| Even though the sport of rodeo has been | | | | what to expect but hoped for the best since |
| around almost forever, the National Finals | | | | this was the first ever world championship of |
| Rodeo, or NFR as it is commonly called, has a | | | | rodeo. The cowboys who entered competed for |
| much more recent history. The first National | | | | the first NFR purse of $50,000!Shoulders, |
| Finals Rodeo was held at the Dallas State | | | | still considered the most successful cowboy |
| Fair Grounds in 1959, and since then, the NFR | | | | ever with 16 world titles, placed in six bull |
| has gone through many interesting changes | | | | riding rounds in 1959, walking away with the |
| including a name change in 2001 to the | | | | NFR prize money and the world championships. |
| Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.Said to have | | | | In 1979, Jim Shoulders was honored in the |
| been the brain-child of South Dakota legend | | | | inaugural class of the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame |
| Casey Tibbs, the idea behind the first ever | | | | in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Placing sixth |
| National Finals Rodeo was to bring together | | | | in the rankings, Tibbs rode in his final |
| the bets rodeo athletes and the toughest | | | | saddle bronc riding world championship during |
| livestock in the world. Many now-famous | | | | that 1959 National Finals Rodeo. Today Tibbs |
| cowboys competed at that first NFR including | | | | is remembered as the first cowboy to capture |
| Tibbs, Jim Shoulders, Jim Bynum, Jack | | | | the hearts and attention of the media. |
| Buschbom and Dean Oliver. No one quite knew | | | | |