Photos: The national finals rodeo

Posted Dec 11, 2012

The National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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J.R. Vezain of Cowley, Wyo. rides Mile Away in the second go-round of the bareback riding competition on the second day of the National Finals Rodeo, Friday, Dec. 7, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Isaac Diaz of Davie, Fla., is thrown from Resistol's Top Hat during the saddle bronc competition on the sixth night of the National Finals Rodeo, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Saddle bronc mare Miss Congeniality rears up in the chute with Jacobs Crawley of College Station, Tex. aboard in the second go-round of the saddle bronc competition of the National Finals Rodeo, Friday, Dec. 7, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Bullfighter Dusty Tuckness, right, kneels briefly to say a prayer with Cody Whitney at the end of the bull riding competition on the fifth night of the National Finals Rodeo, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Hunter Herrin of Apache, Okla. just misses roping a calf during the tie-down roping competition of the National Finals Rodeo, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Clif Cooper of Decatur, Texas ties down a calf while competing on the sixth night of the National Finals Rodeo, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Cort Scheer of Elsmere, Neb. rides Spring Planting in the saddle bronc competition on the sixth night of the National Finals Rodeo, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Isaac Diaz of Davie, Fla., is thrown from Resistol's Top Hat during the saddle bronc competition on the sixth night of the National Finals Rodeo, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Jacobs Crawley of College Station, Texas, flies off Chuckulator while competing in the saddle bronc riding event on the sixth night of the National Finals Rodeo, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Wade Sumpter of Fowler, Calif. turns a steer on its back during the steer wrestling competition of the National Finals Rodeo, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Trevor Knowles drops down off his horse while competing in the steer wrestling competition of the National Finals Rodeo, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Trevor Knowles of Mount Vernon, Ore., reacts after recording a time of 3.30 seconds in the steer wrestling competition of the National Finals Rodeo, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Dean Gorsuch of Gering, Neb. drags a steer to the ground while competing in the steer wrestling competition on the sixth night of the National Finals Rodeo, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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On a re-ride in the bull riding competition Cody Whitney of Sayre, Okla. is thrown on the sixth night of the National Finals Rodeo, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Todd Suhn of Hermosa, S.D. drops down off his horse while competing in the steer wrestling competition on the sixth night of the National Finals Rodeo, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Matt Bright, of Azle, Texas, is thrown by Princess Warrior while competing in the bareback riding event on the sixth night of the National Finals Rodeo, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Jared Keylon of Uniontown, Kan., is thrown by Wild and Blue while competing in the bareback riding event of the National Finals Rodeo, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Will Lowe of Canyon, Texas, rides Dirty Jacket for a sixth place finish in the bareback riding competition of the National Finals Rodeo, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Steven Peebles, of Redmond, Ore., reacts after riding to a sixth-place finish in the bareback competition on the sixth night of the National Finals Rodeo, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Caleb Bennett of Morgan, Utah, rides Delta Ship in the sixth round of the bareback riding competition at the National Finals Rodeo, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Brian Bain of Culver, Ore. rides PTSD Power Play in the bareback riding competition of the National Finals Rodeo, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, in Las Vegas. Bain placed third in the event on the sixth night of competition. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Trey Benton III of Rock Island, Texas rides Centerfold in the bull riding competition of the National Finals Rodeo, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Trey Benton III of Rock Island, Texas is thrown by the bull Cash Money in the second go-round of the National Finals Rodeo, Friday, Dec. 7, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Bullfighter Dusty Tuckness of Meeteetse, Wyo., leads a bull away from a cowboy during the second go-round of the National Finals Rodeo, Friday, Dec. 7, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Trey Benton III of Rock Island, Texas is thrown by the bull Cash Money in the second go-round of the National Finals Rodeo, Friday, Dec. 7, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Houston Hutto breaks out of the gate in the tie-down roping competition of the National Finals Rodeo, Friday, Dec. 7, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Taos Muncy of Corona, N.M. rides Charlie Horse in the second go-round of the saddle bronc competition of the National Finals Rodeo, Friday, Dec. 7, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Jesse Wright of Milford, Utah is thrown by Navajo Sun in the second go-round of the saddle bronc riding competition of the National Finals Rodeo, Friday, Dec. 7, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Cole Elshere of Faith, S.D. is thrown from Homecoming after the 8-second timer sounds during the second go-round of the saddle bronc riding competition of the National Finals Rodeo, Friday, Dec. 7, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Saddle bronc mare Miss Congeniality rears up in the chute with Jacobs Crawley of College Station, Tex. aboard in the second go-round of the saddle bronc competition of the National Finals Rodeo, Friday, Dec. 7, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Tom Lewis of Lehi, Utah comes off his horse while competing in the second go-round of the steer wrestling competition of the National Finals Rodeo, Friday, Dec. 7, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Trevor Knowles of Mount Vernon, Ore. pulls a steer on its back in the second go-round of the steer wrestling competition of the National Finals Rodeo, Friday, Dec. 7, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Tate Stratton of Kellyville, Okla. hits the dirt as the bull Spin Cycle runs over him during the bull riding competition 128 of the National Finals Rodeo, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Dean Gorsuch of Gering, Neb. pulls down a steer in the second go-round of the steer wrestling competition of the National Finals Rodeo, Friday, Dec. 7, 2012, in Las Vegas. Gorsuch took second place in the event. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Caleb Bennett of Mogan, Utah rides Beaver Fever in the second go-round of the bareback riding competition of the National Finals Rodeo, Friday, Dec. 7, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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J.R. Vezain of Cowley, Wyo. rides Mile Away in the second go-round of the bareback riding competition on the second day of the National Finals Rodeo, Friday, Dec. 7, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Seth Glause of Cheyenne, Wyo. is thrown by Canadian Tuxedo while competing in the bull riding event of the National Finals Rodeo, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Cody Whitney of Sayre, Okla. rides Beaver in the bull riding competition on the sixth night of the National Finals Rodeo, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Justin Maass of Giddings, Texas throws up his hands after tying up a calf in the tie-down roping competition of the National Finals Rodeo, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Houston Hutto of Tomball, Texas jumps off his horse while competing in the tie-down roping competition of the National Finals Rodeo, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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Tuf Cooper of Decatur, Texas, flips a calf on its side during the tie-down roping competition of the National Finals Rodeo, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
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In this photo provided by the Las Vegas News Bureau, Casey Colletti, of Pueblo, Colo., rides Scarlett’s Web in the bareback riding competition at the 2012 National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. Monday, Dec. 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Las Vegas News Bureau, Glenn Pinkerton)