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National champ: NMSU’s Brad Moreno wins all-around crown

National champ: NMSU’s Brad Moreno wins all-around crown

CROWNPOINT

New Mexico State University cowboy Brad Moreno took the 2025 College National Finals Rodeo by storm.

Moreno captured the men’s all-around crown in Casper, Wyoming by accumulating 255 points during the one-week college finals that concluded on Saturday night as he beat Central Wyoming College cowboy Jace Mayfield by 30 points.

To win the all-around, Moreno placed third in the bull riding average race by covering 2-of-4 bulls. He also competed in the team roping competition with NMSU heeling partner Lucas Madera Cruz as they finished one spot of making the short round.

“It’s pretty awesome,” Moreno said of winning his first national title. “I’ve come really close a lot of times. It feels good to get it done. I’ve had friends that have got it done and I was happy for them, so this is pretty cool.”

His coronation on Saturday night happened before a handful of family members that made the trip to Casper with mom Yolanda Moreno, aunt Bobbi White and grandmother Lilly White in attendance inside the Ford Wyoming Center.

National champ: NMSU’s Brad Moreno wins all-around crown

CNRA Photos | Jackie Jensen
NMSU bull rider Brad Moreno stays center on Electric Avenue during the short round of the CNFR on Saturday at the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper, Wyoming. Moreno placed third in the aggregate race, which helped him win a national title in the all-around race.

“I want to thank my family,” Moreno said. “They’re always there for me. I want to thank my coaches Brice Baggarley and Tate Harmon, and my friends for pushing to be better.”

To secure the all-around crown, the 23-year-old Diné cowboy rode his short round bull, Electric Avenue, to the tune of 83.5 points for a first-place win.

“I knew I had a chance to win the all-around, but I knew I had to ride my bull,” Moreno said. “I also know that there is no safety-ing up in bull riding. I just went out there and let the ride take care of itself.”

Moreno’s matched every jump produced by the Championship Pro Rodeo bull during his ride on Saturday night as he was the only short round qualifier to ride for eight seconds.

“I did not know that bull, but I knew the stock contractor,” Moreno said while noting that he likes bulls that are less fussy in the bucking chutes.

“It’s pretty cool that I got him covered because it always gives you a boost when you can ride for eight seconds,” he added.

In the second round, Moreno rode Kamikaze for 84 points as that score earned him a two-way tie for first with Jay Rodriguez of Pearl River Community College.

The two qualified rides in the bull riding earned him 205 points in the all-around race. Moreno added an additional 50 points in the team roping with Cruz. The pair posted a fourth place run of 5.7 seconds in the second round while adding an 8.1 run in the third round.

The NMSU men’s team placed 11th overall with 380 points with Moreno garnering more than half of those points.

Prior to this year, Moreno’s best finish at the CNFR was in 2022 when he took third in the all-around race while competing for Central Arizona College. In 2023 he finished sixth in the bull riding average and fourth at last year’s finals.

“Like I said, I was pretty close a lot of times,” Moreno said. “In some years, it was things that I didn’t do and other times I just didn’t have the coolest draws while others drew better than me.

“It’s part of rodeo,” he added. “(But) this year it all just lined up.”

Before heading into this year’s college finals, Moreno made headways in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s Grand Canyon Region by winning the year-end in the team roping, bull riding and all-around race. Those top finishes earned him his fourth trip to the CNFR.

During the regular season, Moreno garnered 798 points in the bull riding, 827.50 in the team roping and 2,153.50 in the all-around. He also competed in the steer wrestling and tie-down events, earning 218 and 310 points, respectively.

“I had good mounts for all of my events, which made it easier,” Moreno said. “I had a really good team roping partner (Cruz), too. I felt like every time I turned a steer for him, we had a good chance of winning.”

With it being his final college rodeo, Moreno is going to continue to take part in Indian pro rodeos. He’s also looking to compete more often in the PRCA ranks.

“I’m going to buy my pro card and get entered for my rookie year,” he said.

As a cowboy that works on both sides of the arena, Moreno is going to put a lot of his focus with bull riding. Nonetheless, he still plans on entering the tie-down and team roping events at Turquoise Circuit level.

“I always like roping, so the calf roping, and team roping is always going to be there for me,” he said.

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About The Author

Quentin Jodie

Quentin Jodie is the Sports Editor for the Navajo Times. He started working for the Navajo Times in February 2010 and was promoted to the Sports Editor position at the end of summer in 2012. Previously, he wrote for the Gallup Independent. Reach him at qjodie@navajotimes.com

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