Travis Tryan crossed the $1 million career team roping earnings milestone during the 2009 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Appropriately, he was aboard his bay best friend, Walt, the reigning and four-time Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association/American Quarter Horse Association Head Horse of the Year, when he did it. Travis rode Walt at all nine of his NFRs (2001–2009). Brother Clay rode him at NFR ’01, too, which also was his first.
The only time Tryan stepped off of Walt at the NFR in all those years was for five rounds at the 2005 Finals, where he rode him in Rounds 1 and 2, and Rounds 8 through 10, after getting on Gold Digger in the others. Trevor Brazile subbed in for Jake Barnes after he lost his thumb in the fifth…