LAS VEGAS - When half the equation in rodeo involves livestock, there's never a guaranteed outcome.

The steer wrestlers found that out during Wednesday's seventh round of the National Finals Rodeo. The steers were big and strong, and times reflected it. Bridger Anderson knew he had a powerful steer, but he handled business during a 4.3-second run to finish tied for third, worth $18,630.

"That steer really tried, but I knew it was going to be good on the ground," said Anderson, a three-time NFR qualifier from Carrington, North Dakota. "I got a pretty good start and rode up in there to him. That was probably the best run I made all week."

Confidence is brewing in the 27-year-old cowboy, the 2019 intercollegiate bulldogging champion while competing at Northwestern Oklahoma State University.

"We had to run that steer down there a little ways, but it worked out," said Anderson, who busted into a tie for first after his run, then watched two of the last three cowboys surpass him; Rowdy Parrott won the round in 4.0 seconds, and Tucker Allen was second with a 4.2. "Tuck came back and bumped me, then Rowdy made a stud run right there."

"It just teases you there after a while. You keep watching, and you're thinking, 'Gosh, 4.3 shouldn't win first, but we're running out of guys to beat it.' It was pretty excited. Hopefully in the next couple of nights, we draw one of them slower steers and might find ourselves making at trip to the South Point."

The casino and resort eight miles south of the Thomas & Mack Center on Las Vegas Boulevard hosts the nightly go-round awards, and winners will add a Montana Silversmiths buckle and other trinkets to their prizes during an hour-long stage show.

Anderson has earned $74,169 over seven nights in Las Vegas. He is 10th in the world standings with $183,496, but he has been saddled with two no-times. With three pens of cattle set for the 10 rounds, all the steers have been seen. Wednesday's performance marked the third time for that grouping of animals to be in the mix.

That means the bulldoggers know what to expect. Like other athletes, they do their homework, study video and try to see trends. They also pay attention to what others may have done, and it's how they build confidence in themselves and their performance.

"J.D. (Struxness) made a good run on that steer in the first performance," Anderson said. "Justin Shaffer ran him in the fourth performance, and (the steer) was just a touch off to the right. We knew he was going to run, but (the bulldoggers) have thrown him a bunch, and we knew he was just going to be an honest steer and good on the ground."

"All I had to do was make sure I hit the start and make a good run."

That's the game plan for the final three nights of the 2025 ProRodeo season.