LAS VEGAS - Strange things happen in Las Vegas, and it's not just on The Strip. This is the home of the National Finals Rodeo, when Sin City is transformed into a Western mecca. Hundreds of thousands of people converge on the Nevada desert every December for the sport's championship, to mingle with its stars and to be part of the electric atmosphere.
The sixth round of competition proved that some unfamiliar things can happen inside the Thomas & Mack Center, too. Montanan Ty Erickson won steer wrestling with a 3.5-second run, yet four cowboys also placed while being nearly a second and a half slower. Bridger Anderson was one of them.
"It was kind of a wild night," said Anderson, 27, of Carrington, North Dakota. "Some of those steers were trying. Some of those guys are catching up pretty fast, and there was a lot of wild stuff going on. So far, it's been all over the board."
Anderson has had an "OK" NFR. He's placed three times, but he's also suffered a no-time in two go-rounds. His Night 6 run was worth $1,479 and increased his Vegas cash to $55,539. He is 12th in the world standings with $164,867.
"We're still making a lot of money this week, but there's a lot of money up for grabs, and it's a good week to try to be greedy," said Anderson, the 2019 intercollegiate champion at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. "I know everybody that's entered is going to try to be, so we need to bear down and cook as much as we can.
"You just have to have a short memory and focus on doing better on the next one. I've had a couple times where I just haven't blown the barrier out and a couple times that I needed to do just a little better job on the ground. I've also not drawn one really good steer. I haven't drawn on the best of them yet, and I'm looking forward to having one of those real good ones we can capitalize on going forward and see if we can get some good checks."
Getting a good start is vital. Steers are provided a head start, and the contestants must start behind a rope across the front of the timed-event box called a barrier. Leaving too early causes a 10-second penalty; leaving too late means Anderson has to catch up.
The good news is that Anderson and his team are ready for the right opportunity. He is riding his horse, Whiskers, while relying on the hazing help of NFR veteran Tyler Pearson and his horse, Metallica.
"Whiskers is working good," he said. "I just need to do better and get a better start. (Tuesday) night, we got pointed at the steer a little bit, and he was trying. When he stepped toward me, it just hindered Whiskers on trying to have him. He had to ride around him to get to his head, which took us just a couple extra strides than it needed to."
The competition is tight, and with go-round winners pocketing nearly $37,000 a night, it's just going to stiffen for four more nights.
"It's been a blast, but in the bulldogging, it's all business," Anderson said. "Up until your run, you're focused on your business."
In rodeo, the business can be exceptional in Las Vegas, and Anderson is ready for that.