Two new stars were born, and arena record was shattered and another record was tied during the biggest day of professional rodeo’s regular season in front of the 11,277 fans in attendance for “Finals Sunday” at the Daddy of ‘Em All.

PRCA rookie Cody Moore, a virtual unknown to the rodeo crowd and announcers alike, took the Cheyenne Frontier Days steer wrestling crown, as he bested the other 185 steer doggers by a full three seconds to win the average. Moore, who according to the rodeo announcer had only about $1,500 won in PRCA competition this year, was catapulted to the top of the rookie standings with $21,888 in Cheyenne money, more than any other competitor during this year’s rodeo.

Likewise, tie-down roper Clint Arave came out of obscurity to best world champion Cody Ohl by a tenth-of-a-second in the finals to claim the coveted CFD saddle and buckle. The announcer admitted to the crowd that he had to ask other competitors how to pronounce Arave’s name before the finals. For his work over the three rounds, Arave took home $13,873.

These Cinderella stories captured the crowd’s imaginations Sunday, as the largest cheers came when these two made their victory laps around the huge 700-foot-long arena to take the podium to claim their saddles and buckles.

Perennial rodeo powerhouses also made their marks in Cheyenne, as four-time NFR-qualifier Cody DeMoss claimed the saddle bronc title with an arena-record-breaking 91-point ride aboard Harry Vold Rodeo’s stallion Painted Valley. The ride earned Moss $13,119 and his second Cheyenne title. (His first came in 2004). For DeMoss, whose brother Heith also finished fourth in the average, that ride helped push him up the standings to keep his hopes of coming back to another NFR alive. Tying the 94-point arena record in the bull riding was 2007 world champion Wesley Silcox, who took home the short-round win and the average title. The only cowboy to ride all three bulls, Silcox pocketed $13,801, after his final ride on JK Rodeo’s Palm Springs.

World-champion Lindsay Sears bested current world number one Sherry Cervi by less than two tenths of a second to claim her second title at Cheyenne and $15,806. The shifty ground made for tough conditions for the barrel horses, and Sears credited her legendary mount, Sugar Moon Express (Martha), for the win. Sears and her red mare by Dr. Nick Bar ran a 17.70 that tied Sue Smith for first in the short round.

The team roping ended in a tie, with Bobby Harris and Britt Williams matching the 27.40-seconds on three-head of Derrick Begay and Cesar de la Cruz for the title. The cowboys shared the podium, and the Cheyenne committee will have to order two more championship saddles and buckles for the tied teams. Williams and Harris took home $10,279, while Begay and de la Cruz earned $10,550 apiece.

Steven Dent took home the bareback title after tying for second in the final round with an 81-point ride for a total of 240 points on three horses. Dent took home $9,249 for his win.

During the 10-day competition, some 183,486 fans attended the rodeos and concerts, and an estimated 550,000 also came out for Cheyenne’s famous pancake breakfasts, parades, Indian Village and other Western festivities. Over 1,500 competitors vied for over $1 million in prize money aboard 5,000 rodeo animals.