Alberta Cowboys Punch Their Ticket To The NFR

Alberta cowboys from Wainwright, Dawson and Dillon Graham are headed back to the National Finals Rodeo.

For Dawson and Dillon, the dream of competing at the National Finals Rodeo started long before the bright lights of Las Vegas.

It began at home, roping a dummy and dreaming about one day competing against the best cowboys in the world.

Now, the Alberta cowboys are headed back to the NFR after another demanding season on the road.

“The NFR is what every professional cowboy strives for,” Dillon said. “It is the Super Bowl of our sport.”

After months of travelling from rodeo to rodeo, the qualification makes the long season worthwhile.

“The season is long and we haven’t been home since May, so it makes it all worth it,” Dillon said.

The road back to Las Vegas wasn’t always smooth.

After qualifying for their first NFR last year, the pair entered this season determined to return. The winter, however, didn’t go exactly as planned.

“We didn’t really have a great winter at the building rodeos,” Dawson said.

Things began to turn around as the season progressed. The pair started collecting cheques, moved into the top 15 by mid-summer and managed to stay there.

Still, their NFR qualification wasn’t secure until the final day of the season in Stephenville, Texas.

“There was a chance that if we didn’t do well that we could be bumped out of the NFR,” Dillon said, “Fortunately, everything worked out for us.”

Dillon says reaching the NFR is a team effort involving far more people than the two cowboys in the arena.

“Making the NFR requires an army of people,” he said, “Our wives, families and sponsors do so much for us and they do not get the recognition they deserve.”

The dream of reaching the NFR has been years in the making.

“We have dreamt about it since we were kids roping the dummy in the house,” Dawson said.

The pair bought their Canadian Pro Rodeo cards in 2016 and won Rookie of the Year honours. They went on to qualify for the Canadian Finals Rodeo five straight times and won Canada in 2022.

For the past four years, they have competed at PRCA rodeos in the United States while continuing to pursue their rodeo goals.

This season, they did not compete at Canadian rodeos as Dawson works toward obtaining his U.S. permanent residence. They plan to return to the CPRA circuit next year.

“Alberta/Canada has had many top-notch cowboys/cowgirls make the NFR over the years and to be in that group is cool,” Dillon said, “Last year at the NFR we had a huge following of people cheering us on.”

“Only the top 15 in the world are there and the competition is tough. Steers are usually big and fast, the money gets better every year.” said Dawson.

One of the highlights of the season came in Reno, where the pair set an arena record with a 3.7-second run.

“I think that rodeo is 107 years old and to know that run is the fastest ever is cool.” Dillon said, “We also won the Salinas Rodeo, a historic five-head event. It is one of the old historic rodeos and that buckle is special.”

The pair also travelled with Luke Brown and Hunter Koch. Brown is a 16-time NFR qualifier, while Koch has qualified four times.

“We have always tried to surround ourselves with winners but more importantly good people,” Dawson said. “Travelling with them has been great and their knowledge of rodeoing sure helped. This was the first time we never came to Canada during the season so we had to go to some rodeos down south that we typically never went to.”

“Everyone is so good out here that you have to win or they will blow by you,” Dawson said. “Every steer counts, every rodeo we go to is important.” And then there is the cost of travelling thousands of miles. He added that the price of diesel sucks.

For Dawson and Dillon, rodeo is more than a sport. It is their livelihood and a way to provide for their families.

Dawson is married with two children, while Dillon is getting married in November.

“The girls support us every way they can and we are grateful for that,” Dillon said.

Now their focus turns to Las Vegas, where they will once again compete against the best in the world.

Their families will be there to cheer them on, along with sponsors and supporters who have helped them throughout the season.

After months away from home, Dawson is looking forward to having family together again.

“We haven’t seen a lot of them for quite awhile,” he said. “Fun usually finds us.”

For two Alberta cowboys who started out roping a dummy in the house, another trip to the NFR is the continuation of a dream years in the making.