We all love the Saddle Bronc and Bareback Bronc events but not many know how the horses are drawn, what makes one better than another and how do the cowboys know who they are going to ride for the night. Here is the nitty-gritty of it all.
When the lights come up at the Thomas & Mack Center and the gate clangs open, the crowd sees eight seconds of controlled chaos. But behind every wild ride at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo lies months of planning, selection, and strategy. The NFR’s bucking horses aren’t just gathered at random—they’re handpicked, grouped, and drawn through one of the most detailed systems in professional rodeo.
At the Finals, bucking horses compete in two roughstock events—Bareback Riding and Saddle Bronc Riding. Stock contractors haul in the best of the best: a mix of younger, high-potential horses and seasoned veterans known for their strength and unpredictability. These horses are divided into groups called “pens,” each designed to showcase a certain level of power, difficulty, and style.
The most electric pen is the TV Pen, also known as the Rank Pen, made up of the strongest, flashiest horses that fans tune in to see on the biggest nights. The Eliminator Pen includes the bruisers—horses so powerful and unpredictable that just making the whistle is a win. Then there are the Hoppers, or Timing Horses, known for their smoother, more rhythmic bucking style. These horses give cowboys a chance to show perfect timing and form, often leading to the kind of high-marked rides that fill highlight reels.
Selecting which horses earn the trip to Las Vegas is a process steeped in respect and democracy. Each year, PRCA stock contractors nominate their best horses, and the top 15 cowboys in each roughstock event vote on them. From that pool, around 100 horses are initially chosen, but only about 30 to 35 per event make the final NFR roster. The animals with the most votes get the nod. In other words, the cowboys themselves decide which horses are good enough to buck on rodeo’s biggest stage.
Once the final roster is set, PRCA livestock directors and judges divide the horses into their respective pens. Each of the ten rounds at the NFR features one full pen of horses, designed to balance fairness, challenge, and entertainment. Round One usually opens with a solid, middle-of-the-road pen to get things rolling smoothly. As the week goes on, the stock gets stronger—Rounds Five and Ten often feature the high-powered TV Pens, while Round Three or Nine usually brings out the feared Eliminator Pen, the one that separates the cowboys from the legends. While this is a general itinerary it can change between disciplines and as organizers see fit.
Each cowboy is then randomly matched to a horse from that night’s pen. They don’t get to pick, trade, or change their draw. It’s pure luck of the draw, and every cowboy knows that a single name on that list can shape his night—or his Finals. Drawing a horse like Virgil, Full Baggage, or Lunatic From Hell can mean a 90-point opportunity. Drawing a strong eliminator might mean eight seconds of survival mode