No matter how he tried to paint a good picture in Las Vegas, the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo had not been kind to Ardie Maier of Timber Lake, S.D.

Outside those that were injured, Maier was having the worst ProRodeo championship. He’d earned a spot among the top 15 in the PRCA’s bull riding world standings, which is an incredible feat. But through the first nine rounds inside the Thomas & Mack Center, Maier had ridden just one bull and hadn’t yet secured a paycheck.

That all changed in eight seconds when he rode the Beutler & Son Rodeo bull Scent Loc for 91.5 points to win the 10th go-round at the 2010 NFR. It was worth $17,512, but it was worth so much more. And while there’s some sourness lingering from a rough first nine days in Las Vegas, the taste left in his mouth is much better with that final eight-second ride.