Of the 15 bareback riding qualifiers for this year’s Wrangler Nationals Finals Rodeo, only one is sporting a full beard in his official photo on the PRCA website.

Tilden Hooper’s chin whiskers are well-manicured. And conspicuously dark. At 37, he’s the graybeard in this year’s lineup of bareback riders, though you wouldn’t know it from his publicity shot.

For the second time since becoming a professional cowboy in 2007, Hooper entered the NFR as the 15th and final qualifier. He and Mason Clements, 33, who was slotted 14th, are the only riders over 30 competing in a field whose average age is 25.2.

Take away Hooper and Clements, and that average drops to 23.7.

Riding broncs has become a young man’s game, all the more reason Hooper is satisfied just to be back at the Thomas &Mack Center

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