The only thing more important to winning the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo average is a world championship. But how important is the average title?

Of the nine ProRodeo contestants to win the 2010 world titles, four won the average – Dean Gorsuch tied Billy Bugenig with the best bulldogging cumulative time of 45.7 seconds, and they each earned $40,673. The other three, saddle bronc rider Cody Wright, tie down roper Trevor Brazile and bull rider J.W. Harris, added $44,910 to their annual earnings.

Brazile, who finished second in the team roping average and won the Triple Crown by winning the heading, tie down roping and all-round titles, earned the most money of any NFR competitor, $211,509. Harris earned $158,738, and Wright pocketed $148,287. Jill Moody, who won the barrel racing average, finished fourth with $133,035.

It’s a big payday for the most consistent, and it really paid off for Gorsuch, who finished with $93,774 in Las Vegas earnings, nearly half of which came from his average check.