The ultimate cowboy competes in bareback riding first, scoring an 88.5 as Bobby Mote's free arm wrenches back and forth, hanging by a thread.

One gold buckle.

Next, the ultimate cowboy jumps off his horse and onto a steer, Luke Branquinho's massive upper body simply outmuscling the animal in 3.4 seconds.

Two gold buckles.

Then, the ultimate cowboy is on horseback once again, his thoughts racing like Speed Williams', deciding just when to charge out of the box, just when to rope the horns. In an instant, the ultimate cowboy is on another horse, staring at the steer's hind legs like Clay O'Brien Cooper, boring a hole in the heels before uncorking the rope. It works: a 3.7-second time.

Three gold buckles.

Now, the ultimate cowboy is bucking like crazy in saddle bronc riding, Jesse Bail's spurs sliding up and down the horse's back to perfection, a 91.

Four gold buckles.

Once more, the ultimate cowboy has his lasso spinning, Trevor Brazile's unstoppable right arm going a mile a minute. The rope catches the calf at just the right time, the ultimate cowboy leaps off the horse and ties him down in seven seconds flat.

Five gold buckles.

At this point, the ultimate cowboy is not on a horse, not roping a steer, but inside a barrel. Troy Lerwill is goofing around with the crowd, joking with the announcers and entertaining even the grumpiest of old men.

Finally, the ultimate cowboy is atop a nasty old bull named One Night Stand. But with B.J. Schumacher's balance, he holds on, twirling like a top. When the eight seconds is over, he hops off the bull, lands on his feet and whips his hat in the air.

Six gold buckles.

The ultimate cowboy.

"Smartest" (brain)

SPEED WILLIAMS

Team roping (header)

De Leon, Texas

Age: 40

Years professional: 22

NFR qualifications: 13

Career earnings: $1,853,705

Williams won eight consecutive world titles from 1997 to 2004, setting multiple PRCA records. Williams has made an art out of heading, as he explodes out of the box and lassos a steer's horns in seconds. He knows just when to leave the box, a blink before breaking the barrier, just when to throw the rope, just how to position his heeler.

"Best vision" (eyes)

CLAY O'BRIEN COOPER

Team roping (heeler)

Morgan Mill, Texas

Age: 46

Years professional: 28

NFR qualifications: 22

Career earnings: $2,058,189

In 28 years on the PRCA tour, Cooper has seen it all. Mostly he has seen the hind legs of steers, as his job requires. What else does it require? Pinpoint accuracy, incredible timing and good, old-fashioned guts. Mostly, though, it requires perfect vision, as a team roping heeler is entirely reaction. It has worked for the Texas cowboy: He's gunning for his eighth world title.

"Loudest" (mouth)

TROY LERWILL

Barrelman

Payson, Utah

Age: 40

Years professional: 11

NFR qualifications: Two

There's loud, obnoxious and funny, then there's Troy Lerwill, four-time PRCA Comedy Act of the Year. Granted, he's all three of the above, but he has his act down to perfection. Without makeup, Lerwill is a humble, soft-spoken cowboy. But when the paint dries, he's a barrel -- sorry -- of laughs.

"Strongest" (upper body)

LUKE BRANQUINHO

Steer wrestling

Los Alamos, Calif.

Age: 27

Years professional: Eight

NFR qualifications: Six

Career earnings: $910,800

Branquinho is a linebacker in a cowboy hat -- the guy would look more appropriate in a huddle than on a horse -- but he has made quite a living at tackling steers to the ground, rather than running backs. With six NFR qualifications in eight years (a torn pectoral muscle sidelined him for half of 2005) and the 2004 world title, the 6-foot, 235-pound Branquinho has become the best steer wrestler on the block.

"Best roping arm" (right arm)

TREVOR BRAZILE

Calf roping, steer roping, team roping

Decatur, Texas

Age: 31

Years professional: 12

NFR qualifications: 14

Career earnings: $2,467,967

Not much can be said about Brazile that hasn't been said, so how about the plain facts: four all-around world titles, two steer roping world titles, single-season earnings record, youngest to $2 million. His right arm has to be the most valuable in rodeo, as every time it swings, there's a chance for greatness.

"Best free arm" (left arm)

BOBBY MOTE

Bareback riding

Culver, Ore.

Age: 31

Years professional: 12

NFR qualifications: Seven

Career earnings: $1,090,166

The 2002 world champion and current 2007 money leader, Mote is one of the elder statesmen among NFR qualifiers. While it can be said that bareback riding is as much courage as it is skill, Mote's ability cannot be denied. Atop a bucking horse, with one hand clutching the grip, Mote's free arm does much of the work, whipping back and forth and stabilizing the rider.

"Best balance" (hips)

B.J. SCHUMACHER

Bull riding

Hillsboro, Wis.

Age: 25

Years professional: Seven

NFR qualifications: Six

Career earnings: $885,277

Many things go into riding a bull, none more important than balance. Quite simply: Forget everything else, just hang on for dear life. And it's a bit easier with Schumacher's balance. The guy could tiptoe a shoestring, surf a tsunami. And it has served him well -- Schumacher set an NFR record with a $142,644 haul in 2006.

"Best spurring" (feet)

JESSE BAIL

Saddle bronc riding

Camp Crook, S.D.

Age: 27

Years professional: 11

NFR qualifications: 10

Career earnings: $1,366,859

A saddle bronc rider gets judged on many criteria. The quality of the horse is a main factor, as is the rider's rhythm. But to get a top score, an eye-opening score, a crowd-pleasing score, a rider needs to spur the daylights out of a horse. Bail is adept at finding a constant groove and extending his legs, and it shows, as he has advanced to the NFR five times in saddle bronc riding and five times in bull riding.

Story by Jon Gold

Photos by Dan Bucher

and John Locher

Graphic design

by Anton

Review-Journal