IMAGO / Newscom World

Junior Nogueira Refusing To Let Serious Injury Hinder Competing

Originally posted on Rodeo on SI | Last updated Jun 19, 2025 6:40 AM ET

Team Roper star Junior Nogueira revealed earlier this month that he was forced to miss a month of rodeo action due to sustaining a fracture in his right leg during a practice run back on May 12. The injury was a setback, as Nogueira was looking to push into the top 15 of the PRCA Team Roping Heeler World Standings.

The injury is still affecting him. However, he's needed to persevere and compete despite not being fully healed. It seems that the adrenaline of competition has had him forget about the pain, given his fantastic past weekend.

Just one-tenth of a second shy of the arena record and a win for Kaleb Driggers & Junior Nogueira! #WranglerNFR #WinningRides

2024 NFR Winning Rides
Round 8 – Kaleb Driggers / Junior Nogueira pic.twitter.com/NVavL5lXBr
— Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (@LasVegasNFR) June 12, 2025

Alongside heading partner Kaleb Driggers, the pair won both the Eagle (Idaho) Rodeo and Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo in Vernal, Utah over the weekend while also placing second at the Sisters (Oregon) Rodeo.

The fantastic weekend results for the pair netted them a massive $14,000 in winnings with the three finishes, a significant amount as Nogueira moved from 31st place to 15th in the standings. Driggers sits just outside the top 15 in the Heeler standings.

Recommended Rodeo News

College National Finals Rodeo: Date, Schedule, Position Draws, How To Watch & Live Stream

Professional Bull Riders Announce New Partnership To Support U.S. Veterans

Big Spring Rodeo Changes 2026 Dates To Get Ahead Of The Pack

Investigation Continues Into Roy Cooper's House Fire And Death

This article first appeared on Rodeo on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: