The 50th edition of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo should offer plenty of intrigue when it kicks off its 10-day run at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas on Thursday.

The race for gold buckles is razor thin in virtually every event and it's likely that most of this year's world championships will come down to the final run or final ride in the 10th round.

In every event — bareback, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc, tie-down roping, barrel racing and bull riding — the competitor coming into Las Vegas with the lead has never won a world championship and each has a past world champion breathing down his or her neck.

Even the one race that isn't close — that for the all-around world title — has the subplot of reigning champion Trevor Brazile trying to make pro rodeo history.

Here is a look at each event:

All-around
The questions are: (1) Can five-time all-around world champion Brazile (Decatur, Texas) win his sixth title in seven years? (2) Can he set the PRCA's career earnings record? and (3) Can he eclipse his own record for earnings in a single season?

The answers: (1) You betcha; (2) Probably; and (3) He's got a great chance.

Brazile comes into the NFR with $270,770 in earnings and a lead of $104,156 over his nearest challenger, Josh Peek (Peublo, Colo.), who has earned $166,614. Brazile is the only competitor at this year's NFR who has qualified in two events (team roping and tie-down roping) so he has twice the potential to make money as does Peek or any other potential challenger.

A sixth all-around buckle would move Brazile, 32, alongside ProRodeo Hall of Famers Ty Murray (7), Larry Mahan (6) and Tom Ferguson (6) as the only men to win at least six world all-around titles.

Brazile needs to earn $50,045 to surpass Joe Beaver as the PRCA's career earnings leader and $121,560 to become the sport's first $3 million cowboy. He needs to earn $154,346 to surpass the single-season record of $425,115 that he earned in 2007.

With each go-round win paying $16,767 for first and the average paying $42,999 for first place, there is plenty of money for Peek to make a charge at Brazile in the all-around race, but Brazile has a shot at that money as well, and plenty of motivation to go after it.

Bareback
Steven Dent (Mullen, Neb.), has led the world standings virtually all year after winning the $50,000 round at RodeoHouston. The former college all-around champion comes in with $151,213 in winnings and a lead of $25,182 over three-time world champion Will Lowe (Canyon, Texas).

Right behind Lowe is defending and two-time world champion Bobby Mote (Culver, Ore.), and also in the hunt is 2004 world champion Kelly Timberman (Mills, Wyo.). Another rider with everything but a gold buckle is Royce Ford (Briggsdale, Colo.), who has earned $105,887 and is in the thick of the hunt.

Steer wrestling
Like in bareback, RodeoHouston winner Wade Sumpter (Fowler, Colo.) has held the lead much of the season. Sumpter set a regular-season earnings record for steer wrestling by winning $133,685, and that number doesn't include winning the $100,000 round at the Calgary Stampede.

But right behind him is 2004 world champion Luke Branquinho (Los Alamos, Calif.), whose late-season surge brought him to within less than $3,000 of Sumpter. The field also includes 2006 world champion Dean Gorsuch (Gering, Neb.), Canadian champion Curtis Cassidy (Donald, Alberta) and defending world champion Jason Miller (Lance Creek, Wyo.).

The steer wrestling title almost always comes down to the final steer on the final day and this year should be no different.

Team roping
It's as tight as it could possibly be and it's not out of the realm of possibility that any of the top 15 headers and heelers could be going home with the gold buckles.

Matt Sherwood (Pima, Ariz.) is the top header with $105,734, a lead of just more than $1,200 over second place Travis Tryan (Billings, Mont.). Right behind them is eight-time world champion header Speed Williams (De Leon, Texas) and others in the mix include Brazile, defending world champion header Chad Masters (Clarksville, Tenn.) and seven-time world champion Jake Barnes (Scottsdale, Ariz.).

On the heeling side, Michael Jones (Stephenville, Texas) moved ahead of Randon Adams (Logandale, Nev.) in the final rodeo of the regular season. Jones has $110,483 to Adams' $105,734.

Not far back is four-time world champion Allen Bach (Weatherford, Texas), seven-time champion Clay O'Brien Cooper (Morgan Mill, Texas), 2005 champion Patrick Smith (Midland, Texas) and defending world champion Walt Woodard (Stephenville, Texas).

This one will definitely come down to the wire. [NEXT PAGE]

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