DENVER -- The 2017 National Western Stock Show Rodeo will come to a close with four of the 2016 champions defending their titles.

It would be extraordinary for bareback rider Jake Brown from Hillsboro, Texas, to have back-to-back titles. Brown, qualified in the 12th and final spot and has a nine-point spread between him and the man in first, reigning world champion Tim O'Connell from Zwingle, Iowa. Brown has 159.5 points compared to O'Connell's 168.

Team ropers Clay Smith and Paul Eaves won the title here last year and enter the U.S. Bank Championship Finals in third place, so they are real contenders. Smith, from Broken Bow, Oklahoma, will be doing the heading for Eaves who is from Lonedell, Missouri.

Last year, during the final round of competition Riley Pruitt from Gering, Nebraska, set an arena record of 6.9 seconds in the tie-down roping on the way to his first title in Denver. This year, he has again been successful and enters the final round in second place.

Reigning world champion steer wrestler Tyler Waguespack from Gonzales, Louisiana, is in second place behind his traveling partner and Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier Clayton Hass from Weatherford, Texas.

Two other current world champs will be in the field. Zeke Thurston from Big Valley, Alberta, is third in the saddle bronc riding and Tyson Durfey from Weatherford, Texas, is fifth in tie-down roping.

The final rodeo at the 111th edition of the National Western gets underway in the Denver Coliseum at 2 PM. Not only will champions be crowned in each event, but also the lion's share of $469,741 in prize money will be paid to contestants.

-Information Courtesy of Susan Kanode