NFR Insider: Meet the Steer Wrestlers #4 Will Lummus

Lummus earned the 2021 NFR Average title and back-to-back Reserve World Championships in the steer wrestling in 2021 and 2022

Will Lummus / PRCA

Will Lummus

Rodeo on SI had the great opportunity to chat with Will Lummus, 7-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier and cowboy with over $1.3 million in career earnings. Lummus will compete in the steer wrestling December 5-14 at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nev.

Lummus won the NFR Average in 2021 and has finished second in the World Standings twice (2021 and 2022). He has notched his fair share of round wins and consistently placed, making him a contender in 2024, as he sits 4th in the World coming into the NFR.

The humble cowboy said he "didn't win first at a lot of places" this year, but he won rodeos across the United States from Fort Smith, Ark., to Afton, Wyo.. Lummus also placed consistently throughout the year, including some very important checks in the Cinch Playoffs in Puyallup in September.

• Season Earnings: $148,837
• Hometown: Byhalia, Miss.
• Season Ranking: 4
• NFR Qualifications: 7 (2018-2024)

1. What horses did you ride this year?

• "Ray" owned by Lummus
• Be Dun By Three (Three Dee Skyline x Silver Major Diamond) "Benz" owned by Clayton Hass
• Off The Fence (Stel Corona x Sis Hits) "Swamper" owned by Broom Tree Ranch LLC

I started in the Southeastern Circuit on my horses, Ray and Zoom, the haze horse. I won the circuit on them last year, they've been awesome for me. I rode Benz (owned by Clayton Hass) through the winter and spring. He got hurt after Ogden and then I got on Swamper, owned by Jarrett and Winsten McGraw. I've been on him since.

2. Are you taking the same horses to the NFR?

I will be on Swamper and Clayton will haze on Lucky, who hazed for us all year.

3. If you had to pick a competitor’s horse to ride, which one would it be?

That's tough, I've spent a lot of time on Tyson (Dashin Haze owned by Curtis Cassidy). Baby (BabysGoneCountry owned by Sam Dixon) is another good one I have ridden a lot. If I had to pick another horse in Vegas (at the NFR), it would probably be Eddie (Eds Famous Bar owned by Tanner Milan), but I have ridden Baby a few rounds out there before, so it is hard to say!

4. Who is your mentor or someone you look up to?

My uncle, Bob Lummus, he made the NFR four times. People that he rodeoed with, like Joe Beaver, I grew up around him and he will pick up the phone when I call. Luke Branquinho started rodeoing when my uncle was still going and was kind of getting done when I was getting started, so that was neat because I knew him from before and rodeoed with him a little bit. K.C. Jones is the first guy I went on the road with. As a kid, he took a chance on me and I owe a lot to him. I rode a lot of his horses and he got me to the finals the first time, so he is really important to me.

5. What brand of saddle do you ride?

I have a Coats on my horses, but Benz goes in a Trent Ward. As long as it fits the animal and they're comfortable, that's my main thing.

6. Favorite restaurant?

Marshall Steakhouse and Clancy's Cafe are my two favorites at home. On the road, we eat Texas Roadhouse a lot. It's a place you can get a decent piece of meat and a vegetable and it's the same everywhere, but doesn't cost a fortune. It's a good place to get a good meal.

7.  Favorite movie?

My favorite Western is Lonesome Dove, but I like comedy, like the Rush Hour movies too.

8.  What is your favorite thing to do on a day off?

I'm not a golfer, but it is nice to go out. The boys I rodeoed with this year like to go. If we're somewhere we can go hike, it's nice to go hike. I went to Banff last year in Calgary and that was great.

9.  What is your favorite sport other than rodeo?

I love to play baseball, I can really get into that or softball.

10. What was your biggest win of the year?

I won Dodge City (KS) and the Southeastern Circuit Finals, but I won second a lot this year. It all added up and I won second at a lot of tour rodeos, so that got me a lot of points.

11. Are you doing anything special to prepare for the NFR?

We do Thanksgiving early at home and I just flew into California to go to Dakota Eldridge's house. Swamper and Lucky are there, Clayton will be here, too. I try to give two weeks before the finals, some years it's been at Clayton Hass's or K.C. Jones' house. All we think about is bull dogging, because when I'm home I'm always working on something and practice comes second. But I like to get somewhere away from home, so I can focus on steer wrestling.

12. What’s one thing about the NFR you think most people don’t know?

When we ride out of the arena after the Grand Entry, we have to briskly walk or even better, jog all the way around the building. We can't go through the building and it is a ways around. When we get there, there's about three bareback horses left. If you're first out, it's a little nerve wracking!

13. How many steers do you run in a practice session?

When you're riding a horse like Swamper, 2 or 3 is enough to keep us both feeling good. It changes every year, I used to run 10 or 15. I may run a few on the ground and I may not. If I feel good, I leave it alone.

14. Do you have any superstitions?

I'd like to say no. I try not to let it bother me, but I'm sponsored by CINCH and I had them send me all black shirts with white stitching. The first time they sent me black shirts, the stitching was different colors and then I could tell what shirts I didn't win with. Now everything is just black and white!

15. Do you have a favorite brand of bit?

Not really. What fits the horse and the horse works best in, I go with that.