Paso Robles, CA -(Ammoland.com)- Team Weatherby member Luke Branquinho recently won his fifth Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world championship in steer wrestling.
Branquinho claimed his fifth gold buckle at the 2014 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) in Las Vegas despite missing part of the season with an injury. He also earned his third WNFR average title with a time of 41.6 seconds on 10 steers.
“This one feels good because I sat out from competition for five months with an injury and had surgery, so to be able to win it is pretty meaningful to me,” Branquinho said. “I put more work into this year than I ever have before.”
Branquinho was atop the 2014 world standings prior to tearing a back muscle on July 18. He had dropped to eighth in the world prior to the WNFR in December. Branquinho won checks in the first five rounds of the finals to take control of the average race and shoot back to first place in the world standings.
The Los Alamos, California, cowboy’s 10-round total time was more than eight seconds faster than his nearest competition, earning him the WNFR title. It also made Branquinho the eighth cowboy to go over the $1 million mark in career NFR earnings. His 2014 season total of $202,380 gave him the world title as well.
Branquinho also won gold buckles in 2004, 2008, 2011 and 2012. He is just one behind steer wrestling record holder Homer Pettigrew, a Pro Rodeo Hall of Famer.
About Team Weatherby
Team Weatherby is a group of celebrities who act as spokespersons for the legendary firearms company. Branquinho and other team members are avid hunters and shooters as well as Weatherby firearm enthusiasts. Leupold & Stevens, Inc. co-sponsors the team.
For more information, visit www.TeamWeatherby.com.
About Weatherby, Inc.
Founded in 1945, Weatherby, Inc.’s line features the distinctive WBY-X products as well as the popular Vanguard and legendary Mark V rifles (production and custom), Threat Response shotguns and rifles, semi-auto and pump shotguns, premium ammunition and security/shooting accessories. The company is based in Paso Robles, Calif., and invites all hunters and shooters to visit its free online community at www.weatherbynation.com or Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Weatherbyinc.
For more information, go to www.weatherby.com.