2018 The American

The American: Stories Of David vs Goliath

The American: Stories Of David vs Goliath

Who sits on both ends of the spectrum at The American in 2018? Legends and unknowns are brought together for the multi-million dollar event.

Feb 2, 2018 by Katy Lucas
The American: Stories Of David vs Goliath

RFD-TV’s The American, presented by Dish is a unique event because it brings together matchups that you would never get to see within just any rodeo circuit. All are welcome at the world’s richest one-day rodeo where legends, current champions, unknowns, and up-and-comers from many different associations and avenues meet to see who will walk away with the multi-millions up for grabs. 

Over the years, we’ve seen David take on Goliath many times at The American: the latest young-gun or mystery competitor makes it through the semifinals to face the best competitors in the world during the finals, the odds against them all the way. Each year, qualifiers at The American prove they can beat those odds by taking home the million-dollar bonus prize. 

They prove that David can conquer Goliath. 

The qualifiers and exemptions have a lot of work ahead of them if they want a chance to take on the legends in the sport of rodeo today, but here’s a look at some of the matchups on the most extreme ends of the spectrum that could possibly come out of The American. 

Watch The American LIVE Feb. 18-25 FloRodeo.

Tie-Down: Riley Webb & Trevor Brazile

Denton, Texas, is home to one of the best young tie-down ropers in the country: two-time Junior NFR world title holder Riley Webb. While conditions like the size of the calves may have a larger impact on such a young roper, the now 14-year-old shows promise in his field after conquering the 13-and-under tie-down roping competition twice at the Junior NFR in Las Vegas. 

Riley Webb’s 8.57 Sends Him To The American


If Webb makes it through the semifinals, roping royalty in the form of 23 world titles and 50 WNFR event qualifications waits for him. After having yet another strong season, Trevor Brazile is invited to The American in the tie-down roping along with a field of four other world champion tie down ropers: Tuf Cooper, Shane Hanchey, Caleb Smidt, and the latest world champion Marcos Costa. 

Bareback Riding: Daylon Swearingen & Tim O’Connell

Fresh off a circuit championship all-around win — but in a different event — Daylon Swearingen just rode out of the First Frontier Circuit Finals as the bull riding champion, but his efforts as a bareback rider also saw the 18-year-old take home the reserve championship as well as the all-around title. Swearingen qualified for The American in the bareback riding back in October at the World’s Toughest Rodeo in Indianapolis. 

Waiting for the finals round is back-to-back world titleholder Tim O’Connell. O’Connell was nearly unstoppable at the 2017 WNFR, winning his second career world championship by over $100,000. 

“The group of guys that are here are better than any of the guys that have set foot in this arena. This is the best set of 15 bareback riders that ever hit this arena,” O’Connell said in an interview with prorodeo.com about the competition at the 2017 WNFR.

Nine of those competitors will also be waiting for the qualifiers that are lucky enough to make it through the semis. 

Steer Wrestling: Bridger Anderson & Tyler Pearson

Carrington, North Dakokta’s Bridger Anderson made waves as a high school rodeo athlete: he’s a two-time North Dakota state steer wrestling champion, and he has qualified for the National High School Finals Rodeo four times. You may have noticed Anderson’s name around the pro rodeo scene in 2017, on the Northwestern Oklahoma State college rodeo team, and you definitely noticed him at the 2017 Junior NFR when he walked away at the world steer wrestling champion.

Waiting in the finals for Anderson will be Tyler Pearson, fresh off his 2017 world title and on a roll already in the 2018 PRCA rodeo season. The Louisville, Mississippi cowboy earned $265,457 by the final round of the WNFR last year and has already banked over $27,000 in the early months of the 2018 season. Pearson should be a force to be reckoned with for all qualifiers that can battle their way through the semi’s in the steer wrestling.

The American's 2016 Steer Wrestling Champion, Ty Erickson, will also be waiting for Anderson if he makes it through the semi final rounds.  

Anderson Wins Jr. Steer Wrestling World Title
Barrel Racing: Elle Eagles & Lisa Lockhart

Elle Eagles earned her spot in The American semifinals by winning the National High School Finals Rodeo last summer. The win marked quite the comeback from a terrible year for the 18-year-old Penrose, Colorado, cowgirl and her horse “Jag” who broke his leg and had to sit out for a year, just after Eagles had healed from a compound fracture in her arm that required surgery. Not only did they come back healthy, but the two gave a strong showing at the NHSFR by running the fastest time of the week in round two with a 17.047, taking home the national championship and an exemption into The American. 

If Eagles makes it through to the finals, Lisa Lockhart will be waiting for her. The Oelrich, South Dakota, barrel racer has twice been named the barrel racing champion at The American in 2014 and 2015, and was also a top contender in 2016’s competition. Lockhart is fresh off her 11th consecutive WNFR and sits among a tough field of other barrel racing invites including the reigning world champion Nellie Miller and new WNFR record holder Hailey Kinsel. 

Saddle Bronc: Houston Brown & Ryder Wright

Houston Brown heads in to The American short round after a showy win at the 2017 National High School Rodeo Finals. Brown won the second round with the highest scoring ride of the prestigious finals with 82 points, pairing that with a 73 in round two and 79 points in the short round to take home the national championship by 18 points over his nearest competition. 

If Houston can beat the other qualifiers, a competitor than just conquered his own David vs Goliath battle will be patiently waiting. Ryder Wright — the newest, and youngest, world champion saddle bronc rider — faced off against both past world champions and of course his own family at the 2017 WNFR and walked away with the world title and an invite in to the finals of The American. 

Team Roping: Luke Williams/Kayden Little & Erich Rogers/Cory Petska

There was a bit of a shuffle going on during the 15-and-under team roping at the 2017 Junior NFR, causing the champions in the event to be from different teams. The teams of Luke Williams and Jr. Gonzalez had some success during the Junior NFR to earn Williams enough money to become the world champion header, while Korbin Rice/Kayden Little didn’t have the picture-perfect finals they were hoping for, but Little had enough money earned in the standings before the finals to remain No. 1. 

From the junior world champion to the world champions, Williams and Little will have reigning world champions Erich Rogers and Cory Petska to contend with if they make it through the semifinals. Rogers and Petska have 21 WNFR qualifications between them with the 2017 world title being a career first for both team ropers. 

Bull Riding: Trey Holston & Jess Lockwood

After not covering his bulls during his first two National High School Finals Rodeos, Trey Holston from Fort Scott, Kansas, came back to his third finals with a more relaxed attitude and walked away with the championship. 

“This was my third year out there, and the first two years it was a really big deal and kind of overwhelming,” he told Rodeo News in an interview. “This year, I had a lot of fun and relaxed, and it wasn’t as nerve-wracking.”

Holsten was the toughest bull riding competitor at the NHSFR with his combined score on three head of 242 points, earning his spot in The American, but he has a herd of tough PBR competitors to contend with if he can make it through to the finals, including 2017 PBR World Champion Jess Lockwood. Last November, Lockwood became the youngest PBR World Champion in the history of the association at just 20 years of age. The Volborg, Montana bull rider battled through some serious injuries during the season to win three consecutive rounds during the finals and ultimately take home the title and million dollar bonus.

Lockwood, along with many other champions of their own events and associations, await these promising competitors in the final rounds of The American where David is given a chance to take on Goliath.