BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
Tyler Waguespack did not wake up with any intention of winning back-to-back World Championships.
Entering Round 10 third in the projected World Standings, he told his wife Friday night that he was happy to salvage a bad start to the NFR and still win a bunch of money. He expected Saturday night to be the first time his good friend Will Lummus would strap on the gold.
Instead, after Lummus broke the barrier and Stetson Jorgensen had a no time in Round 10, it was Waguespack standing on top of the mountain just like he had in 2016, 2018 and 2021.
“I had absolutely zero pressure on that last steer, I never even considered me winning the Gold Buckle when it was over with,” Waguespack said. “I’m sick over (what happened to Will), I don’t even feel like celebrating right now because I know my buddy’s tearing up inside. That’s the way it goes sometimes.”
Waguespack had a rough start to his NFR, but an unexpected horse change helped spark another Gold Buckle run. Waguespack got off Casper, whom he’d ridden for much of the year, in exchange for a horse named DC that he had never ridden at a rodeo until Round 7 of this year’s NFR. The horse is normally ridden by Rowdy Parrott.
“Them two boys (Rowdy and Remy Parrott) are like brothers to me,” he said. “Them two boys came in clutch and I can’t wait to celebrate with them two guys.”
After the change, he got by a tough steer in Round 7 and then placed in the final three rounds, including winning a Go-Round.
Waguespack earned a total of $268,8881 to ultimately win the Gold Buckle by less than $3,000 over Will Lummus.
“I’ll be honest with you, when that happened to Will, I still feel bad about that now, winning the fourth Gold Buckle has not sunken in, my buddy is supposed to be wearing this buckle,” he said. “God was on my side today.”