Rodeo Daily

Stephenville, Texas: It's Called Cowboy Capital For A Reason

With 42 total 2023 National Finals Qualifiers all residing in the Stephenville, Texas area, it's no doubt why it's known as the Cowboy Capital of the World.

Madi Roelofsen

Stephenville, Texas: It's Called Cowboy Capital For A Reason
Stephenville, Texas: It's Called Cowboy Capital For A Reason /

The Super Bowl of rodeo, the National Finals Rodeo, is just a mere weeks away.

The top-15 competitors in all eight rodeo events will be battling it out in Las Vegas, Dec. 7-16. 

Out of all those contestants a large percentage of them call Stephenville, Texas and the surrounding area home.

Stephenville, Texas is known as the Cowboy Capital and for good reason too. 

With the college, Tarleton State, having a prestigious rodeo team, local barrel racing and team roping jackpots, past and present NFR qualifiers, the town is crawling with rodeo athletes. It comes with no surprise that many of the athletes call this area home. 

42 total NFR qualifiers either reside in the Stephenville/Weatherford area and surrounding communities or attended Tarleton State University. 

Either way, Stephenville is very proud of having so many athletes settle down in their little town and communities surrounding it.

2023 NFR Timed Event Qualifiers and City in Texas

  1. Shelby Meged, Breakaway Roping, Stephenville
  2. Hali Williams, Breakaway Roping, Comanche
  3. Martha Angelone, Breakaway Roping, Stephenville
  4. Sarah Angelone, Breakaway Roping, Stephenville
  5. Kelsi Domer, Breakaway Roping, Dublin
  6. Jackie Crawford, Breakaway Roping, Stephenville
  7. Riley Webb, Tie-Down Roping, attended WhiteHorse Christian Academy in Stephenville
  8. Shad Mayfield, Tie-Down Roping, Lipan
  9. Haven Meged, Tie-Down Roping, Stephenville
  10. Ty Harris, Tie-Down Roping, Stephenville
  11. Slade Wood, Steer Roping, Stephenville
  12. Taylor Santos, Steer Roping, Stephenville
  13. Wesley Thorp, Heeling, Stephenville
  14. Junior Nogueira, Heeling, Stephenville
  15. Levi Lord, Heeling, Stephenville
  16. Logan Medlin, Heeling, Stephenville
  17. Jeremy Buhler, Heeling, attended Tarleton
  18.  Paul Eaves, Heeling, Lipan
  19. Patrick Smith, Heeling, Lipan
  20. Buddy Hawkins, Heeling, Stephenville
  21. Jake Long, Heeling, Stephenville
  22. Paden Bray, Heeling, Stephenville
  23. Hunter Koch, Heeling, Stephenville
  24. Jonathan Torres, Heeling, Stephenville
  25. Tyler Worley, Heeling, Stephenville
  26. Kaleb Driggers, Heading, Stephenville
  27. Nelson Wyatt, Heading, Stephenville
  28. Dustin Egusquiza, Heading, Mineral Wells
  29. Tanner Tomlinson, Heading, Lipan
  30. Clint Summers, Heading, Stephenville
  31. Luke Brown, Heading, Lipan
  32. Jordan Briggs, Barrel Racing, Tolar
  33. Kassie Mowry, Barrel Racing, Dublin
  34. Ilyssa Riley, Barrel Racing, Hico
  35. Stevi Hillman, Barrel Racing, Granbury
  36. Hailey Kinsel, Barrel Racing, Huckaby
  37. Don Payne, Steer Wrestling, Stephenville

2023 NFR Rough Stock Qualifiers and City in Texas

  1. Brody Crees, Saddle Bronc Riding, Stephenville
  2. Leighton Berry, Bareback Bronc Riding, Weatherford
  3. Rocker Steiner, Bareback Bronc Riding, Weatherford
  4. Richmond Champion, Bareback Bronc Riding, attended Tarleton
  5. Trey Holston, Bull Riding, Glen Rose

Tune into the 65th Wrangler NFR Dec. 7-16 to cheer on all these Cowboy Capital athletes at the Thomas and Mack Arena in Las Vegas.

Published
Madi Roelofsen
MADI ROELOFSEN

Madi Roelofsen is a writer for Sports Illustrated's feature, Rodeo Daily. Madi not only writes about the western lifestyle and rodeo world but lives it daily. She attended Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas, and competed in the barrel racing as part of their rodeo team. Roelofsen graduated in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in animal science. Madi enjoyed not only competing in rodeo events but also spectating the greatest sport on dirt. In 2017, while on vacation attending the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, she met her husband Tim Roelofsen. They got married a few years later in 2020. Tim had already established TVR Working Horses but together they grew their program and enjoy raising foals, training colts, barrel racing, team roping and standing their stallions (TVR Eye Needa Corona and CR Baron Bee Joy "Big Sexy") in both Texas and Iowa. They stay busy with the horses, farming alfalfa and raising their baby girl, Texi. Madi has always been passionate about horses, from learning about different bloodlines, breeding the foals themselves to training and competing. She expresses that passion within the articles she writes to open up the world of horses and rodeo to everyone.  Twitter-@Madi_Roelofsen  Facebook- @TVR Working Horses

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