LAS VEGAS, Nev. – As the old adage goes: “When the going gets tough, the tough get going,” and that’s precisely what Dustin Elliott and Trevor Knowles need to do at the 47th Annual Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

As of Dec. 5, neither of the two cowboys had earned any money at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas at the annual competition that brings together the top 15 cowboys and cowgirls from around the nation in each of the seven rodeo events plus the all-around.

This year, the 10-day event has a record purse of $5.25 million to be split up among the 119 PRCA contestants.

Entering the competition Elliott had earned $126,651.86 in bull riding, but with no finals money earned, had slipped into fifth place overall.

Heading into the finals, Elliott had been in third place behind Matt Austin and Bryan Richardson.

Knowles currently finds himself 13th in the steer wrestling standings with total earnings of $67,978.93.

The Mt. Vernon cowboy has some tough competitors ahead of him, including three-time All-around World Champion Trevor Braziele and Ryan Jarrett, who headed to Las Vegas after winning back-to-back Pace Series titles.

Jason Lahr leads the steer wrestling field with earnings of $143,083. This amount includes $20,192.30 in money won this week at the NFR.

In calf roping, six-time world champion Fred Whitfield leads the way and Jeffrey Willert is the No. 1 ranked saddle bronc rider.

This year’s NFR isn’t just for the younger competitors.

At age 58, Linda Vick is living her dream heading to her first national finals.

During the 2005 rodeo season she earned $110,000 in barrel racing, eclipsing her 20-year career combined earnings of $93,786.

Butch Thurman of Pendleton has covered professional rodeo for 25 years.

His e-mail address is butch@rodeosportsupdate.com.