Riley Webb and his trusty 11-year-old gelding, Marked Up Cat, aka Rudy, continued their winning streak at the 2024 National Finals Rodeo (NFR), claiming victory in Round 2 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
With two consecutive round wins under his belt, Webb has already pocketed $67,374, putting him in contention for his second world title. Webb began the 2024 NFR in the No. 4 spot but is now closing in on current standings leader, Shad Mayfield. Mayfield maintains a slim lead with $310,474 in earnings, but Webb is hot on his heels with $294,281.
“This feels great,” Webb said. “There are no words to explain it. I thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for giving me this opportunity to shine for Him, for the horses I have, and for the talent He’s given me. There’s really no words for it—I’m so blessed.”
Big Money on the Line
The 2024 NFR boasts a record-breaking payout of $12,376,504—nearly $1 million more than in 2023—thanks to the combined efforts of the PRCA and Las Vegas Events.
“The PRCA and Las Vegas Events have done a great job upping the money for us again this year,” Webb said. “It’s life-changing money. We’re competing for over $30,000 each night and $80,000 for the average. The payout is huge. The atmosphere at the Thomas & Mack, when the calf roping starts, is like no other.”
Webb is no stranger to thriving in the electric energy of the Thomas & Mack Center. Last year, he walked away from Las Vegas with $172,446 and a world title. With eight rounds still to go and $869,320 up for grabs in the calf roping alone, Webb sits just $16,193 behind 2020 World Champion Shad Mayfield in the world standings race.
Celebrating the Win
After his Round 1 victory, Webb and his family opted for a low-key celebratory dinner at Steak ‘n Shake. Is this casual outing the secret to his back-to-back wins? It just might be—so much so that Webb plans to repeat the tradition after Round 2.
There’s a twist, though: Webb didn’t even get to eat during the first visit.
“Well, actually, I ordered a burger last night, but I didn’t get to eat it,” Webb laughed. “Dr. Pepper is all I had—no food. We had to get up on stage, so I didn’t eat anything. My mom and dad beat us to South Point, had a table and everything. I bet everybody is headed back there now to do it all over again.”
If Steak ‘n Shake is part of Webb’s winning formula, there’s no reason to change it. If you missed him at the South Point Casino & Arena stage during the buckle ceremony, you might just catch him enjoying a well-earned Dr. Pepper—and maybe finally a burger—at Steak ‘n Shake.
Stay tuned as Webb continues his charge for the 2024 world title in the coming rounds.
