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The Injury Battle Haven Meged Overcame to Reach the NFR

Originally posted on Rodeo on SI | By Kate Robinson | Last updated Oct 29, 2025 4:34 PM ET

The race to the National Finals Rodeo is not an easy one for any rodeo athlete in the country. It takes countless hours and hard work to make it into the top 15 athletes in the world for each event, making the NFR one of the most exclusive clubs to get into in the world.

Despite this, these cowboys and cowgirls spend their entire year gearing up for the Thomas and Mack arena, and don’t let minor setbacks stop them from reaching this milestone.

Tie-down roper Haven Meged has seen his fair share of hardships this season, but all the work paid off as he is heading to the NFR at No. 13 in the world standings.

Meged faced hardships early in the season, after a back injury in May, he was sidelined for most of the summer, losing key time in the arena that these athletes need in order to supplement their season earnings enough. Now, after fighting tooth and nail all season, he’s earned $133,805.

With over $1 million earned in his career, Meged is seasoned in the NFR arena. He won the 2019 World Championship title and has seen the Thomas and Mack arena seven total times. So, the setback he faced earlier this year, brought forth fears he didn’t necessarily see in other seasons.

Former World Champion Will See NFR Again Despite Early Season Injuries

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He’s made it every year since 2019, and he wasn’t going to let this be the first year he wasn't entered. So, after he was cleared from his injury, he went on to compete in over 30 rodeos in less than two months in order to prove he has what it takes to make it into the top 15.

Meged set a goal and achieved it, winning nine total rodeos this year and co-championing two. While he has set the bar high for himself, just making it to the NFR this year after his injury was his main goal of the season.

It’s impressive to see an athlete bounce back so quickly from an injury that put him out for over a month, especially during such a crucial time in the season, but the fact that he will see the NFR, just proves that Meged has the grit to get it done in the arena.

As a former world champion, Meged shouldn’t be written off despite being at No. 13. He continues to pull in NFR Average Titles year after year, marking him as one of the best in the sport right now. A solid performance could push him into the top 10 in the rankings this year, but Meged will for sure come back with a vengeance in 2026.