dec. 9 from 1 to 3 p.m. and Dec. 10 from 1 to 3 p.m. Fans can enjoy a brahma bull photo opportunity from Dec. 8 through 10 and bull roper festivities on Dec. 8 and 9.
For those seeking toe-tapping country music in one of the most iconic Las Vegas lounges, Cleopatra's Barge will offer a live country band from 9 to 11 p.m. followed by a live country DJ until 2 a.m. on Dec. 7 through Dec. 10 and Dec. 14 through Dec. 16. Cigar aficionados can round-up friends or plan a night to themselves at Montecristo Cigar Bar for NFR drink specials and samplings. For live country entertainment perfect to celebrate the rodeo, visit Redneck Riviera at the Grand Bazaar Shops adjacent to Bally's Las Vegas. John Rich's first unique country music bar offers live entertainment and regular performances by Rich, sweeping views of the Las Vegas Strip and a menu with delicious items from Wahlburgers. Ruth's Chris Steak House is getting into the cowboy spirit for NFR. The restaurant will feature a country lounge singer and a special steak and Jack Daniel's pairing menu on Dec. 10. Guests can also visit the portable Jack Daniel's bar for samples from 6 to 9 p.m. on Dec. 10. Harrah's Piano Bar has transformed into the limited-time Jack Daniel's Saloon, and is the perfect spot to sing along to favorite tunes, sip on specialty drinks and enjoy a live feed of NFR main events. It will also feature rider autograph signings by Jack Daniel's Riders, Rocky McDonald and Beau Hill, on Dec. 8 and 9 from 11 p.m. to midnight. Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill will celebrate NFR in true Toby Keith style. In addition to the traditional Southern favorites, the restaurant will also feature drink specials, samplings and live country music from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. nightly. Stop by for autograph signings from Jack Daniel's Riders, Rocky McDonald and Beau Hill, on Dec. 8 and 9 at 10 p.m. Fans will also have an opportunity for autographs from Saddle Bronc Riders Dec. 15 beginning at 11:30 a.m. and autographs from MillerCoors riders Dec. 15 and 16 beginning at 10 p.m. At 5 O'Clock Somewhere Bar, rodeo-goers can enjoy a country DJ, nightly drink specials and line-dancing beginning at 8 p.m. Fans can also visit the bar for MillerCoors rider autograph signings on Dec. 9 and Dec.15 from starting at 11 p.m. Cowboys and cowgirls can visit Garden Bar for drink specials, line-dancing and live rodeo streaming. Garden Bar will also feature MillerCoors rider autograph signings on Dec. 9 and Dec.15 starting at 10 p.m. Rodeo fans can visit TAG Bar to enjoy daily drink specials as well as MillerCoors rider autograph signings on Dec. 15 from 1 to 3 p.m.
EXTRA Lounge will be an NFR hotspot with drink specials, tastings and free, live entertainment nightly. Fans can experience autograph signings from their favorite cowboys Dec. 9 and Dec.15 from 10 p.m. to midnight. Feel the NFR love at Heart Bar on Dec. 9 and Dec.16 from 9 p.m. to midnight with drink specials, Jack Daniel's samples, giveaways and more. Rodeo fans can stay up-to-date with the action and watch a live feed of the NFR main events nightly at Planet Hollywood's Race and Sportsbook. Be sure to fuel up at Ringer Wings, Pizza & Sliders, located just steps away. Party-goers can visit iBar for a variety of drink specials and MillerCoors rider autograph signings on Dec. 9 from 10 p.m. to midnight.Halfway through the 2017-18 college rodeo season, Weatherford College is enjoying, arguably, its best all-around season. Both the WC men and women are in third place in the Southwest Region of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association. The top two teams and top three individuals advance to the College National Finals Rodeo next June in Casper, Wyoming. WC has qualified individuals or a team 13 straight seasons including the men’s team in 2014. addition, 11 individuals are ranked in the top 10 in the region in their respective events, with four of those among the national rankings. Things are going pretty good,” said rodeo coach Johnny Emmons. “If the year was over now, we would have a breakaway roper, barrel racer, and three team ropers [at nationals]. Both teams are within striking distance of qualifying. I feel pretty good about where we are because even as good as we have done we can still do a lot better. Really, we have not had any bust-out or outstanding rodeos yet.”One thing that has Emmons happy is the success happening with a young team. The roster includes 30 freshmen.“That keeps me very excited moving into the spring semester,” he said. “I think we have a decent shot at qualifying a few people to the CNFR, if not both teams.”In the national rankings, freshmen Lane Cooper is third in team roping-header and Kirby Blankenship is third in team roping-heeler, seeking a second consecutive trip to nationals. Sophomore Jace Davis is 15th in team roping-heeler, and sophomore Sadye Simpson is 14th among barrel racers. Freshman Kelly Valdez ranks 15th in breakaway roping. As a team, the Coyotes have 1,570 points to sit third in the region. Tarleton State leads with 1,990 points, and Odessa is second with 1,865. The Lady Coyotes have 720 points. South Plains leads the region with 971, and Tarleton is second with 871.66. Cooper and Blankenship lead team roping-header and heeler in the region. Davis is second among heelers, and sophomore Garrett Jacobs is fourth.
Valdez is second in breakaway roping in the region. Freshman Leighton Berry is among two regional rankings, eighth in tie-down roping and ninth in bareback riding. Freshman Tucker Menz is eighth in team roping-header. Three Lady Coyotes are among the barrel racing leaders, with Simpson atop the standings. Freshman Bristan Kennedy is fourth and sophomore Brogan Macy is sixth, going for back-to-back trips to the CNFR. Sophomore Aspyn Dent is seventh in goat tying, an event in which she qualified for nationals two years ago before missing last season with an injury. Emmons said the key to the year-in, year-out success by the WC rodeo is a number of things: the program’s great reputation, having competition teams annually, an attractive campus and facilities, and being in the heart of rodeo country.“We are a very attractive program for many from across the country,” he said. “So we are getting good quality athletes to consider for the team each year.”When the National Finals Rodeo begins on Dec. 7 in Las Vegas, Lisa Lockhart will be trying to become the second member of her tight-knit family to win a world championship. Less than a month ago, nephew Jess Lockwood of Volborg became the youngest competitor to win the Professional Bull Riders world title. Now his aunt will try to match his success in the same city.“Oh my gosh,” Lockhart said of watching Lockwood win the PBR gold buckle. “Words can’t even express it. We had heartfelt pride at what he accomplished. It was so amazing, words can’t describe it. There is nothing that is going to top that.“Jess hasn’t said anything about it (her winning a world title). All he said was that he was going to be at the NFR and, ‘Who do I owe for tickets?’ Those are some great expectations to live up to.”But she will try. Lockhart, of Oelrichs, South Dakota, enters her 11th consecutive NFR ninth in the world standings with $96,454 won.“Eleven years in a row,” the Circle native said. “That’s pretty unfathomable.”Lockhart ranks second all-time in the WPRA with $2.147 million won during her career. Lockhart, and her prized horse Louie, will have a lot of ground to make up chasing world standings leader Tiany Schuster of Krum, Texas. Schuster, a first-time NFR qualifier, has won $250,378, a WPRA single-season record. It is the most won by any competitor, male or female.“We’ve never approached it that way,” Lockhart said of chasing a world title. “We’ll just go and do our thing. Go out there and win some money. It’s (the world title) just not a thought of mine. But I’m not saying it can’t be done.“Point blank, from where we’re at in the standings, we’re just glad to be there.”A year ago, Lockhart and Louie set the NFR average record with a total time of 137.98 for 10 runs. The two also won the average in 2014. Lockhart has placed third, second, second, third and fifth at her last five NFRs.
Louie underwent surgery after the NFR and did not return to the arena until the Fourth of July run this past summer.“Louie, he is definitely the comeback kid,” Lockhart said of the 14-year-old buckskin gelding. “So many horses would have had to stop competing. He just keeps going.”Lockhart, also using her horses Rosa and Chisum, used a sizzling run in late July and early August to climb into the top 15 of the world standings. She won nine rodeos in 2017, including five in Montana, and almost another $30,000 at the Calgary Stampede. Lockhart and Rosa also won Lawton, Oklahoma, with an arena-record time of 16.93 seconds.“We entered something almost daily,” said Lockhart, who has competed in 59 rodeos this year, up from 38 the previous year. “We were just trying to get qualified.“We’re not quite in the position where we wanted to be, but it was a business thing. No doubt, that’s part of it.”Rosa, a 7-year-old buckskin, will join Louie in Las Vegas.“Louie goes right, Rosa goes left. That’s the only way to tell them apart for some people,” Lockhart said. The mother of three also opted to pull off the road before the fall rodeo season, wanting to watch her sons Thane and Cade play high school football. She planned to race Louie at rodeos in Brookings, South Dakota, and Casper, Wyoming, as tune-ups, but they conflicted with the PBR World Finals.“No way were we going to miss that,” Lockhart said. “Everything is good.“At the Finals, we’ll try and go win first every day. Who is to say it can’t happen? The goal is to win as much money as you can. You tally it up and it tells you where you stand.”And cashing checks from the Thomas and Mack Center is something she has done well. Lockhart has earned more than $945,000 at the NFR. She has placed in 66 rounds, winning 13. Lockhart is one of two NFR veterans competing. Two-time world champion Brittany Pozzi-Tonozzi is also making her 11th NFR appearance but first since 2013. Schuster is one of six first-time qualifiers who will run under the bright lights.“Lot of new faces,” Lockhart said. “When you’ve been there that long, it gives you some perspective. You don’t take it for granted.”That hit home when Lockhart recently showed a friend her 10 rings from qualifying for the NFR. “I had them all lined up. Holy cow! That’s a lot of rings there,” she said.“It doesn’t get old, having success. The driving, that gets old.”