Hazers of the National Finals Rodeo: The Unsung Heroes Beside the Success

Very rarely mentioned, hazers and their horses, are a critical element to the steer wrestling at the WNFR. Here we give you some insight into the power of their position.

Chuck, Owned by Dirk Tavenner / Dirk Tavenner

There is a group of cowboys and horses that carry the heaviest load of pressure and expectations at the 2024 Wrangler National Finals, and you rarely even hear their names. One of the most unrecognized positions in the rodeo industry is the hazer and their equine partners in the steer wrestling event.

Hazers are often called a "helper" of the steer wrestler, where their job is to line the steer out providing the competing cowboy good positioning for catching the steer, which will set up the entire run. Truthfully, every bulldoggin' run depends on good hazing. Hazers and their teams are paid a percentage of the prize money the competing steer wrestler wins. Hazing under the bright lights can be very lucrative for these cowboys with rounds paying in the five figures.

Too often hazers and their mounts are the behind-the-scenes heroes of steer wrestling. Haze horses hold such a high-pressur job with the upmost expectations.

Dirk Tavenner, a veteran NFR Hazer and steer wrestler says haze horses are the "work horse" of the event. Dirk has been hazing and steer wrestling at the NFR since 2017.

Hazing at the NFR is different due to the fast start and short arena.

Dirk says he likes to "play defense and be fast." He likes to keep his horses "firing from his hands" and lets his haze horses stay "ornery". This year Tavenner is hazing for 4 NFR cowboys: Stetson Jorgensen, Jesse Brown, Tyler Pearson, and the rookie Cash Robb.

Pearson is riding Tavenner's bulldogging team, Oscar the steer wrestling horse, and Dirk will be hazing on his horse "Classic Lil Dasher" or Chuck. Chuck is a 2010 Brown Gelding by Dash Ta Fame and out of Oh Classy Chic.

Chuck and Dirk will be on the right side of Jesse Brown and veteran NFR steer wrestling horse Tyson as well. Chuck is a former barrel horse that Dirk purchased in 2015. After using him as a steer wrestling horse, Tavenner switched Chuck to the hazing side where he, "stood like a wooden Indian" and took to being on the right instantly.

Chuck has assisted qualifying many cowboys to the big show throughout his 9-year career so far. Dirk will be hazing on Jorgensen's horse "Lion Down In Dixie" aka "Jasper" a 2015 grey gelding by Lions Share of Fame out of Dixie Tiger for both Stetson and Cash Robb.

Jasper, Owned by Stetson and Kellie Jorgensen / Kellie Joregensen

Matt Reeves is a trade name in the Thomas and Mack both hazing and steer wrestling. Reeves will be returning to the WNFR to haze for three NFR qualifiers: J.D. Struxness, Rowdy Parrott, and Ty Erickson. These three cowboy are all mounted on the 2024 AQHA Steer Wrestling Horse of the Year. Crush owned by Ty and Cierra Erickson.

Reeves has hazed at the NFR since 2015. Reeves likes to haze for guys he matches with and the ones he knows their "tells". He says at the NFR his approach is to "be still, score better and leave better". Reeves will be on "French Kirk". Kirk started as Matt's wife's barrel horse. When Matt and Savanah started their family, Matt started Kirk in as a haze horse, and they have not looked back yet.

Matt and Kirk Hazing at the Thomas and Mack / Matt Reeves

Don Payne is making his second NFR appearance and there is no question who will be on his right side for 10 more nights in Vegas. Payne's brother Grady travels and competes alongside Don all year long, so it is understandable Don wants his brother to haze. Grady will be riding the Payne brothers horse "VF Riata" by Famous Gold Coin (a son to Dash Ta Fame) out of Tejereta. The 2014 black gelding, barn name "Dillion", is "ready and sharp" for the next few weeks.

Grady Payne and Dillion hazing at the 2023 WNFR for brother Don Payne on Dr Pepper. / Don Payne

Traveling partners and NFR Rookies Justin Shaffer and Tucker Allen both encouraged each other throughout the 2024 regular season to qualify for their first NFR this year. In true traveling partner fashion they will be hazing for each other in the yellow arena. The pair will be on one of the most famous grey hazing horses of all time Metallica. Metallica is owned by 6-time steer wrestling NFR Qualifier Tyler and his wife Carissa Pearson. "All Fame N No Shame" by Lions Share of Fame out of Alamans Alley is undoubtably one of the true greats in the haze horse category. He has helped get Mutiple cowboys to the pay window at the NFR and throughout the regular PRCA season. He is one of the events highest money earning horses on the haze side.

Metallica owned by Tyler and Carissa Pearson / Carissa Pearson

The Alabama Slammer, Kyle Irwin, will be the hazer of choice for the comeback kid of the season, Tyler Waguespack. 'Wags' will be riding Baby and matched up with them will be Irwin on his 9-year-old gelding "Bruno". Kyle has both competed and hazed in the Thomas and Mack every year since 2017. Bruno, "Watch Me B Great" is by Roll on Mcpie (Pie In the Sky) out of Sister Golden Bug.

Irwin explains that when you haze at the NFR the start is fast. The bulldogger is leaving with their nod, making the hazer "behind".

Being sharp is the main thing. Irwin says, " you hope they never say your name as a hazer at the NFR, because most the time if they mention the haze it's most likely not a good one. Rarely do they mention good hazes so if they are talking about your haze its not ideal."

Bruno, Owned by Kyle Irwin / Kyle Irwin

The number 1 and the number 15 cowboys in the steer wrestling have both brought along Tanner Milan and his team to the WNFR this year. Milan's haze horse "Patronmakesmeshiney" aka "Stump" by "Patron at Six" (PC Frenchmans Hayday) out of Shiney Gal Can Dance is the perfect match for their Steer Wrestling horse Eddie. Stump was a regular old "Outlaw" that would paw and kick, run off, and hard to catch and wild as a 4-year-old.

He earned the name stump because, "he spent a good amount of time tied to a tree stump where he would not let us get close to him. That is how he got his name". After running at some barrel futurities a small injury lead to him becoming Milan's new project.

"He is still watchy as heck and will have a big hump in his back on cold days but he is mostly all bluff now." Milan's Wife, Chelsea Moore explained, "Haze horses are so underrated. We struggled for a long time to find one to fit Eddie. They have to be incredibly special."

Stump was Canada Professional Rodeo Assocaition Haze Horse of the Year. Currently AQHA does not recognize a Haze Horse of the Year, but the unsung hero's surely deserve some recognition.

Stump, 2024 CPRA Haze Horse of the Year owned by Tanner Milan and Chelsea Moore / Chelsea Moore

Texas cowboy, Clayton Hass will be hazing on his "good ole boy" horse for Dakota Eldridge and Will Lummus at this years finals. "Hes A Lucky Charm" or "Lucky" will be teamed up with Winsten McGraw's Steer Wrestling horse "Swamper" for the two cowboys who together have 18 WNFR qualifications.

Hass bought Lucky as a 2-year-old and it has been a match made in heaven ever since. Clayton has been hazing and competing at the NFR since 2017. Hazing at the NFR is always challenging, but Hass has confidence his job is made easier when you haze for horses as good in the box as Swamper. He is hoping for "clean starts and fast runs". Hass calls Lucky his "cookie monster" and says he will "eat anything". When I asked Clayton the requirements for a good hazing horse he replied, "a good haze horse is just special".

The consensus between steer wrestlers and hazers alike at the NFR seems to be that haze horses have the toughest job in the arena. They are hard to find and require strength, speed, good demeanors, and a level of tough most other horses cannot muster up.

Unlike other events or even the steer wrestling horses themselves that might get only 1 or 2 runs, haze horses will have four to eight runs at each rodeo. They are expected to always be ready on the other horses terms, make multiple runs right after each other, and maintain their composure in a very high-pressured setting. It is always the tough ones that may have been stubborn or too strong for other events that seem to end up being the ones that can take the extreme pressure of being a haze horse.

Said best by Clayton Hass "The bulldogging horse is only as good as the haze horse beside it." As you cheer on and watch your favorite steer wrestlers, know it took amazing horse and cowboy talent on the other side to get these athletes to the 2024 WNFR.