By Jack Nowlin, NFRExperience.com

LAS VEGAS – Consistency paid off for team ropers Ryder Kerr and Case Kerr at the YETI Junior National Finals Rodeo.

The 18-year-old twins from Afton, Wyoming, won the #10.5 division as the only ones among 22 teams that caught all five head.

They didn’t finish higher than fourth in any of the first four rounds of the #10.5 division, but entered Thursday’s short go-round leading the average with a four-run time of 44.06 seconds. Ryder and Case were the only team without a no-time through four rounds.

They kept that streak alive with a 7.23-second run in the short round to win the average with a five-head time of 51.29 seconds.

“Our dad was a pick-up man when we were growing up, so we just always roped in those rodeos and we just kept getting better,” Ryder said.

They did the same this week inside the Wrangler Rodeo Arena. With Ryder heading and Case heeling, they placed eighth in the first round with a 14.29-second run. They finished seventh in both the second and third rounds with times of 10.17 and 11.69, respectively.

They entered the fourth round Wednesday as one of just three teams with three qualified runs.

“We knew we just had to go get him caught … that’s all we had to do,” Ryder said. “We couldn’t overthink it; we just had to go out and make the run we always do.”

The Kerrs did even better. Ryder caught and turned the steer about halfway down the pen, followed by Case catching both back legs. The two pulled the slack tight and the judge dropped his flag, stopping the clock at 7.91 seconds. It was their fastest time of the week.

And when the Louisiana team of Cole Steib and Kayson Lasyone and Canada’s Austin Giesbrecht and Jordith Giesbrecht had no-times, Ryder and Case were alone atop the average.

They saved their best for last when they needed it most.

The team of Kase Riley from Bandera, Texas, and Benton Beauregard from Edgar Springs, Missouri, had a 6.52-second run to give them a time of 38.05 seconds on four head. And Austin and Jordith Giesbrecht had a 12.15 for a four-run time of 42.67 seconds, meaning Ryder and Case were guaranteed a top-three finish. But if they wanted to win the world title all they had to do was catch their steer.

Hank Kerr, the twins’ father, admitted to still being nervous nearly 15 minutes after their winning run.

“That’s the toughest thing to do when all you have to do is get a time,” he said. “I think it’s easier if you get in the box and know you have to make a five-second run. I’m still shaking.”

Turns out he didn’t need to worry. Ryder caught the steer about a third of the way down the arena, turned it for Case and watched his twin secure both hind legs and a world title.

“We knew that steer was slow and if we tried safetying up that wouldn’t work,” Ryder said. “So we just kind of roped where we were comfortable.”

Asked if he felt any pressure, Case just shrugged his shoulders.

“If you do your job, then it’s done,” he said.

And it was.

Later, as the Open team ropers warmed up for their first two runs of the rodeo, Case and Ryder collected their winnings while standing for photos. Among the prizes were Junior NFR world championship saddles, rope bags, YETI coolers and travel mugs, more roping gear and oversized checks … $6,200 for each of them.

“The saddles are sweet,” Case said. “You can win stuff at home, but you don’t know where you’re sitting and how good you really are until you come to rodeos like this.”

Thursday in Las Vegas, Ryder and Case Kerr proved they’re the best.