Get to Know: Junior Nogueira

We all have professional ropers that we watch, learn from and even emulate in the roping arena. But, outside of the pen, have you ever wondered what other stuff they like and enjoy?

Well, just for fun, STT decided to ask superstar heeler Junior Nogueira, who joined the PRCA just four short years ago and has already pocketed over $800,000, some fun questions about life outside the arena. Note: We left some of the lingo intact, too!

We hope you enjoy this as much as we did, and here is what he shared!

1. What is your nickname in the industry, and why?

They call me Junior, I have one in Brazil too but here in America it is Junior.   

2. What is your favorite activity outside of roping?

Actually, I don’t do anything else fun. Once in a while I liked to play soccer but I haven’t in a long time. We have just been 100% roping and not doing anything else fun!

3. What is your favorite rodeo, and why?

I like a lot of the rodeos but the one I really like is Reno.  We have the BFI going on, we all stay together up there, everybody is around, and that is exciting and fun to get to see everybody and everybody else is so excited and everything!

4. What is your favorite restaurant?

We don’t go very often, but I like the Texas Roadhouse. I like the bread rolls and eat like five of them! Kaleb [Driggers, his partner] might say I like McDonalds!

5. What is your favorite music or artist?

Golly…I am different I guess?? I don’t really listen to a lot of music or have a favorite singer. I do listen to a little bit but I won’t say the one I am thinking because it won’t sound right!  You know the song I like a little bit is “Lash Out”, they played it at Finals last two years and that was cool.

6. What is your favorite movie or TV show?

Oh, dang it, I have to think about it. We watched a good movie the other day…” I Can Only Imagine”, that was a beautiful movie. I like “The Gladiator”, I can watch it over and over.  I used to watch TV back home [Brazil] but I usually don’t watch it here so I don’t know!

7. Who is your mentor?

Mine is Jake Barnes. I have learned everything from him, including how to work so hard and believe and how everything can happen through God, but with hard work too.  Jake is unbelievable. It is unreal how he works and makes stuff happen and is so serious about it. His discipline is unbelievable and no matter what he never loses focus.

8. What is your pet peeve?

I don’t like loud music, it bothers me bad. That’s the only thing that kind of bothers me bad!

9. Can you name something you are afraid of?

I am afraid of snakes, very scared! Oh Lord, I can’t even kill one I would have to shoot it!

10. What is your favorite roping memory?

Mine is the first steer we [Kaleb Driggers and Junior] roped together in an NFR setup.  It was our first run as rodeo partners, we were 3.3.  It wasn’t a rodeo, it was a jackpot called The Gambler.

11. What is the worst trouble you have ever gotten into?

I have never gotten in very bad trouble, thanks to God. One time, let me tell this.  Wait I’m not going to tell that. Let me tell this one instead. One time at home when I was a kid, I was not doing my stuff right, and not doing my homework, so my mom would not let me go rope! So, I used to talk to my grandpa, he used to hide me from my mom and he would tell her that I needed to learn how to work and that he would take me home and teach me to work hard and to work cows. But then he would tell me to meet him down the street with my ropes and he would go around the block and pick me up and take me to the jackpot! Well then once I won the roping and people started calling my house to congratulate me and my mom was SO SO mad at grandpa and me!!!!!

12. What is your favorite gas station snack?

I like to get Coke and Snickers sometimes.

13. What is your most embarrassing moment?

Mine is when I tied the arena record and was celebrating and my horse spun around and I fell off or stepped off [laughing] but I didn’t care I was happy anyway.  Actually, I was very scared to hit down hard, but I was embarrassed for about five seconds then was over it and laughing!

14. Can you name something on your bucket list?

Golly, I have been pretty blessed. My honest opinion is that everything I have dreamed has already happened. I just have to be very, very thankful because God has been amazing to me in all aspects of family and friends. I would like to be world champion heeler one day if He thinks I deserve it but I don’t need anything else.

15. Are you generally early, or generally late?

I am late and slow sometimes. I’m from Brazil, we don’t care about time very much. If I have time, I will take my time, but I will be ready and be there!