Texas cowboys, cowgirl bring home NFR titles

By LYNN MONTGOMERY | East Texas Edition

Header Speed Williams (right) and heeler Rich Skelton, both of Llano, extended their PRCA-record streak of team roping titles to eight, breaking the overall record for event crowns. They did so despite a Round 10 run that saw Skelton miss his heel catch and end up with a 13th-place and a time of 20.3 seconds. But their fourth-place standing in the aggregate - worth an extra $17,876 - proved to be the difference. -- PRCA photo by Mike Copeman

Dec. 23, 2004 - The last buzzer has sounded and the last second has clicked off the clock, bringing the curtain down on the 46th Annual Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.

Four Texas cowboys and one cowgirl will be bringing their world titles to the Lone Star State, and gold belt buckles will be plentiful as many Texans placed in rounds during the 10-day competition.

Trevor Brazile of Decatur won the All-Around title for the third consecutive year. Ending the season with $253,170 (more than $60,000 above his nearest competitor) Brazile joined Ty Murray, Lewis Field, Tom Ferguson, Larry Mahan, Dean Oliver and Jim Shoulders as the only cowboys to win three straight.

Even though they placed 13th in the 10th round, Speed Williams and Rich Skelton, both of Llano, roped their way to the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) record eight straight world team roping title. This consistency may be a factor of having a practice pen with the exact dimensions of the Thomas and Mack Center (where the finals takes place.)

A rookie proved he could rope with the likes of Fred Whitfield, Cody Ohl, and Stran Smith at the finals. Not since Joe Beaver in 1985 has a rookie won the tie-down title, but Monty Lewis of Hereford swung his way into the record books. This was the first time since 1994, that someone besides Fred Whitfield or Cody Ohl has won the tie-down title. Herbert Theriot won the title in 1994. Lewis also rode the PRCA/AQHA tie-down Roping Horse of the Year.

The "always a bridesmaid, never a bride" situation has changed for Bellville's Kelly Kaminski as she turned and burned her way to her first world barrel racing title. Kaminski, a previous seventh grade teacher, has finished runner-up for the last two years.

This year, 119 contestants came to the finals to compete for gold buckles and a part of the $5.1-million purse. Event organizers say 175,658 fans watched the 2004 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, professional rodeo's ultimate event where world champions are crowned every year.

Other Texans to pick up a check during the 10-day competition included Will Lowe, Jason Jeter, Wes Stevenson, Rope Myers, Steve Purcella, David Key, Tee Woolman, Turtle Powell, Matt Tyler, Clay O'Brien Cooper, Allen Bach, Kinney Harrell, Kory Koontz, Kirt Jones, Wayne Folmer, Michael Jones, Mike Outhier, Stran Smith, Fred Whitfield, Cody Ohl, Joe Beaver, Clint Cooper, Cade Swor, Ricky Canton, Scott Kormos, Molly Powell, Liz Pinkston, Jackie Dube, Kelly Maben, Janet Stover, Denise Adams Fea, Darlene Kasper, Matt Austin, and Paulo Crimber.