BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN
At age 21, Leighton Berry is headed to his first career Wrangler NFR and the Texas cowboy will be competing in his home state.
Berry started his season with some great rides to win big checks at winter rodeos in Texas. At the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo, he teamed up with Black Ball for an 87.5-point ride that won him almost $3,000. He returned to the Chute Out event in San Angelo later on in February and won $3,000 more by riding Dirty Jacket for 90.5 points
Then in San Antonio, he collected more than $5,000 for an 89-point ride on Zulu Warrior and finished fourth overall there. He won more than $12,000, more than $4,000 coming from an 88.5 points on Rockstar in Championship Round.
In July, Berry won more than $5,000 by winning his hometown rodeo in Weatherford and finishing second in Kildeer.
BERRY RIDES MISS TEXAS FOR 88 POINTS IN WEATHERFORD
Berry won $53,385 during the 2020 season and enters the National Finals in 10th place in bareback riding.
Berry wrote all of his goals down on a whiteboard in his room at the beginning of January. Across the top of the board he wrote exactly where he wanted to be at the end of the season: “2020 NFR Qualifier.”
Now, there’s a new goal: 2020 World Champion.
RELATED:
Meet the 2020 NFR Athletes - Clayton Biglow
Meet the 2020 NFR Athletes - Richmond Champion
Meet the 2020 NFR Athletes - Tanner Aus
Meet the 2020 NFR Athletes - Cole Reiner
Meet the 2020 NFR Athletes - Ty Breuer