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  • Back When they Bucked with Peggy Fifer

    Back When they Bucked with Peggy Fifer

    Peggy (Green) Fifer was born in the small town of Meeker, Okla., where she was raised with two sisters by a single mother. She had just turned 14, when her mother died of cancer, leaving her and her two sisters in foster care for eight months. “My grandmother came and raised us in a house that we were able to purchase with insurance money,” said Peggy, who lives in Eufaula, Okla., 45 miles from her childhood home.
    She met her first horse when she was four and a photographer came by with a Shetland pony to take pictures of the girls. Her horse experiences ended for several years, until she met and married a rodeo man. After graduating high school, Peggy went to business school in Tulsa, Okla., where she first met Earl Fifer. “He was real cute and had a good sense of humor,” she recalled. “I kinda fell for him.” They married and Peggy got her first introduction into the rodeo world. “On weekends they would have a rodeo at the city park. Earl would go over there and ride horses and bulls and listen to Jim Shoulders give ideas on how to ride,” she said. Peggy and Earl had two daughters, Wauthena and Earlene. “Wauthena would rather take dancing lessons than rodeo, so she stayed with her grandmother most of the time. Earlene started riding horses at the age of two. In July of every year, we would go to Pawhuska to the International Calvacade Rodeo. In 1967, Earlene competed in the queen contest and won. Wauthena rode in all girl rodeos when she was in high school. She rode Bareback Horses and bulls. She placed with her horses but that lasted one year. Earlene started the all girl rodeos too and after one bull, decided that wasn’t for her, so she continued to stay with training horses and running barrels. She ran barrels for about 5 years after graduation from high school. Earl started rodeoing more and Peggy would go with him, sometimes waiting until the wee hours of morning for him to compete.
    Peggy got tired of waiting, so she volunteered to help out and that was her start as a rodeo secretary. “We would go to rodeos where we had to set up pens and the announcer stand was a flat bed truck. I would make a bed below that and put the girls there so I didn’t have to worry about them. Later, Earl was placing consistently so we traveled more and I would fry two chickens, butter a loaf of bread, make a chocolate cake, buy a bag of chips and away we would go to meet whoever was competing that night where we would have pot luck and visit before the rodeo. Lots of times it was before you  had to call in, they just entered when they wanted to.”

    Full story available in the January 2015 issue.

     

  • On the Trail with the McCoys

    On the Trail with the McCoys

    It’s been five years since Jet McCoy last competed in the International Finals Rodeo. During that period, the five-time IPRA World Champion and his wife, Ashlee, have been raising their daughter, and managing their ranch in Ada, Okla. Jet has also appeared three times on The Amazing Race with his brother Cord. After his hiatus from the regular rodeo circuit, the 35 year old is returning for the thirteenth time to the IFR in the saddle bronc riding, thanks in part to Ashlee, who will be one of the breakaway competitors to watch at the finals. She took up the event in 2013, and the combination of her team roping background, and the hours spent in the practice pen with Jet’s coaching, have put her in the top 20 of the breakaway roping.

    Ashlee’s newfound passion for breakaway made Jet realize how much he missed riding roughstock, having only done the occasional ranch rodeo since 2009. Sitting in the bleachers didn’t suit him, and in the spring of 2014, he was back in the bucking chutes with the saddle broncs. Jet rode all three roughstock events through high school and college, qualifying for the NHSFR, and later, the CNFR four years in a row on the Southwestern Oklahoma State University rodeo team. He also qualified for the IFR in all three events, and placed second in the saddle bronc riding at the DNCFR in 2004. “I can remember playing with my older brother when we were little, and him showing me how to put a saddle on by strapping it to a bale of hay,” Jet recalls. “I went to my first rodeo when I was five, and I can’t ever remember not rodeoing.” Jet, his sister, and their three brothers, all competed in rodeo growing up, while their dad rode bulls and bareback horses professionally.

    Similarly, Ashlee, 30, grew up with a rope either in her hand or coiled and at the ready. Her dad taught her to team rope, and they entered jackpots and USTRC ropings as Ashlee grew up. It wasn’t until two years ago that she competed in a rodeo, however. “In 2013, I saw breakaway at a rodeo for the first time, and I just went for it. It’s been very challenging, but Jet has helped me a lot, and it’s been quite an experience!” Ashlee recently won the breakaway roping at the IPRA Southeast Region Finals in Gay, Ga. She is roping off a five-year-old Quarter Horse palomino named Bingo that she purchased in December of 2013. The gelding was originally a western reining horse that made the Non Pro futurity in Oklahoma City, but he transitioned into a solid mount in the breakaway that Ashlee says makes the same run every time.

     

    Full story available in the January 2015 issue.

  • Austin Wahlert Performing at the NFR

    Austin Wahlert Performing at the NFR

    Austin Wahlert and his original NFR song, “Las Vegas Gold” for the final “Gold” night of the Wrangler National Finals rodeo.

  • Unlikely Wright captures gold buckle

    Unlikely Wright captures gold buckle

    LAS VEGAS – The Wright brothers made history as four of them qualified for this year’s Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. But it was the most unlikely brother – the youngest of the bunch, Spencer Wright – that amazed the rodeo world when he won the gold buckle in saddle bronc riding Saturday night.

    Wright entered the 10-day rodeo – which set a record for attendance with 177,565 – in 11th place, but gradually moved up the list and won the average title to claim the world championship in his first WNFR.

    “I knew this was a possibility, but it’s just a little hard to take it all in right now,” Wright said. “I’m speechless, and I really don’t know what to say at this moment. All I can say right now is that I’m proud and happy.”

    Seven of the world champions crowned before a Thomas & Mack Center crowd of 18,095 – the fourth-highest attendance for one night in the 56-year history of the Finals – were also the average title winners. That group included bareback rider Kaycee Feild, steer wrestler Luke Branquinho, team ropers Clay Tryan and Jade Corkill, Wright, tie-down roper Tuf Cooper and bull rider Sage Kimzey.

    On a night when the world’s greatest cowboys shared the spotlight, it was the 23-year-old Wright who was the unlikeliest champion. After all, he had to work hard just to qualify for his first WNFR and he had always competed in the shadow of his more famous brothers: two-time world champion Cody (2008, 2010), and twins Jesse (2012 gold buckle winner) and Jake, who finished second in the world in 2013.

    They’re the first set of four brothers to ever qualify for the WNFR – let alone in the same year.

    The three older Wrights were ecstatic when it became official that their little brother was the world champ.

    “I would hope they’re happy for me and proud me of,” Spencer Wright said. “They’re my brothers and it makes me happy that they were going crazy for me. I came in here expecting to do the best I could do, and I guess I really have. This is hard to describe.”

    Cody Wright, who missed Rounds 8 and 9 of the Finals with a dislocated shoulder, came back to ride in Round 10 and finished ninth in the world. He was thrilled to talk about Spencer’s victory.

    “I couldn’t be more proud of him,” Cody Wright said. “He came in here and lifted on his rein, marked every horse out and took advantage of every opportunity he had. It’s exciting to see him have that kind of success. When we found out he had won it, it was an awesome moment for our whole family.”

    Trevor Brazile, who has a record 21 gold buckles, clinched his 12th all-around world championship – and his ninth straight – in Round 3. He finished with $494,369; it’s the second-highest total in ProRodeo history, and Brazile owns the top eight marks.

    Another sensational story involved Branquinho, who won his fifth gold buckle despite missing more than two months of the season with an injury. He earned $202,380 in 2014, and won his third WNFR average title with a time of 41.6 seconds on 10 head.

    “This one feels good because I sat out two-and-a-half months with an injury and had surgery, so to be able to win it is pretty meaningful to me,” Branquinho said. “Every time you have to have surgery on a tendon repair, there’s a chance you may not come back, but I took the risk and my therapist at home and the doctor that put me back together said everything healed up and looked great.”

    Branquinho was atop the world standings when he injured his right lat (latissimus dorsi) muscle July 18 at Rodeo California Salinas. He was sidelined until the WNFR – and had dropped to eighth in the world. The Los Alamos, Calif., cowboy won checks in the first five rounds of the Finals to take control of the average race and shoot back to first place in the world standings.

    “I just tried to get as close to the barrier as I could and throw them all down,” said Branquinho, who earned checks in seven of the 10 rounds. “Drawing good had a lot to do with that.”

    Branquinho also won gold buckles in 2004, 2008, 2011 and 2012; he’s just one behind steer wrestling record holder Homer Pettigrew, a ProRodeo Hall of Famer who has six world championships.

    He previously won average titles in 2008 and 2011, and said, “I wanted to win the average. There are not many guys who have three average championships.”

    All-time leader John W. Jones Sr. won four average titles (1965, 1968-70) while Tom Ferguson (1977-78, 1981) is the only other bulldogger with three average titles.

    Feild continued to rewrite the record book as he claimed a fourth consecutive gold buckle and fourth straight WNFR average title. A year ago, he became the first contestant in any event to win three in a row of each.

    “I’m a blessed young man, just to stay healthy for four years and have so much success,” Feild said. “Vegas has been very good to me. I’ve had a lot of luck and I draw good.”

    This year, Feild was in a danger of not winning the average title. But he won Round 9 and vaulted from third to first in the average. He finished strong and placed second in Round 10 to clinch the average title with a score of 818.5 points on 10 head, four points ahead of Richmond Champion, who finished third in the world. Austin Foss was second in the world standings with $201,025 while Feild earned $294,980.

    Feild is just the second contestant to win four consecutive average titles; team roping heeler Leo Camarillo won four straight from 1968-71.

    Feild, who also won Round 1, knew the average title – and even the gold buckle – was in doubt with two rounds left.

    “Before the ninth round, I was nervous if I would draw good enough, or ride good enough,” he said. “It all worked out. To feel as healthy in the ninth and 10th rounds as I did in the first round felt really good. It was really important to achieve my goals I set at the first of the year. I set my goals higher and higher each year and it’s great when I can achieve them. It makes me more excited for next year.”

    Feild said his career goal is simple.

    “I want to win seven world titles,” he said. “In my mind, Joe Alexander could’ve won seven straight; he won five (as did Bruce Ford) and (Alexander) could’ve won the next two based on how much he won for the year, but they decided the world champ those two years based on who won the average title, so he didn’t win the gold buckle. In my eyes, he’s the best bareback rider of all time.”

    Tryan and Corkill repeated as world champions – Corkill has won three straight gold buckles as a heeler – and broke the earnings record for the year in the event with $220,058. The old record was $202,189 by heeler Patrick Smith in 2010, when his partner, Trevor Brazile, earned $201,392 as a header.

    “I knew I was capable of winning multiple championships, but it took me awhile,” said Tryan, who has competed in 13 WNFRs and won a third gold buckle in 2005. “I feel like I gave a few away along the way, and that fuels the fire to make sure you try harder and it doesn’t happen again.

    “My goal when I go out and practice every day is to be in the conversation when they’re talking about the best ever. I still have a lot of work to do, and a lot more winning to do, but this is another big step.”

    Corkill knew the partners just had to record a qualified time to win the average.

    “All I was thinking about was catching two feet,” he said. “We were the only team who had ’em all caught before tonight, and the average alone was worth $48,000. We do this for a living, so the money is the main thing.”

    Corkill was also tremendously satisfied to take another victory lap after Round 10.

    “This gold buckle makes it all feel real,” he said. “You win (the world) once and it doesn’t sink in. It still wasn’t real for me last year. Three in a row makes me feel like I’m doing the right thing.”

    Cooper returned to the top of the tie-down roping world after a year’s absence – he won gold buckles in 2011-12 – and also won the average with a time of 89.7 seconds on 10 head. Cooper shared the Round 7 win, and finished the season with $241,734.

    Cooper knew he could be cautious in Round 10 and wrap up the world title. Brazile finished second and Matt Shiozawa was third.

    “I just had to go tie one down,” Cooper said. “Those guys (Brazile and Shiozawa) were going for a world title. They weren’t backing off and playing it safe. They wanted a gold buckle just like everybody grows up roping wants, and hats off to them for sticking to that. It’s great (to win the gold buckle and average). It’s such an honor. You want to win a round, you want to win the average and you want to win a world title – and I’m so blessed to do all three in one year.”

    This is the first time Cooper has won a gold buckle and the average in the same year. He also won the WNFR average title in 2009.

    Kimzey, the amazing 20-year-old from Strong City, Okla., put an exclamation point on his historic bull riding season by winning the average title at the Finals. He’s just the second bull rider to win the world championship and Rookie of the Year in the same season; Bill Kornell was the first in 1963.

    Kimzey was a revelation at the WNFR as he won four rounds and dominated the competition while also winning the RAM Top Gun Award as the top money earner in any event with $175,466. His four round wins tied the record shared by Bob Wegner, Denny Flynn, Cody Custer, Blue Stone, B.J. Schumacher and J.W. Harris.

    The red-hot Kimzey shattered Steve Woolsey’s record of $202,128 earned in a rookie season. He failed to ride for eight seconds in Round 10, when earning a check would’ve pushed him past Matt Austin’s single-season earnings record of $320,766 in 2005 and would’ve made him the first bull rider since Adriano Moraes in 1996 to cover nine of 10.

    Kimzey’s earning total is 11th on the all-time single season list. Brazile owns the top eight totals, followed by Austin and Feild ($319,986 in 2011).

    “The record books are the Holy Grail for us,” Kimzey said. “Matt (Austin) is a great guy and role model, and has always been someone I looked up to – inside the arena and out. He’s one of the best bull riders to ever put his hand in a bull rope.”

    Fallon Taylor won the barrel racing world championship in a close battle with Lisa Lockhart. Taylor earned $276,441 and finished second in the average while Lockhart won the average and totaled $265,514.

    “Oh, my gosh, I am breathless,” Taylor said. “It was so very close. I give all the credit to (my horse) Baby Flo. I am thrilled. I have had such great support. The fans are wonderful. I just wanted to put on a good show for them. It’s such an honor to have competed with such tough competition and still get the win. It’s just so wonderful.”

     

    Wrangler National Finals Rodeo

    Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas

    Round 10, Dec. 13, 2014

    Bareback riding: 1. Caleb Bennett, Tremonton, Utah, 86.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Dirty Jacket, $19,002; 2. Kaycee Feild, Spanish Fork, Utah, 86, $15,018; 3. (tie) Richmond Champion, The Woodlands, Texas; Winn Ratliff, Leesville, La., and Jake Vold, Ponoka, Alberta, 85, $8,071 each; 6. Will Lowe, Canyon, Texas, 84, $3,065; 7. Justin McDaniel, Porum, Okla., 83.5; 8. (tie) Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, Iowa, and Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., 82.5 each; 10. Austin Foss, Terrebonne, Ore., 82; 11. Jessy Davis, Power, Mont., 80.5; 12. J.R. Vezain, Cowley, Wyo., 77.5; 13. Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb., 76.5; 14. Tilden Hooper, Carthage, Texas, 72.5; 15.Steven Peebles, Redmond, Ore., OUT. Average: 1. Kaycee Feild, 818.5 points on 10 head, $48,732; 2. Richmond Champion, 814.5, $39,537; 3. Winn Ratliff, 813, $31,262; 4. Jake Vold, 812.5, $22,987; 5. Austin Foss, 811, $16,550; 6. Bobby Mote, 809, $11,953; 7. Will Lowe, Canyon, Texas, 797, $8,275; 8. Tilden Hooper, 790.5, $4,597; 9. Steven Dent, 782; 10. Caleb Bennett, 776; 11. Jessy Davis, 770.5; 12. Justin McDaniel, 742 on nine head; 13. J.R. Vezain, 668.5; 14. Tim O’Connell, 570.5 on seven head; 15. Steven Peebles, 232 on three head. World standings: 1. Kaycee Feild, $294,980; 2. Austin Foss, $201,025; 3. Richmond Champion, $198,075; 4. Bobby Mote, $171,625; 5. Steven Peebles, $145,932; 6. Jake Vold, $142,774; 7. Winn Ratliff, $142,408; 8. Tim O’Connell, $131,240; 9. Justin McDaniel, $126,885; 10. Will Lowe, $126,444; 11. Tilden Hooper, $117,219; 12. Caleb Bennett, $111,299; 13. Steven Dent, $108,651; 14. Jessy Davis, $75,757; 15. J.R. Vezain, $70,208.

    Steer wrestling: 1. Dru Melvin, Hebron, Neb., 3.4 seconds, $19,002; 2. Casey Martin, Sulphur, La., 4.0, $15,018; 3. Clayton Hass, Terrell, Texas, 4.1, $11,340; 4. Seth Brockman, Wheatland, Wyo., 4.2, $7,969; 5. Cole Edge, Durant, Okla., 4.4, $4,904; 6. Kyle Irwin, Robertsdale, Ala., 4.5, $3,065; 7.(tie) Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore., and Luke Branquinho, Los Alamos, Calif., 5.0 each; 9. Dakota Eldridge, Elko, Nev., 5.3; 10. Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont., 5.4; 11. Nick Guy, Sparta, Wis., 5.7; 12. Bray Armes, Ponder, Texas, 26.1; 13. (tie) K.C. Jones, Decatur, Texas; Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta, and Wyatt Smith, Rexburg, Idaho, NT. Average: 1. Luke Branquinho, 41.6 seconds on 10 head, $48,732; 2. Ty Erickson, 49.3, $39,537; 3. Dakota Eldridge, 56.0, $31,262; 4. Kyle Irwin, 60.7, $22,987; 5. Cole Edge, 71.8, $16,550; 6. Casey Martin, 41.1 on nine, $11,953; 7. Nick Guy, 43.3, $8,275; 8. Clayton Hass, 44.5, $4,597; 9. Dru Melvin, 55.3; 10. Trevor Knowles, 57.4; 11. K.C. Jones, 38.6 on eight head; 12. Seth Brockman, 45.1; 13. Bray Armes, 67.4; 14. Curtis Cassidy, 70.9; 15. Wyatt Smith, 18.4 on four head. World standings: 1. Luke Branquinho, $202,380; 2. Kyle Irwin, $147,699; 3. Casey Martin, $143,569; 4. Nick Guy, $140,585; 5. Dakota Eldridge, $136,726; 6. Trevor Knowles, $134,406; 7. Ty Erickson, $123,116; 8. Clayton Hass, $114,274; 9. Dru Melvin, $107,370; 10. Curtis Cassidy, $101,431; 11. Bray Armes, $101,397; 12. K.C. Jones, $101,058; 13. Cole Edge, $97,863; 14. Seth Brockman, $81,436; 15.Wyatt Smith, $75,271.

    Team roping: 1. Brandon Beers, Powell Butte, Ore./Jim Ross Cooper, Monument, N.M., 4.1 seconds, $19,002 each; 2. Tom Richards, Humboldt, Ariz./Cesar de la Cruz, Tucson, Ariz., 4.6, $15,018; 3. Aaron Tsinigine, Tuba City, Ariz./Clay O’Brien Cooper, Gardnerville, Nev., 5.5, $11,340; 4. Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont./Jade Corkill, Fallon, Nev., 6.0, $7,969; 5. (tie) Riley Minor, Ellensburg, Wash./Brady Minor, Ellensburg, Wash., and Jake Barnes, Scottsdale, Ariz./Junior Nogueira, Scottsdale, Ariz., 6.5, $3,984 each; 7. (tie) Erich Rogers, Round Rock, Ariz./Cory Petska, Marana, Ariz., and Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla./Jake Long, Coffeyville, Kan., 9.4 each; 9. Kaleb Driggers, Albany, Ga./Patrick Smith, Lipan, Texas, 12.9; 10. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas/Travis Graves, Jay, Okla., 14.2; 11. (tie) Dustin Bird, Cut Bank, Mont./Paul Eaves, Lonedell, Mo.; Nick Sartain, Dover, Okla./Rich Skelton, Llano, Texas; Luke Brown, Stephenville, Texas/Kollin VonAhn, Blanchard, Okla.; Charly Crawford, Prineville, Ore./Shay Carroll, La Junta, Colo., and Turtle Powell, Stephenville, Texas/Dakota Kirchenschlager, Morgan Mill, Texas, NT. Average: 1. Clay Tryan/Jade Corkill, 70.1 seconds on 10 head, $48,732 each; 2. Jake Barnes/Junior Nogueira, 57.1 on nine head, $39,537; 3. Aaron Tsinigine/Clay O’Brien Cooper, 71.4, $31,262; 4. Coleman Proctor/Jake Long, 52.8 on eight, $22,987; 5. Trevor Brazile/Travis Graves, 60.5, $16,550; 6. Kaleb Driggers/Patrick Smith, 61.2, $11,953; 7. Erich Rogers/Cory Petska, 73.8, $8,275; 8. Turtle Powell/Dakota Kirchenschlager, 58.0 on seven, $4,597; 9. Brandon Beers/Jim Ross Cooper, 63.6; 10. Tom Richards/Cesar de la Cruz, 45.9 on six head; 11. Dustin Bird/Paul Eaves, 53.9; 12. Riley Minor/Brady Minor, 30.5 on five head; 13. Luke Brown/Kollin VonAhn, 56.8; 14. Charly Crawford/Shay Carroll, 25.4 on four head; 15. Nick Sartain/Rich Skelton, 8.7 on two head. World standings (headers): 1. Clay Tryan, $220,058; 2. Trevor Brazile, $176,183; 3. Aaron Tsinigine, $153,585; 4. Coleman Proctor, $149,574; 5. Jake Barnes, $148,045; 6. Dustin Bird, $146,731; 7. Kaleb Driggers, $139,243; 8. Erich Rogers, $134,216; 9. Turtle Powell, $126,930; 10. Brandon Beers, $116,270; 11. Riley Minor, $115,377; 12. Tom Richards, $101,071; 13. Charly Crawford, $99,756; 14. Nick Sartain, $99,030; 15. Luke Brown, $92,065. World standings (heeler): 1. Jade Corkill, $220,058; 2. Travis Graves, $176,183; 3. Jake Long, $150,574; 4. Paul Eaves, $149,823; 5. Clay O’Brien Cooper, $145,766; 6. Patrick Smith, $139,243; 7. Junior Nogueira, $138,036; 8. Cory Petska, $134,563; 9. Dakota Kirchenschlager, $123,570; 10. Jim Ross Cooper, $116,270; 11. Brady Minor, $115,377; 12. Shay Carroll, $100,815; 13. Rich Skelton, $99,030; 14. Cesar de la Cruz, $92,842; 15. Kollin VonAhn, $89,065.

    Saddle bronc riding: 1. Cody DeMoss, Heflin, La., 86 points on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s Resistols Top Hat, $19,002; 2. Jacobs Crawley, Stephenville, Texas, 83, $15,018; 3.Wade Sundell, Boxholm, Iowa, 82, $11,340; 4. Jesse Wright, Milford, Utah, 81.5, $7,969; 5. Spencer Wright, Milford, Utah, 79.0, $4,904; 6. Jake Wright, Milford, Utah, 78, $3,065; 7. Chad Ferley, Oelrichs, S.D., 77; 8. Cort Scheer, Elsmere, Neb., 71; 9. Heith DeMoss, Heflin, La., 69.5; 10. (tie) Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M.; Cody Wright, Milford, Utah; Bradley Harter, Loranger, La.; Tyler Corrington, Hastings, Minn.; Cole Elshere, Faith, S.D., and Dustin Flundra, Pincher Creek, Alberta, NS. Average: 1. Spencer Wright, 807.5 points on 10 head, $48,732; 2. Cort Scheer, 764, $39,537; 3. Jake Wright, 704.5 on nine, $31,262; 4. Jesse Wright, 688, $22,987; 5. Wade Sundell, 647.5 on eight head, $16,550; 6. Jacobs Crawley, 623.0, $11,953; 7. Taos Muncy, 612.5, $8,275; 8. Dustin Flundra, 598.5, $4,597; 9. Heith DeMoss, 559.5 on seven head; 10. Cody DeMoss, 547; 11. Cody Wright, 524.5; 12. Tyler Corrington, 321.5 on four head; 13. Chad Ferley, 319; 14. Bradley Harter, 301.5; 15. Cole Elshere, 233 on three head. World standings: 1. Spencer Wright, $205,388; 2. Cort Scheer, $195,586; 3. Wade Sundell, $180,726; 4. Heith DeMoss, $163,833; 5. Jake Wright, $155,420; 6. Taos Muncy, $149,712; 7. Jacobs Crawley, $147,421; 8. Jesse Wright, $134,502; 9. Cody Wright, $130,394; 10. Cody DeMoss, $115,722; 11. Tyler Corrington, $104,052; 12. Dustin Flundra, $88,167; 13. Chad Ferley, $88,110; 14. Cole Elshere, $82,449; 15. Bradley Harter, $81,885.

    Tie-down roping: 1. Cody Ohl, Hico, Texas, 6.8 seconds, $19,002; 2. Adam Gray, Seymour, Texas, 7.2, $15,018; 3. (tie) Reese Riemer, Stinnett, Texas, and Tyson Durfey, Colbert, Wash., 7.3, $9,654 each; 5. (tie) Clint Robinson, Spanish Fork, Utah, and Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla., 7.6, $3,984 each; 7. Ryan Watkins, Bluff Dale, Texas, 8.6; 8. (tie) Tuf Cooper, Decatur, Texas, and Timber Moore, Aubrey, Texas, 9.4 each; 10. Cade Swor, Winnie, Texas, 9.5; 11. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 10.3; 12. Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, La., 15.2; 13. Matt Shiozawa, Chubbuck, Idaho, 17.5; 14. (tie) Marty Yates, Stephenville, Texas, and Clint Cooper, Decatur, Texas, NT. Average: 1. Tuf Cooper, 89.7 seconds on 10 head, $48,732; 2. Trevor Brazile, 93.1, $39,537; 3. Matt Shiozawa, 97.6, $31,262; 4. Ryan Watkins, 100.7, $22,987; 5. Cade Swor, 110.4, $16,550; 6. Shane Hanchey, 123.3, $11,953; 7. Clint Robinson, 108.2 on nine head, $8,275; 8. Reese Riemer, 110.1, $4,597; 9. Hunter Herrin, 64.6 on eight head; 10. Adam Gray, 77.5; 11. Tyson Durfey, 91.6; 12. Cody Ohl, 51.3 on seven head; 13. Timber Moore, 55.8; 14. Clint Cooper, 57.8; 15. Marty Yates, 42.5 on five head. World standings: 1. Tuf Cooper, $241,734; 2. Trevor Brazile, $210,315; 3. Matt Shiozawa, $199,888; 4. Cody Ohl, $148,954; 5. Cade Swor, $148,804; 6. Marty Yates, $141,268; 7. Adam Gray, $119,665; 8. Hunter Herrin, $119,231; 9. Shane Hanchey, $116,160; 10. Timber Moore, $114,435; 11. Clint Robinson, $114,397; 12. Clint Cooper, $108,316; 13. Ryan Watkins, $98,335; 14. Tyson Durfey, $83,396; 15. Reese Riemer, $80,569.

    Barrel racing: 1.  Mary Walker, Ennis, Texas, 13.90 seconds, $19,002; 2.  Fallon Taylor, Whitesboro, Texas, 13.96, $15,018; 3. Carlee Pierce, Stephenville, Texas, 13.97, $11,340; 4. Michele McLeod, Whitesboro, Texas, 13.99, $7,969; 5. Christy Loflin, Franktown, Colo., 14.00, $4,904; 6. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 14.02, $3,065; 7. (tie) Nancy Hunter, Neola, Utah, and Trula Churchill, Valentine, Neb., 14.05 each; 9. Jana Bean, Fort Hancock, Texas, 14.08; 10. Kaley Bass, Kissimmee, Fla., 14.15; 11. Christine Laughlin, Pueblo, Colo., 14.17; 12. Britany Diaz, Solen, N.D., 14.28; 13. Samantha Lyne, Cotulla, Texas, 14.58; 14. Kassidy Dennison, Tohatchi, N.M., 18.79; 15. Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 24.11. Average: 1. Lisa Lockhart, 144.93 seconds on 10 runs, $48,732; 2. Fallon Taylor, 145.10, $39,537; 3. Kaley Bass, 147.15, $31,262; 4. Britany Diaz, 147.37, $22,987; 5. Michele McLeod, 151.06, $16,550; 6. Carlee Pierce, 151.61, $11,953; 7. Jana Bean, 151.97, $8,275; 8. Trula Churchill, 154.84, $4,597; 9. Nancy Hunter, 160.37; 10. Sherry Cervi, 161.80; 11. Kassidy Dennison, 165.97; 12. Mary Walker, 175.14; 13. Christine Laughlin, 176.87; 14. Samantha Lyne, Cotulla, Texas, 139.11 on nine runs; 15. Christy Loflin, 158.21. World standings: 1. Fallon Taylor, $276,441; 2. Lisa Lockhart, $265,514; 3. Kaley Bass, $214,432; 4. Michele McLeod, $163,476; 5. Britany Diaz, $154,590; 6. Carlee Pierce, $154,181; 7. Mary Walker, $145,686; 8. Trula Churchill, $142,076; 9. Nancy Hunter, $136,777; 10. Kassidy Dennison, $126,072; 11. Sherry Cervi, $122,165; 12. Christy Loflin, $112,884; 13. Jana Bean, $100,758; 14. Christine Laughlin, $93,135; 15. Samantha Lyne, $81,917.

    Bull riding: 1. Tyler Smith, Fruita, Colo., 84.5 points on D & H Cattle’s Hot Wired, $19,002; 2. Beau Hill, West Glacier, Mont., 60.0, $15,018; 3. (tie) Trey Benton III, Rock Island, Texas; Sage Kimzey, Strong City, Okla.; Cody Teel, Kountze, Texas; J.W. Harris, Mullin, Texas; Tim Bingham, Honeyville, Utah; Aaron Pass, Dallas, Texas; Josh Koschel, Nunn, Colo.; Reid Barker, Comfort, Texas; Joe Frost, Randlett, Utah; Brennon Eldred, Sulphur, Okla.; Elliot Jacoby, Fredericksburg, Texas; Ty Wallace, Collbran, Colo., and Jordan Spears, Redding, Calif., NS. Average: 1. Sage Kimzey, 671 points on eight head, $48,732; 2. Joe Frost, 490.5 on six head, $39,537; 3. Beau Hill, 374 on five head, $31,262; 4. Tyler Smith, 322.5 on four head, $22,987; 5. Cody Teel, 322, $16,550; 6. J.W. Harris, 310.5, $11,953; 7. Elliot Jacoby, 254 on three head, $8,275; 8. Trey Benton III, 252.5, $4,597; 9. Jordan Spears, 250.5; 10. Aaron Pass, 173 on two head; 11. Ty Wallace, 171.5; 12. Tim Bingham, 170; 13. Josh Koschel, 144; 14. Brennon Eldred, 84.5 on one head; 15. Reid Barker, NS. World standings: 1. Sage Kimzey, $318,631; 2. Joe Frost, $174,378; 3. Trey Benton III, $164,471; 4. Beau Hill, $148,991; 5. Cody Teel, $148,562; 6. Tyler Smith, $131,031; 7. Tim Bingham, $115,670; 8. Elliot Jacoby, $113,311; 9. J.W. Harris, $109,182; 10. Aaron Pass, $104,550; 11. Jordan Spears, $100,030; 12. Ty Wallace, $93,935; 13. Brennon Eldred, $89,170; 14. Reid Barker, $76,227; 15. Josh Koschel, $72,837.

    Total payout: $6,375,000. Stock contractors: Various. Rodeo secretary: Sunni Deb Backstrom. Assistant secretary: Jackie Higlin. Contestant office manager: Vickie Shireman. Officials: Wade Berry, Terry Carlon, Skip Emmett, George Gibbs, Chuck Hoss, Allan Jordan Jr., Bruce Keller, Butch Kirby, Steve Knowles, Joe Bob Locke, Cliff Overstreet, Harry Rose Jr., Rocky Steagall and Mike Todd. Timers: Sherry Rice Gibson, Tammy Braden and Jessi Franzen. Announcers: Wayne Brooks, Randy Corley and Boyd Polhamus. Specialty acts: Rider Kiesner, Madison MacDonald and Kenny Petet. Bullfighters: Chuck Swisher, Dusty Tuckness and Cody Webster. Barrelman: Justin Rumford. Barrelman alternate: Mark Swingler. Livestock superintendent: John Barnes. Assistant livestock superintendent: Ryan Brown. Roughstock chute boss: Tom Neuens. Timed-event chute boss: Tony Amaral. Pickup men: Josh Edwards and Chase Cervi. Pickup man alternate: Matt Twitchell.

  • Phenomenal Feild on brink of four-peat

    Phenomenal Feild on brink of four-peat

    LAS VEGAS – Kaycee Feild responded like a champion Friday night at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, and was one of several gold buckle winners that moved to the brink of earning another world championship.

    Feild won the bareback riding in Round 9 before a sellout crowd of 18,083 at the Thomas and Mack Center, and grabbed the lead in the race for the average title. Last year, he became the first cowboy in any event to win three consecutive world championships while also claiming three straight average titles.

    The goal-driven Feild wants to make it four of each.

    “That was the deal that fired me up,” he said. “They were saying that Austin (Foss) and Winn (Ratliff) were ahead of me. I was mad. That fired me up. I got in the chute tonight with a different attitude; I was glazed over and pissed off. I’m usually bouncing around behind the chutes and encouraging everybody; tonight I was focused and quiet.”

    That approach worked just fine, as Feild rode for 85.5 points on J Bar J’s Dirty Rags. That was enough to vault him past Foss and Ratliff. If he wins a fourth straight average title, he’ll tie the mark set by team roping heeler Leo Camarillo from 1968-71.

    When Foss won Round 8 on Thursday, he moved close enough in the world standings to Feild to put both the gold buckle and average title in question.

    “I was feeling pressure, for sure,” Feild said. “Austin is riding outstanding. I could see his confidence growing every night. I stubbed my toe a few times this week, and I was really disappointed in how everything was going. It got better tonight and now I’m really looking forward to tomorrow. I’m real excited about tomorrow.”

    Also moving into position to add to their gold buckle count were steer wrestler Luke Branquinho, tie-down roper Tuf Cooper, and team ropers Clay Tryan and Jade Corkill. Branquinho and the team ropers should clinch world championships if they post a time in Round 10.

    Cooper has a more precarious lead over Matt Shiozawa, who could prevail if he wins Round 10 and Cooper fails to win a check. That would give Shiozawa the average title – he’s currently first in the average and Cooper is second – and push Cooper down to second in the world.

    Trevor Brazile and Cade Swor split the tie-down roping in Round 9, as each had a time of 7.6 seconds. Brazile sits third in the world standings – he’s $22,224 behind Cooper – and is third in the average race while Swor is fifth in both standings.

    “I didn’t do well enough in this event in the regular season to have a great shot at the title, so I’ve been playing catch-up all week,” Brazile said. “I just have to stay with it and decide if I’m going to gamble that (third place in the) average to try and win a world championship.”

    Swor was thrilled to take another victory lap, just as he did after winning Round 2.

    “I’m fired up,” Swor said. “I had a good calf tonight, and I just got lucky, I guess. It feels really good to win again.”

    Rookie Sage Kimzey clinched his first gold buckle Thursday and continued his dominance of the bull riding by winning Round 9 and clinching the average title. He became the seventh bull rider to win four rounds at one WNFR; four-time World Champion Bull Rider J.W. Harris was the last to accomplish the feat, in 2010.

    Kimzey, 20, rode for 87.5 points on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s Foolish Man.

    “Everything I’ve accomplished this season and this week in Vegas has been pretty surreal,” he said. “It’s special enough to make it here during my rookie year, but to do everything I’ve been able to do feels amazing.”

    He said winning the average title was an important goal to reach.

    “It was a very big deal to me, because the NFR average is the second most prestigious buckle you can win in rodeo,” he said. “I did have some big wins throughout the year that gave me the standings lead coming into Vegas, but I had a bit of a personal thing coming here because I wanted to prove to everyone that my regular season wasn’t a fluke. I’d say this Finals definitely proved that.”

    Kimzey clinched the RAM Top Gun Award, which goes to the top money winner in one event at the Finals. Kimzey has earned $126,734 through nine rounds and will collect another $48,732 for winning the bull riding average.

    “That truck (one of the prize for the Top Gun Award) will be at the house,” he said, “and we can always use another truck on the ranch.”

    Nick Sartain and Rich Skelton won the team roping event with a time of 3.9 seconds to turn around what’s been a disappointing Finals. Despite the win, they sit 15th in the average race.

    “We’ve had more trouble than a man on the wrong train this week,” Sartain said. “This run will help us salvage some money out of here. This is a lot more fun than losing. I’ve been getting tired of smiling about that all week.”

    Skelton, who is competing at his 21st WNFR, extended his team roping record for WNFR round wins to 35.

    “This rodeo is always exciting,” said Skelton, 48. “If you don’t get excited to win a round here, you need to quit. This win is especially exciting, because we’ve been getting our butts handed to us. And most of it’s been self-inflicted.”

    Still, ProRodeo Hall of Famer Joe Beaver, one of the television analysts for the WNFR, picked Sartain and Skelton to win Round 9 before the perf.

    “Joe and I have been tight a long time,” Skelton said. “I guess he can see into the future.”

    Sartain said the partners plan to stay together for the 2015 season.

    “Rich and I have become good friends, and we have a good time traveling together,” he said. “This week hasn’t been great for us, but we’re already talking about reloading and going again next year. Rich is such a legend in this sport. He’s always prepared, he always does his job and nothing bothers him.”

    Brazile, who already won the steer roping and all-around gold buckles in 2014, was in close contention for the team roping title until he missed in Round 9. Brazile and his partner, Travis Graves, slipped two spots to fifth in the average but they could still surpass world standings leader Clay Tryan and Jade Corkill, who took sixth in the round to increase their season earnings to $163,357. Brazile and Graves each have $159,632, although Tryan and Corkill also lead the race for the average title.

    If Tryan and Corkill record a time in Round 10, they’re likely to repeat as world champs. For Corkill, it would be three consecutive gold buckles.

    Dakota Eldridge won the steer wrestling with a time of 3.3 seconds, just .1 shy of the Round 9 record set by three cowboys, most recently by Luke Branquinho in 2007. Eldridge tied Curtis Cassidy for the Round 7 win.

    “I would like to have one more win (Saturday night),” Eldridge said. “I’m just going to go at it again. If you try to back off, then stuff starts going south. You try to nail the barrier every time and have a good steer and just go have fun.”

    Eldridge, 23, of Elko, Nev., moved up to sixth in the world standings with $105,464 and is third in the average with a time of 50.7 seconds on nine head.

    “You can’t give up until after Round 10,” Eldridge said, “so you might as well go at ’em because it’s almost $20,000 a round. That’s a lot of money, and life-changing money. I can still get out of here with average money and another round, and get out of here with $80,000. That would be a great week.”

    Branquinho is on the verge of his fifth gold buckle as he sits first in the world standings with $153,648 and is also first in the average with a time of 33.6 seconds on nine head.

    Saddle bronc rider Wade Sundell won for the third time at this Finals when he rode for 82.5 points on Big Bend Rodeo’s Broken Camp. Sundell, who is competing in his sixth WNFR, was the worse for wear as he immediately went to the Justin Sportsmedicine room for treatment following his victory. He was listed on the injury report with a contusion of the lumbar spine and is listed as probable for Round 10.

    Sundell, who sits seventh in the average, is third in the world standings with $152,835. He also won Rounds 3 and 5.

    WNFR rookie Spencer Wright, who was third in Round 9, is in prime position to become the third Wright brother to win a gold buckle, following in the footsteps of older brothers Cody (2008, 2010) and Jesse Wright (2012).

    The Wrights made history this year when they became the first set of four brothers to qualify for the Finals.

    Jake Wright was second in Round 9 and Jesse Wright placed sixth.

    The brothers made more history when three of them placed in Rounds 7-9 this year, as that’s only been accomplished once before, in any event, when the Etbauer brothers – Billy, Robert and Dan – did it in 1996.

    Spencer Wright continues to lead the average race by a wide margin over Cort Scheer (728.5 points to 693), and they’re the only saddle bronc riders to post a score in all nine rounds.

    Wright, 23, has earned $151,752 and is fourth in the world standings. Heith DeMoss leads the world standings with $163,833, but sits 11th in the average. The 28-year-old Scheer has $156,049 and could win his first gold buckle in his fifth Finals if he earns a big check in Round 10.

    Trula Churchill won the barrel racing with a time of 13.67 seconds. This is her third WNFR and her first go-round win.

    “I set some goals, and getting a go-round win was one of them,” Churchill said. “Of course, I tipped some barrels this week, which has cost me some money, but I got around them tonight for the win, so one goal is down.”

    Fallon Taylor and Lisa Lockhart are battling to the finish for the barrel racing gold buckle. Taylor has a lead of $8,168 in the world standings, but sits second in the average while Lockhart is first.

    The 56th annual Wrangler NFR concludes Saturday with the 10th round at the Thomas & Mack Center. The action will be televised live and in HD on CBS Sports Net (DirecTV channel 221 and DISH Network channel 158) from 7-10 p.m. (PT) with hosts Jeff Medders and Butch Knowles.

     

    Wrangler National Finals Rodeo

    Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas

    Round 9 – Dec. 12

    Bareback riding: 1. Kaycee Feild, Spanish Fork, Utah, 85.5 points on J Bar J’s Dirty Rags, $19,002; 2. Jake Vold, Ponoka, Alberta, 84, $15,018; 3. (tie) Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., and Richmond Champion, The Woodlands, Texas, 83, $9,654 each; 5. Justin McDaniel, Porum, Okla., 82.5, $4,904; 6. Tilden Hooper, Carthage, Texas, 82.0, $3,065; 7. Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, Iowa, 79.5; 8. Winn Ratliff, Leesville, La., 79; 9. Jessy Davis, Power, Mont., 78; 10. (tie) Austin Foss, Terrebonne, Ore., and Will Lowe, Canyon, Texas, 77.5 each; 12. J.R. Vezain, Cowley, Wyo., 75; 13. Caleb Bennett, Tremonton, Utah, 74; 14. Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb., 70; 15. Steven Peebles, Redmond, Ore., NS. World standings: 1. Kaycee Feild, $231,230; 2. Austin Foss, $184,475; 3. Bobby Mote, $159,672; 4. Richmond Champion, $150,467; 5. Steven Peebles, $145,932; 6. Tim O’Connell, $131,240; 7. Justin McDaniel, $126,885; 8. Will Lowe, $115,104; 9. Tilden Hooper, $112,621; 10 Jake Vold, $111,716; 11. Steven Dent, $108,651; 12. Winn Ratliff, $103,076; 13. Caleb Bennett, $92,296; 14. Jessy Davis, $75,757; 15. J.R. Vezain, $70,208.

    Steer wrestling: 1. Dakota Eldridge, Elko, Nev., 3.3 seconds, $19,002; 2. Luke Branquinho, Los Alamos, Calif., 3.9, $15,018; 3. Bray Armes, Ponder, Texas, 4.1, $11,340; 4. Nick Guy, Sparta, Wis., 4.2, $7,969; 5. (tie) Cole Edge, Durant, Okla., and  Kyle Irwin, Robertsdale, Ala., 4.3, $3,984 each; 7. (tie) Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore., and Seth Brockman, Wheatland, Wyo., 4.6; 9. Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont., 4.9; 10. Dru Melvin, Hebron, Neb., 5.8; 11. K.C. Jones, Decatur, Texas, 6.0; 12. Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta, 8.0; 13. (tie) Clayton Hass, Terrell, Texas; Casey Martin, Sulphur, La., and Wyatt Smith, Rexburg, Idaho, NT. World standings: 1. Luke Branquinho, $153,648; 2. Trevor Knowles, $134,406; 3. Nick Guy, $132,309; 4. Kyle Irwin, $121,647; 5. Casey Martin, $116,597; 6. Dakota Eldridge, $105,464; 7. Curtis Cassidy, $101,431; 8. Bray Armes, $101,397; 9. K.C. Jones, $101,057; 10. Clayton Hass, $98,337; 11. Dru Melvin, $88,367; 12. Ty Erickson, $83,579; 13. Cole Edge, $76,409; 14. Wyatt Smith, $75,271; 15. Seth Brockman, $73,468.

    Team roping: 1. Nick Sartain, Dover, Okla./Rich Skelton, Llano, Texas, 3.9 seconds, $19,002; 2. Kaleb Driggers, Albany, Ga./Patrick Smith, Lipan, Texas, 4.1, $15,018; 3. Tom Richards, Humboldt, Ariz./Cesar de la Cruz, Tucson, Ariz., 4.4, $11,340; 4. Aaron Tsinigine, Tuba City, Ariz./Clay O’Brien Cooper, Gardnerville, Nev., 4.5, $7,969; 5. Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla./Jake Long, Coffeyville, Kan., 4.6, $4,904; 6. Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont./Jade Corkill, Fallon, Nev., 5.2, $3,065; 7. Jake Barnes, Scottsdale, Ariz./Junior Nogueira, Scottsdale, Ariz., 6.5; 8. Turtle Powell, Stephenville, Texas/Dakota Kirchenschlager, Morgan Mill, Texas, 9.0; 9. Erich Rogers, Round Rock, Ariz./Cory Petska, Marana, Ariz., 13.7; 10. Dustin Bird, Cut Bank, Mont./Paul Eaves, Lonedell, Mo., 14.0; 11. Brandon Beers, Powell Butte, Ore./Jim Ross Cooper, Monument, N.M., 19.1; 12. (tie) Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas/Travis Graves, Jay, Okla.; Riley Minor, Ellensburg, Wash./Brady Minor, Ellensburg, Wash.; Luke Brown, Stephenville, Texas/Kollin VonAhn, Blanchard, Okla., and Charly Crawford, Prineville, Ore./Shay Carroll, La Junta, Colo., NT. World standings (headers): 1. Clay Tryan, $163,357; 2. Trevor Brazile, $159,632; 3. Dustin Bird, $146,731; 4. Kaleb Driggers, $127,290; 5. Coleman Proctor, $126,587; 6. Erich Rogers, $125,941; 7. Turtle Powell, $122,332; 8. Riley Minor, $111,393; 9. Aaron Tsinigine, $110,982; 10. Jake Barnes, $104,523; 11. Charly Crawford, $99,756; 12. Nick Sartain, $99,030; 13. Brandon Beers, $97,267; 14. Luke Brown, $92,065; 15. Tom Richards, $86,053. World standings (heelers): 1. Jade Corkill, $163,357; 2. Travis Graves, $159,632; 3. Paul Eaves, $149,823; 4. Jake Long, $127,587; 5. Patrick Smith, $127,290; 6. Cory Petska, $126,288; 7. Dakota Kirchenschlager, $118,972; 8. Brady Minor, $111,393; 9. Clay O’Brien Cooper, $103,164; 10. Shay Carroll, $100,815; 11. Rich Skelton, $99,030; 12. Jim Ross Cooper, $97,267; 13. Junior Nogueira, $94,515; 14. Kollin VonAhn, $89,065; 15. Cesar de la Cruz, $77,824.

    Saddle bronc riding: 1. Wade Sundell, Boxholm, Iowa, 82.5 points on Big Bend Rodeo’s Broken Camp, $19,002; 2. Jake Wright, Milford, Utah, 82, $15,018; 3. Spencer Wright, Milford, Utah, 81.5, $11,340; 4. (tie) Chad Ferley, Oelrichs, S.D., and Dustin Flundra, Pincher Creek, Alberta, 79.5, $6,436 each; 6. Jesse Wright, Milford, Utah, 76.5, $3,065; 7. Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M., 76; 8. Jacobs Crawley, Stephenville, Texas, 75.5; 9. Cody DeMoss, Heflin, La., 70; 10. Cort Scheer, Elsmere, Neb., 68.5; 11. (tie) Cody Wright, Milford, Utah; Heith DeMoss, Heflin, La.; Bradley Harter, Loranger, La.; Tyler Corrington, Hastings, Minn., and Cole Elshere, Faith, S.D., NS. World standings: 1. Heith DeMoss, $163,833; 2. Cort Scheer, $156,049; 3. Wade Sundell, $152,835; 4. Spencer Wright, $151,752; 5. Taos Muncy, $141,437; 6. Cody Wright, $130,394; 7. Jake Wright, $121,094; 8. Jacobs Crawley, $120,450; 9. Tyler Corrington, $104,052; 10. Jesse Wright, $103,547; 11. Cody DeMoss, $96,719; 12. Chad Ferley, $88,110; 13. Dustin Flundra, $83,570; 14. Cole Elshere, $82,449; 15. Bradley Harter, $81,885.

    Tie-down roping: 1. (tie) Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, and Cade Swor, Winnie, Texas, 7.6 seconds, $17,010 each; 3. Tuf Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 7.7, $11,340; 4. Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla., 7.8, $7,969; 5. Timber Moore, Aubrey, Texas, 7.9, $4,904; 6. Matt Shiozawa, Chubbuck, Idaho, 9.2, $3,065; 7. Ryan Watkins, Bluff Dale, Texas, 9.8; 8. Clint Robinson, Spanish Fork, Utah, 9.9; 9. Adam Gray, Seymour, Texas, 10.5; 10. Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, La., 16.4; 11. Tyson Durfey, Colbert, Wash., 19.3; 12. (tie) Marty Yates, Stephenville, Texas; Clint Cooper, Decatur, Texas; Reese Riemer, Stinnett, Texas, and Cody Ohl, Hico, Texas, NT. World standings: 1. Tuf Cooper, $193,002; 2. Trevor Brazile, $170,778; 3. Matt Shiozawa, $168,626; 4. Marty Yates, $141,268; 5. Cade Swor, $132,253; 6. Cody Ohl, $129,952; 7. Hunter Herrin, $115,247; 8. Timber Moore, $114,435; 9. Clint Cooper, $108,316; 10. Adam Gray, $104,647; 11. Shane Hanchey, $104,207; 12. Clint Robinson, $102,137; 13. Ryan Watkins, $75,348; 14. Tyson Durfey, $73,742; 15. Reese Riemer, $66,317.

    Barrel racing: 1. Trula Churchill, Valentine, Neb., 13.67 seconds, $19,002; 2. Carlee Pierce, Stephenville, Texas, 13.90, $15,018; 3. Samantha Lyne, Cotulla, Texas, 13.94, $11,340; 4. (tie) Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., and Nancy Hunter, Neola, Utah, 13.96, $6,436 each; 6. Fallon Taylor, Whitesboro, Texas, 14.04, $3,065; 7. Kassidy Dennison, Tohatchi, N.M., 14.09; 8. Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 14.10; 9. Britany Diaz, Solen, N.D., 14.11; 10. Christy Loflin, Franktown, Colo., 14.14; 11. Michele McLeod, Whitesboro, Texas, 14.23; 12. Christine Laughlin, Pueblo, Colo., 14.24; 13. Kaley Bass, Kissimmee, Fla., 14.26; 14. Jana Bean, Fort Hancock, Texas, 14.40; 15. Mary Walker, Ennis, Texas, 24.08. World standings: 1. Fallon Taylor, $221,886; 2. Lisa Lockhart, $213,717; 3. Kaley Bass, $183,170; 4. Michele McLeod, $138,956; 5. Trula Churchill, $137,479; 6. Nancy Hunter, $136,777; 7. Britany Diaz, $131,604; 8. Carlee Pierce, $130,887; 9. Mary Walker, $126,683; 10. Kassidy Dennison, $126,072; 11. Sherry Cervi, $122,165; 12. Christy Loflin, $107,980; 13. Christine Laughlin, $93,135; 14. Jana Bean, $92,483; 15. Samantha Lyne, $81,917.

    Bull riding: 1. Sage Kimzey, Strong City, Okla., 87.5 points on Stace Smith Pro Rodeos’ Foolish Man, $19,002; 2. Tim Bingham, Honeyville, Utah, 86.5, $15,018; 3. Joe Frost, Randlett, Utah, 83.5, $11,340; 4. Elliot Jacoby, Fredericksburg, Texas, 82.5, $7,969; 5. (tie) Trey Benton III, Rock Island, Texas; Cody Teel, Kountze, Texas; J.W. Harris, Mullin, Texas; Beau Hill, West Glacier, Mont.; Aaron Pass, Dallas, Texas; Josh Koschel, Nunn, Colo.; Reid Barker, Comfort, Texas; Brennon Eldred, Sulphur, Okla.; Ty Wallace, Collbran, Colo.; Tyler Smith, Fruita, Colo., and Jordan Spears, Redding, Calif., NS. World standings: 1. Sage Kimzey, $269,899; 2. Trey Benton III, $159,874; 3. Joe Frost, $134,841; 4. Cody Teel, $132,012; 5. Tim Bingham, $115,670; 6. Elliot Jacoby, $105,036; 7. Aaron Pass, $104,550; 8. Beau Hill, $102,711; 9. Jordan Spears, $100,030; 10. J.W. Harris, $97,228; 11. Ty Wallace, $93,935; 12. Brennon Eldred, $89,170; 13. Tyler Smith, $89,042; 14. Reid Barker, $76,227; 15. Josh Koschel, $72,837.

    Total payout: $6,375,000. Stock contractors: Various. Rodeo secretary: Sunni Deb  Backstrom. Assistant secretary: Jackie Higlin. Contestant office manager: Vickie Shireman. Officials: Wade Berry, Terry Carlon, Skip Emmett, George Gibbs, Chuck Hoss, Allan Jordan Jr., Bruce Keller, Butch Kirby, Steve Knowles, Joe Bob Locke, Cliff Overstreet, Harry Rose Jr., Rocky Steagall and Mike Todd. Timers: Sherry Rice Gibson, Tammy Braden and Jessi Franzen. Announcers: Wayne Brooks, Randy Corley and Boyd Polhamus. Specialty acts: Rider Kiesner, Madison MacDonald and Kenny Petet. Bullfighters: Chuck Swisher, Dusty Tuckness and Cody Webster. Barrelman: Justin Rumford. Barrelman alternate: Mark Swingler. Livestock superintendent: John Barnes. Assistant livestock superintendent: Ryan Brown. Roughstock chute boss: Tom Neuens. Timed-event chute boss: Tony Amaral. Pickup men: Josh Edwards and Chase Cervi. Pickup man alternate: Matt Twitchell.

  • Kimzey grabs gold; Brazile looks for more

    Kimzey grabs gold; Brazile looks for more

            LAS VEGAS – On a night when the King of the Cowboys reigned yet again, a young star also was crowned.

    The incomparable Trevor Brazile won the team roping with heeling partner Travis Graves, then shared the tie-down roping win with Matt Shiozawa for a memorable Round 8 at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

    No cowboy had won two events in one night at the WNFR since Jesse Bail won the bull riding and shared the win in saddle bronc riding in Round 4 in 2001. It’s happened 11 times in the 56 years of the Finals that a cowboy won two events in one night.

    A sellout crowd of 17,811 at the Thomas & Mack Center was thrilled by Brazile – who has won a record 21 world championships – and also delighted in the performance of 20-year-old rookie Sage Kimzey, who clinched the bull riding gold buckle.

    “To reach the pinnacle of ProRodeo in my first year is pretty special,” Kimzey said. “It’s unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.”

    He’s just the second bull rider to win Rookie of the Year and the gold buckle in the same season. Bill Kornell did it in 1963.

    Kimzey placed third in the round – Jordan Spears was the winner – and is the only bull rider to ride seven bulls in eight attempts at this Finals; Joe Frost is next with five. So Kimzey is close to clinching the average title – something Kornell didn’t do in 1963. For Kimzey not to win the average, he’d have to be bucked off twice and Frost would have to average 88 points on his next two rides.

    “There are very few times when you can get in a zone like this,” Kimzey said. “Baseball players always refer to it as seeing a beach ball coming toward you, and it’s slow and you know exactly where it’s going. I feel like there’s nothing that can throw me off.”

    Spears, who is a Finals rookie, was equally thrilled.

    “This was a dream come true,” he said. “To be able to set a goal as a little kid and then achieve it is something special. Being here and competing against people I look up to like J.W. Harris, I feel really blessed. To ride to the best of my ability and win tonight makes me ecstatic, and I’m so excited to be here to experience Las Vegas for the first time.”

    Brazile, who has 45 Finals qualifications (which ties him for that record with Tee Woolman), knows all about the spotlight. He won the steer roping gold buckle last month and clinched his 12th consecutive all-around world championship in Round 3 of the WNFR, and still has a chance to win two other titles – which would be unprecedented.

    Brazile sits third in the Windham Weaponry High Performance PRCA World Standings in tie-down roping and third in the average. In team roping, he’s second in the world and third in the average.

    “Trevor’s the king,” Graves said. “He’s a great competitor, and it’s an honor to get to rope with him. We’ve had a blast this year. He’s a great partner all the way around. You couldn’t ask for a better partner. He’s a great competitor and a great person, and he has a great work ethic.”

    Brazile remains focused on the final two rounds.

    “We’ve come a long ways, but we still have a long way to go,” he said. “Two rounds doesn’t sound like much when you say it fast, but there’s still a lot of rodeo left.”

    Brazile and Graves have each won $159,632 in team roping. Clay Tryan and Jade Corkill lead the world with $160,292 and also lead the average; they’re the only team to record a time in all eight rounds, while Brazile and Graves are among three teams to post a time in seven rounds.

    Brazile has won $153,768 in the tie-down roping event this year, and is third in the average with a time of 75.2 seconds on eight head. Two-time World Champion Tie-down Roper Tuf Cooper – who is Brazile’s brother-in-law – leads the world standings with $181,662 and is second in the average with a time of 72.6 seconds on eight head. Shiozawa is second in the world standings with $165,561, and first in the average with a time of 70.9 seconds on eight head.

    “There’s no secret in tie-down,” Brazile said. “I have to blast. I have to do all I can do every night. I’m the one having to catch up, not sustain. It obviously makes it more fun. What people don’t understand when you come out here with a lead to protect (is that) there are just some things you have to do, and sometimes it’s not the glamorous way to rope. You’re just tending to business and I’ve done that a lot out here. It’s always more fun to be the underdog.”

    Shiozawa has been consistently fast all year, but said luck could help determine the champ.

    “The draw is going to play a factor in it some, and you’re going to have to draw good and use what you get,” Shiozawa said. “Overall, the next two sets of calves should be good. If you can’t look forward to this, then you’re missing it.”

    Brazile has earned $421,271 in 2014, the fourth highest total in ProRodeo history. It’s the fifth time in history for a contestant to surpass $400,000 – and each time it’s been by Brazile. His record for annual earnings is $507,921 in 2010.

    Bareback rider Austin Foss is making it hard on Kaycee Feild, who is chasing a fourth consecutive gold buckle and a fourth straight WNFR average title. Foss won for the second time in three rounds – he also claimed Round 6 – and pulled within $27,752 of Feild, who’s the world standings leader.

    Foss rode Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Black Kat for 85.5 points to top the field and jump from fourth to first in the average race. The winner of the average earns an additional $48,732.

    Feild is third in the average, which would earn him $31,262.

    Brimming with confidence, Foss said he can knock off the reigning champ.

    “Anything’s possible. I’m set on one thing and one thing only,” Foss said. “There’s not much of a gap in the world standings and it pays ($19,002) to win a round. I just want to put two and two together and see what happens.

    “It’s my job to take him down. This is about my goals, my dreams, and what I’m living for.”

    He smiled, and added, “I hope it’s out with the old and in with the new.”

    Foss has won $61,758 in eight rounds of this Finals, and said it’s a bit mind-boggling.

    “To be in this position and talk about that kind of money is something a lot of people my age (22) will never get to do,” he said. “It’s a blessing and an honor and a privilege.”

    This is Foss’ second trip to the WNFR, and he said it’s a different feeling.

    “It’s a different game the second year you come here,” he said. “The first year is fun, and you kind of take it all in. The second one is all business.”

    Heith DeMoss regained the world standings lead by winning his first round of the Finals when he rode for 84 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Vitalix Hell’s Fire Hostage.

    “I couldn’t be any happier than I am, and that’s exactly what I needed,” DeMoss said. “I’ve been drawing good horses and riding decent the first seven nights, but tonight I drew a good horse and finally rode really well.”

    DeMoss has $163,833 while Cort Scheer is second with $156,049 and Taos Muncy is third in the world championship race with $141,437. Lurking in fourth place with $140,412 is WNFR rookie Spencer Wright, who also leads the average with 647 points on eight head. Scheer, with 624.5 points, is the only other saddle bronc rider to have eight qualified rides.

    Two-time World Champion Saddle Bronc Rider Cody Wright doctor released from Round 8 – the rule requires him to also miss the following round – due to a dislocated left (riding) shoulder he suffered during Round 7. It’s not certain if Wright, who sat fourth in the world and third in the average after Round 7, will compete in Round 10.

    Wright, who won gold buckles in 2008 and 2010, was one of only three saddle bronc riders to earn a score in the first seven rounds, so he was in hunt for the average title before being injured; he won the WNFR average in 2010.

    Kyle Irwin grabbed at least a share of his third round win, as he tied Ty Erickson for first place in Round 8 with a time of 3.7 seconds. Irwin split the Round 2 win and took Round 3 outright; he’s won $57,927 in his first WNFR.

    “This is great and in a humble way, I always thought if I got here I could do some good because I like to go fast and this is a fast setup,” Irwin said. “It’s been a great experience and I’m lovin’ it.”

    Erickson, also competing in his first Finals, was thrilled to take his first victory lap and earn a trip to the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa for the go-round buckle presentation.

    “I couldn’t be happier right now,” Erickson said. “My first Finals and I get to make a trip out to the South Point. It’s exciting. I just had a good steer. I’ve been kind of late a couple times this week, and tonight I finally got a good start and made a good run on the ground.”

    Barrel racer Mary Walker, the 2012 world champion, claimed her first round win of this Finals with a time of 13.79 seconds.

    “It’s been a bit frustrating this week because I have hit so many barrels,” Walker said. “Tonight I did a bit change, which I have never done before, but I talked to my friend (former WNFR qualifier) Sue Smith and she gave me a few suggestions of things to try and it all seemed to work. I am just so glad that things turned around and I was able to get this win.”

    Lisa Lockhart placed second in the round in 13.81. Lockhart is second in the world and moved within $11,540 of world leader Fallon Taylor.

    Lockhart leads the average with a time of 116.95 seconds, and Taylor is second with 117.10.

    Kimzey leads the RAM Top Gun Award standings with $107,731. Taylor is second with $87,350, followed by Lockhart with $85,664 and Spencer Wright at $80,147.

    The 56th annual Wrangler NFR continues Friday with the ninth round at the Thomas & Mack Center. The action will be televised live and in HD on CBS Sports Net (DirecTV channel 221 and DISH Network channel 158) from 7-10 p.m. (PT) with hosts Jeff Medders and Butch Knowles.

     

    Wrangler National Finals Rodeo

    Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas

    Round 8, Dec. 11, 2014

    Bareback riding: 1. Austin Foss, Terrebonne, Ore., 85.5 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Black Kat, $19,002; 2. Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb., 83.5, $15,018; 3. Richmond Champion, The Woodlands, Texas, 82, $11,340; 4. Tilden Hooper, Carthage, Texas, 81.5, $7,969; 5. (tie) Kaycee Feild, Spanish Fork, Utah, and Jake Vold, Ponoka, Alberta, 80.5, $3,984 each; 7. Winn Ratliff, Leesville, La., 80; 8. Will Lowe, Canyon, Texas, 76; 9. Justin McDaniel, Porum, Okla., 75.5; 10. Caleb Bennett, Tremonton, Utah, 72.5; 11. Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., 71.5; 12. Jessy Davis, Power, Mont., 69.5; 13. J.R. Vezain, Cowley, Wyo., 68; 14. (tie) Steven Peebles, Redmond, Ore., and Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, Iowa, NS. World standings: 1. Kaycee Feild, $212,227; 2. Austin Foss, $184,475; 3. Bobby Mote, $150,017; 4. Steven Peebles, $145,932; 5. Richmond Champion, $140,812; 6. Tim O’Connell, $131,240; 7. Justin McDaniel, $121,981; 8. Will Lowe, $115,104; 9. Tilden Hooper, $109,556; 10. Steven Dent, $108,651; 11. Winn Ratliff, $103,076; 12. Jake Vold, $96,698; 13. Caleb Bennett, $92,296; 14. Jessy Davis, $75,757; 15. J.R. Vezain, $70,208.

    Steer wrestling: 1. (tie) Kyle Irwin, Robertsdale, Ala., and Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont., 3.7 seconds, $17,010 each; 3. Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore., 3.8, $11,340; 4. Dru Melvin, Hebron, Neb., 3.9, $7,969; 5. (tie) Clayton Hass, Terrell, Texas, and Casey Martin, Sulphur, La., 4.1, $3,984 each; 7. (tie) Luke Branquinho, Los Alamos, Calif., and Cole Edge, Durant, Okla., 4.2; 9. K.C. Jones, Decatur, Texas, 4.3; 10. Wyatt Smith, Rexburg, Idaho, 4.8; 11. Dakota Eldridge, Elko, Nev., 5.2; 12. Nick Guy, Sparta, Wis., 6.1; 13. (tie) Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta; Bray Armes, Ponder, Texas, and Seth Brockman, Wheatland, Wyo., NT. World standings: 1. Luke Branquinho, $138,630; 2. Trevor Knowles, $134,406; 3. Nick Guy, $124,341; 4. Kyle Irwin, $117,663; 5. Casey Martin, $116,597; 6. Curtis Cassidy, $101,431; 7. K.C. Jones, $101,058; 8. Clayton Hass, $98,337; 9. Bray Armes, $90,057; 10. Dru Melvin, $88,367; 11. Dakota Eldridge, $86,462; 12. Ty Erickson, $83,579; 13. Wyatt Smith, $75,271; 14. Seth Brockman, $73,468; 15. Cole Edge, $72,424.

    Team roping: 1. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas/Travis Graves, Jay, Okla., 3.8 seconds, $19,002 each; 2. (tie) Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont./Jade Corkill, Fallon, Nev., and Kaleb Driggers, Albany, Ga./Patrick Smith, Lipan, Texas, 4.0, $13,179 each; 4. Aaron Tsinigine, Tuba City, Ariz./Clay O’Brien Cooper, Gardnerville, Nev., 4.6, $7,969; 5. Jake Barnes, Scottsdale, Ariz./Junior Nogueira, Scottsdale, Ariz., 6.1, $4,904; 6. Dustin Bird, Cut Bank, Mont./Paul Eaves, Lonedell, Mo., 9.3, $3,065; 7. Luke Brown, Stephenville, Texas/Kollin VonAhn, Blanchard, Okla., 9.4; 8. Riley Minor, Ellensburg, Wash./Brady Minor, Ellensburg, Wash., 10.9; 9. (tie) Erich Rogers, Round Rock, Ariz./Cory Petska, Marana, Ariz.; Brandon Beers, Powell Butte, Ore./Jim Ross Cooper, Monument, N.M.; Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla./Jake Long, Coffeyville, Kan.; Nick Sartain, Dover, Okla./Rich Skelton, Llano, Texas; Charly Crawford, Prineville, Ore./Shay Carroll, La Junta, Colo.; Turtle Powell, Stephenville, Texas/Dakota Kirchenschlager, Morgan Mill, Texas, and Tom Richards, Humboldt, Ariz./Cesar de la Cruz, Tucson, Ariz., NT. World standings (headers): 1. Clay Tryan, $160,292; 2. Trevor Brazile, $159,632; 3. Dustin Bird, $146,731; 4. Erich Rogers, $125,941; 5. Turtle Powell, $122,332; 6. Coleman Proctor, $121,684; 7. Kaleb Driggers, $112,272; 8. Riley Minor, $111,393; 9. Jake Barnes, $104,523; 10. Aaron Tsinigine, $103,014; 11. Charly Crawford, $99,756; 12. Brandon Beers, $97,267; 13. Luke Brown, $92,065; 14. Nick Sartain, $80,028; 15. Tom Richards, $74,713. World standings (heelers): 1. Jade Corkill, $160,292; 2. Travis Graves, $159,632; 3. Paul Eaves, $149,823; 4. Cory Petska, $126,288; 5. Jake Long, $122,684; 6. Dakota Kirchenschlager, $118,972; 7. Patrick Smith, $112,272; 8. Brady Minor, $111,393; 9. Shay Carroll, $100,815; 10. Jim Ross Cooper, $97,267; 11. Clay O’Brien Cooper, $95,195; 12. Junior Nogueira, $94,515; 13. Kollin VonAhn, $89,065; 14. Rich Skelton, $80,028; 15. Cesar de la Cruz, $66,484.

    Saddle bronc riding: 1. Heith DeMoss, Heflin, La., 84 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Vitalix Hell’s Fire Hostage, $19,002; 2. Jesse Wright, Milford, Utah, 83, $15,018; 3. Spencer Wright, Milford, Utah, 82.5, $11,340; 4. Jake Wright, Milford, Utah, 80.5, $7,969; 5. (tie) Wade Sundell, Boxholm, Iowa, and Bradley Harter, Loranger, La., 79, $3,984 each; 7. Cody DeMoss, Heflin, La., 77.5; 8. (tie) Cort Scheer, Elsmere, Neb.; Jacobs Crawley, Stephenville, Texas, and Tyler Corrington, Hastings, Minn., 74.5 each; 11.Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M., 73; 12. Dustin Flundra, Pincher Creek, Alberta, 70; 13. (tie) Cody Wright, Milford, Utah; Chad Ferley, Oelrichs, S.D., and Cole Elshere, Faith, S.D., NS. World standings: 1. Heith DeMoss, $163,833; 2. Cort Scheer, $156,049; 3. Taos Muncy, $141,437; 4. Spencer Wright, $140,412; 5. Wade Sundell, $133,833; 6. Cody Wright, $130,393; 7. Jacobs Crawley, $120,450; 8. Jake Wright, $106,075; 9. Tyler Corrington, $104,052; 10. Jesse Wright, $100,482; 11. Cody DeMoss, $96,719; 12. Cole Elshere, $82,449; 13. Bradley Harter, $81,885; 14. Chad Ferley, $81,674; 15. Dustin Flundra, $77,133.

    Tie-down roping: 1. (tie) Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, and Matt Shiozawa, Chubbuck, Idaho, 6.8 seconds, $17,010 each; 3. Adam Gray, Seymour, Texas, 6.9, $11,340; 4. (tie) Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla., and Timber Moore, Aubrey, Texas, 7.2, $6,436; 6. Cody Ohl, Hico, Texas, 7.3, $3,065; 7. Clint Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 7.4; 8. Ryan Watkins, Bluff Dale, Texas, 7.7; 9. Tuf Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 8.0; 10. Reese Riemer, Stinnett, Texas, 8.7; 11. Clint Robinson, Spanish Fork, Utah, 18.1; 12. Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, La., 18.8; 13. Cade Swor, Winnie, Texas, 24.7; 14. (tie) Marty Yates, Stephenville, Texas, and Tyson Durfey, Colbert, Wash., NT. World standings: 1. Tuf Cooper, $181,662; 2. Matt Shiozawa, $165,561; 3. Trevor Brazile, $153,768; 4. Marty Yates, $141,268; 5. Cody Ohl, $129,952; 6. Cade Swor, $115,243; 7. Timber Moore, $109,531; 8. Clint Cooper, $108,316; 9. Hunter Herrin, $107,278; 10. Adam Gray, $104,647; 11. Shane Hanchey, $104,207; 12. Clint Robinson, $102,137; 13. Ryan Watkins, $75,348; 14. Tyson Durfey, $73,742; 15. Reese Riemer, $66,317.

    Barrel racing: 1. Mary Walker, Ennis, Texas, 13.79 seconds, $19,002; 2. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 13.81, $15,018; 3. Trula Churchill, Valentine, Neb., 13.85, $11,340; 4. Kaley Bass, Kissimmee, Fla., 13.91, $7,969; 5. Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 13.93, $4,904; 6. Jana Bean, Fort Hancock, Texas, 13.94, $3,065; 7. Fallon Taylor, Whitesboro, Texas, 14.02; 8. Kassidy Dennison, Tohatchi, N.M., 14.03; 9. Nancy Hunter, Neola, Utah, 14.10; 10. Carlee Pierce, Stephenville, Texas, 14.12; 11. Michele McLeod, Whitesboro, Texas, 14.13; 12. Britany Diaz, Solen, N.D., 14.62; 13. Christine Laughlin, Pueblo, Colo., 19.04; 14. Samantha Lyne, Cotulla, Texas, 19.10; 15. Christy Loflin, Franktown, Colo., 30.80. World standings: 1. Fallon Taylor, $218,821; 2. Lisa Lockhart, $207,281; 3. Kaley Bass, $183,170; 4. Michele McLeod, $138,956; 5. Britany Diaz, $131,604; 6. Nancy Hunter, $130,341; 7. Mary Walker, $126,683; 8. Kassidy Dennison, $126,072; 9. Sherry Cervi, $122,165; 10. Trula Churchill, $118,477; 11. Carlee Pierce, $115,870; 12. Christy Loflin, $107,980; 13. Christine Laughlin, $93,135; 14. Jana Bean, $92,483; 15. Samantha Lyne, $70,577.

    Bull riding: 1. Jordan Spears, Redding, Calif., 85.5 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s Johnny Ramone, $19,002; 2. Ty Wallace, Collbran, Colo., 85, $15,018; 3. Sage Kimzey, Strong City, Okla., 84.5, $11,340; 4. Tyler Smith, Fruita, Colo., 82.5, $7,969; 5. Beau Hill, West Glacier, Mont., 81.5, $4,904; 6. Cody Teel, Kountze, Texas, 79, $3,065; 7. Joe Frost, Randlett, Utah, 78; 8. Josh Koschel, Nunn, Colo., 70.5; 9. (tie) Trey Benton III, Rock Island, Texas; J.W. Harris, Mullin, Texas; Tim Bingham, Honeyville, Utah; Aaron Pass, Dallas, Texas; Reid Barker, Comfort, Texas; Brennon Eldred, Sulphur, Okla., and Elliot Jacoby, Fredericksburg, Texas, NS. World standings: 1. Sage Kimzey, $250,897; 2. Trey Benton III, $159,874; 3. Cody Teel, $132,012; 4. Joe Frost, $123,500; 5. Aaron Pass, $104,550; 6. Beau Hill, $102,711; 7. Tim Bingham, $100,652; 8. Jordan Spears, $100,030; 9. J.W. Harris, $97,228; 10. Elliot Jacoby, $97,067; 11. Ty Wallace, $93,935; 12. Brennon Eldred, $89,170; 13. Tyler Smith, $89,042; 14. Reid Barker, $76,227; 15. Josh Koschel, $72,837.

    Total payout: $6,375,000. Stock contractors: Various. Rodeo secretary: Sunni Deb Backstrom. Assistant secretary: Jackie Higlin. Contestant office manager: Vickie Shireman. Officials: Wade Berry, Terry Carlon, Skip Emmett, George Gibbs, Chuck Hoss, Allan Jordan Jr., Bruce Keller, Butch Kirby, Steve Knowles, Joe Bob Locke, Cliff Overstreet, Harry Rose Jr., Rocky Steagall and Mike Todd. Timers: Sherry Rice Gibson, Tammy Braden and Jessi Franzen. Announcers: Wayne Brooks, Randy Corley and Boyd Polhamus. Specialty acts: Rider Kiesner, Madison MacDonald and Kenny Petet. Bullfighters: Chuck Swisher, Dusty Tuckness and Cody Webster. Barrelman: Justin Rumford. Barrelman alternate: Mark Swingler. Livestock superintendent: John Barnes. Assistant livestock superintendent: Ryan Brown. Roughstock chute boss: Tom Neuens. Timed-event chute boss: Tony Amaral. Pickup men: Josh Edwards and Chase Cervi. Pickup man alternate: Matt Twitchell.
  • Bull rider Kimzey looking golden

    Bull rider Kimzey looking golden

    LAS VEGAS – Sage Kimzey put another exclamation point on his amazing rookie season Wednesday night at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

    The 20-year-old bull riding sensation shared the Round 7 win with Elliot Jacoby before a sellout crowd of 17,528 at the Thomas & Mack Center. It was Kimzey’s third round win of the Wrangler NFR – he won outright in Rounds 3 and 4 – and solidified his big leads in the world standings and average races.

    Kimzey said moving closer to his dream of winning a gold buckle might keep him awake the next few nights.

    “I won’t be sleeping at all,” he said. “It’ll probably be me staring at my hotel room wall the next 72 hours when I try to sleep. But it’s all going to be worth it in the end. This is the scenario I wanted coming into Vegas, to be leading and have a chance to win the world if I did my job, and it’s been cool to see my dreams come true so far.”

    Kimzey is trying to become only the second bull rider to win the gold buckle and PRCA Resistol Rookie of the Year award in the same season. Bill Kornell accomplished the feat in 1963.

    “We still have three more rounds, so I’ll just keep pushing and hopefully finish the job,” Kimzey said. “My mindset tonight was the same as every other night, which was to just stay on my bull. If I do that each night, I can’t be too upset, and as long as I’m doing my job, I’m happy.”

    Kimzey, the last cowboy to compete in Round 7, rode for 86.5 points on 4L & Diamond S Rodeo’s Haunted Mesa, after Jacoby had covered Hurst Pro Rodeo’s Cactus Juice for the same score.

    Kimzey said he was pleased to split the win with Jacoby.

    “It’s awesome getting to tie a great bull rider like Elliot for a round win,” Kimzey said. “Vegas has never really seen the true Elliot Jacoby out here, and he kicks butt all year long to get here, so it’s nice to see him have this success right here with me.”

    Jacoby’s first NFR was last year, and he was relieved to claim his first round win.

    “This has been a long time coming,” he said. “I have the jitters out of the way now. The first time I was here, I didn’t feel comfortable, but this time I’ve been a lot better. I want to be able to show everyone what I can do and ride these great bulls and make them look dumb. I can ride these bulls, and now I just have to prove it.”

    Rodeo royalty ruled the tie-down roping as six-time World Champion Cody Ohl and two-time champ Tuf Cooper shared the round win with a time of 7.3 seconds.

    It was Ohl’s 51st round win in tie-down roping, which tied saddle bronc rider Billy Etbauer for the most ever in a single event.

    “Every one of them are special,” Ohl said. “I just can’t wait until I get that record, and it’s going to be very special. It’s all my kids talk about, and it’s going to be awesome.”

    Cooper leads the world standings by $33,111 over Matt Shiozawa, who leads the average with a time of 64.1 seconds on seven head. Cooper is second in the average with a time of 64.6 seconds.

    “I just want to stay aggressive and win as much as I can,” Cooper said. “It’s a dream to win a round and a dream to win the average, and it’s especially a dream to win the world title.”

    Spencer Wright, the youngest of the four Wright brothers competing at the Finals, again bested his siblings and the rest of the field when he rode Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s Pretty Boy for 85 points. Wright leads the average with 564.5 points on seven head and has climbed into the crowded group that is fighting for the gold buckle.

    “I feel like I’m riding well and I’ve been lucky, too,” Wright said. “I’d love to win the average and world titles; I mean, I don’t want to be greedy, but that’s what everybody who comes here wants to do. Hopefully, I’ve put myself in a position where I have a chance to win a world title.”

    He sits sixth in the world standings with $129,972, and the average winner collects another $48,732.

    Cort Sheer took over the world standings lead, though, by taking second place in the round and earning $15,018. He has $156,049 and is second in the average with 550 points on seven head; second place in the average pays $39,537.

    Wright brothers took three of the top four spots in the round, as Jake Wright was third and Jesse Wright, the 2012 world champ, was fourth to earn his first check of the Finals.

    Spencer Wright, who is competing at his first WNFR, praised his brothers for influencing his success.

    “I couldn’t ask for better hands to help me learn the ropes here,” he said. “I have to give a lot of credit to my brothers for the reasons I’m here, and for me having success here. Those guys helped me so much going down the road, and with my bronc riding. I’m very appreciative of them.”

    Cody Wright suffered a dislocated left (riding arm) shoulder, and had to pass on a re-ride option. He was transported to a local emergency room and is doubtful to compete in Thursday’s Round 8.

    Also winning for the second time – he also claimed the buckle in Round 5 – was bareback rider Richmond Champion. He rode for 86 points on his first time aboard Three Hills Rodeo’s Angel Eyes.

    “It’s a dream come true, and it just keeps getting better,” Champion said. “It’s incredible, it’s insane. I didn’t expect it. I had goals coming in, but I didn’t picture round buckles, because I had the end goal in mind of winning the world.”

    The happy-go-lucky 22-year-old from The Woodlands, Texas, said he’s enjoying the lights of Las Vegas and being in the spotlight.

    “I’m just having fun,” Champion said. “Sometimes you do better when you don’t worry about it. I’m just enjoying the experience, and I’m loving it.”

    He said the trip on Angel Eyes was fast and furious.

    “I heard the horse was good, and I’d seen her once,” he said. “I remember Tim O’Connell won on her in Omaha (Neb.) at the (Wrangler) Champions Challenge, but I couldn’t picture it until I got on. She’s a semi-eliminator.”

    Champion was up third in the event, and nervously watched while the best bareback riders in the world tried to beat his score.

    “When you go so early in the perf, you never get comfortable,” he said, “not with those two guys at the end (Bobby Mote and Kaycee Feild) and with so many world champs riding after me.”

    Mote and Feild tied for fourth in the round, and while Feild moved up a spot to third in the average, he failed to gain on Mote, who leads the average with 572 points on seven head. Feild, who is chasing his fourth straight average title and fourth consecutive gold buckle, has a score of 566.5 points on seven head. Feild comfortably leads the world standings with $208,243 – that’s $42,771 ahead of second-place Austin Foss.

    Team ropers Dustin Bird and Paul Eaves came through under pressure – they were the last team to leave the box – and won the round in 3.7 seconds.

    Bird said that “6.5 was winning fourth in the round when we backed in there, so I thought about what Joe Beaver always says when you go at the end of a round like this – ‘just use your head and catch.’ But I got a good start and things happened so fast, so I tried it on him. We’re out of the average, so we have no choice but to win as much as we can in the rounds. That’s how we roll anyway.”

    “Dustin does it about like that every time,” Eaves said. “That’s what I get to throw at everywhere we go. He got it on him fast and gave me a great handle. That’s the run we try to make all the time. It’s just a little faster than usual in this smaller building.”

    Bird and Eaves both sit second in the world standings, but they’re 11th in the average (at 30.6 seconds on only four head). Good news is they’ve pocketed $53,023 at the Finals.

    “This is the most we’ve ever won here, and there are still three rounds left,” Eaves said. “This is more than we’d won after 10 rounds the other two years we roped together here.”

    Taking over the average lead were world standings leaders Clay Tryan and Jade Corkill, as previous leaders Jake Barnes and Junior Nogueira went out after Barnes lost his rope.

    Canadian steer wrestler Curtis Cassidy, who won Round 5, shared the Round 7 victory lap with Dakota Eldridge, who lives nearby in Elko, Nev. They each had a time of 3.7 seconds and pocketed $17,010 for the win.

    “The other guys that had him, he wanted to let off pretty good, and I had such a good start tonight, he was stopping,” Cassidy said. “Luckily, he jumped forward as I caught him, and he stopped and I jumped around there.

    Cassidy has won $43,981 at the WNFR and is fifth in the world standings with $101,431.

    This was just Eldridge’s second check at the 2014 Finals – it’s the second WNFR for the 23-year-old – but he hopes for a fast finish.

    “Last year I won $91,000 here,” he said. “I’m going to have to start doing some catching up the next few days and I started it out right. I haven’t had the week I wanted, but a guy can’t get down. I just have to stay positive and start drawing good, and things will be good the rest of the week.”

    Four-time World Champion Luke Branquinho tied for third in the round with Casey Martin with a time of 3.9 seconds. Branquinho tops the world standings with $138,630 – he’s won $72,638 here through seven rounds – and leads the steer wrestling average with a time of 28.5 seconds on seven head; Martin is second with 33.0 seconds on seven head.

    Barrel racer Lisa Lockhart, who won Round 2, took another victory lap after she won the event with a time of 13.73 seconds, the second fastest time at this year’s WNFR. Lockhart was the first to compete in the event, and said it was beneficial.

    “I do think running at the top helped some tonight,” she said. “It did seem that some of the horses were struggling a bit, so being first proved to be the time to ride smart and take advantage of that position.”

    Fallon Taylor, who took second, leads the world standings with $218,821 – that’s $26,558 more than Lockhart. Taylor leads the average with a time of 103.08 seconds, just .06 ahead of Lockhart.

    Kimzey leads the RAM Top Gun Award standings with $96,391. Taylor is second with $87,350, followed by Branquinho with $72,638 and Lockhart with $70,646. Spencer Wright is fifth at $68,807.

    The 56th annual Wrangler NFR continues Thursday with the eighth round at the Thomas & Mack Center. The action will be televised live and in HD on CBS Sports Net (DirecTV channel 221 and DISH Network channel 158) from 7-10 p.m. (PT) with hosts Jeff Medders and Butch Knowles.

     

    Wrangler National Finals Rodeo

    Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas

    Round 7, Dec. 10

    Bareback riding: 1. Richmond Champion, The Woodlands, Texas, 86 points on Three Hills Rodeo’s Angel Eyes, $19,002; 2. Tilden Hooper, Carthage, Texas, 84, $15,018; 3. Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, Iowa, 83.5, $11,340; 4. (tie) Kaycee Feild, Spanish Fork, Utah, and Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., 81.5, $6,436 each; 6. Austin Foss, Terrebonne, Ore., 81, $3,065; 7. Winn Ratliff, Leesville, La., 79.5; 8. (tie) Caleb Bennett, Tremonton, Utah, and Justin McDaniel, Porum, Okla., 79 each; 10. (tie) Will Lowe, Canyon, Texas, and Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb., 78.5 each; 12. Jake Vold, Ponoka, Alberta, 76; 13. Jessy Davis, Power, Mont., 75.5; 14. (tie) Steven Peebles, Redmond, Ore., and J.R. Vezain, Cowley, Wyo., NS. World standings: 1. Kaycee Feild, $208,243; 2. Austin Foss, $165,473; 3. Bobby Mote, $150,017; 4. Steven Peebles, $145,932; 5. Tim O’Connell, $131,240; 6. Richmond Champion, $129,472; 7. Justin McDaniel, $121,981; 8. Will Lowe, $115,104; 9. Winn Ratliff, $103,076; 10. Tilden Hooper, $101,588; 11. Steven Dent, $93,633; 12. Jake Vold, $92,713; 13. Caleb Bennett, $92,296; 14. Jessy Davis, $75,757; 15. J.R. Vezain, $70,208.

    Steer wrestling: 1. (tie) Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta, and Dakota Eldridge, Elko, Nev., 3.4 seconds, $17,010 each; 3. (tie) Casey Martin, Sulphur, La., and Luke Branquinho, Los Alamos, Calif., 3.9, $9,654 each; 5. Bray Armes, Ponder, Texas, 4.1, $4,904; 6. Wyatt Smith, Rexburg, Idaho, 4.4, $3,065; 7. Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore., 4.5; 8. Nick Guy, Sparta, Wis., 5.2; 9. (tie) Cole Edge, Durant, Okla., and Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont., 6.5 each; 11. Clayton Hass, Terrell, Texas, 6.8; 12. Seth Brockman, Wheatland, Wyo., 7.1; 13. Dru Melvin, Hebron, Neb., 10.6; 14. Kyle Irwin, Robertsdale, Ala., 15.9; 15. K.C. Jones, Decatur, Texas, NT. World standings: 1. Luke Branquinho, $138,630; 2. Nick Guy, $124,341; 3. Trevor Knowles, $123,066; 4. Casey Martin, $112,613; 5. Curtis Cassidy, $101,431; 6. K.C. Jones, $101,058; 7. Kyle Irwin, $100,653; 8. Clayton Hass, $94,353; 9. Bray Armes, $90,057; 10. Dakota Eldridge, $86,462; 11. Dru Melvin, $80,399; 12. Wyatt Smith, $75,271; 13. Seth Brockman, $73,468; 14. Cole Edge, $72,424; 15. Ty Erickson, $66,568.

    Team roping: 1. Dustin Bird, Cut Bank, Mont./Paul Eaves, Lonedell, Mo., 3.7 seconds, $19,002 each; 2. Erich Rogers, Round Rock, Ariz./Cory Petska, Marana, Ariz., 3.9, $15,018; 3. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas/Travis Graves, Jay, Okla., 4.0, $11,340; 4. Aaron Tsinigine, Tuba City, Ariz./Clay O’Brien Cooper, Gardnerville, Nev., 4.2, $7,969; 5. Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla./Jake Long, Coffeyville, Kan., 6.5, $4,904; 6. Kaleb Driggers, Albany, Ga./Patrick Smith, Lipan, Texas, 8.2, $3,065; 7. Turtle Powell, Stephenville, Texas/Dakota Kirchenschlager, Morgan Mill, Texas, 8.7; 8. Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont./Jade Corkill, Fallon, Nev., 10.6; 9. Luke Brown, Stephenville, Texas/Kollin VonAhn, Blanchard, Okla., 21.1; 10. (tie) Riley Minor, Ellensburg, Wash./Brady Minor, Ellensburg, Wash.; Brandon Beers, Powell Butte, Ore./Jim Ross Cooper, Monument, N.M.; Nick Sartain, Dover, Okla./Rich Skelton, Llano, Texas; Jake Barnes, Scottsdale, Ariz./Junior Nogueira, Scottsdale, Ariz.; Charly Crawford, Prineville, Ore./Shay Carroll, La Junta, Colo.; and Tom Richards, Humboldt, Ariz./Cesar de la Cruz, Tucson, Ariz., NT. World standings (headers): 1. Clay Tryan, $147,113; 2. Dustin Bird, $143,666; 3. Trevor Brazile, $140,630; 4. Erich Rogers, $125,941; 5. Turtle Powell, $122,332; 6. Coleman Proctor, $121,684; 7. Riley Minor, $111,393; 8. Charly Crawford, $99,756; 9. Jake Barnes, $99,619; 10. Kaleb Driggers, $99,093; 11. Brandon Beers, $97,267; 12. Aaron Tsinigine, $95,045; 13. Luke Brown, $92,065; 14. Nick Sartain, $80,028; 15. Tom Richards, $74,713. World standings (heelers): 1. Jade Corkill, $147,113; 2. Paul Eaves, $146,758; 3. Travis Graves, $140,630; 4. Cory Petska, $126,288; 5. Jake Long, $122,684; 6. Dakota Kirchenschlager, $118,972; 7. Brady Minor, $111,393; 8. Shay Carroll, $100,815; 9. Patrick Smith, $99,093; 10. Jim Ross Cooper, $97,267; 11. Junior Nogueira, $89,611; 12. Kollin VonAhn, $89,065; 13. Clay O’Brien Cooper, $87,227; 14. Rich Skelton, $80,028; 15. Cesar de la Cruz, $66,484.

    Saddle bronc riding: 1. Spencer Wright, Milford, Utah, 85 points on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s Pretty Boy, $19,002; 2. Cort Scheer, Elsmere, Neb., 80.5, $15,018; 3. Jake Wright, Milford, Utah, 80, $11,340; 4. Jesse Wright, Milford, Utah, 78, $7,969; 5. Wade Sundell, Boxholm, Iowa, 77.5, $4,904; 6. Heith DeMoss, Heflin, La., 77, $3,065; 7. Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M., 76; 8. Dustin Flundra, Pincher Creek, Alberta, 73; 9. Cody Wright, Milford, Utah, 65; 10. (tie) Jacobs Crawley, Stephenville, Texas; Bradley Harter, Loranger, La.; Tyler Corrington, Hastings, Minn.; Chad Ferley, Oelrichs, S.D.; Cole Elshere, Faith, S.D., and Cody DeMoss, Heflin, La., NS. World standings: 1. Cort Scheer, $156,049; 2. Heith DeMoss, $144,831; 3. Taos Muncy, $141,437; 4. Cody Wright, $130,394; 5. Wade Sundell, $129,848; 6. Spencer Wright, $129,072; 7. Jacobs Crawley, $120,450; 8. Tyler Corrington, $104,052; 9. Jake Wright, $98,107; 10. Cody DeMoss, $96,719; 11. Jesse Wright, $85,464; 12. Cole Elshere, $82,449; 13. Chad Ferley, $81,674; 14. Bradley Harter, $77,901; 15. Dustin Flundra, $77,133.

    Tie-down roping: 1. (tie) Tuf Cooper, Decatur, Texas, and Cody Ohl, Hico, Texas, 7.3 seconds, $17,010 each; 3. Clint Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 7.7, $11,340; 4. Timber Moore, Aubrey, Texas, 8.0, $7,969; 5. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 8.8, $4,904; 6. Ryan Watkins, Bluff Dale, Texas, 8.9, $3,065; 7. Cade Swor, Winnie, Texas, 9.0; 8. (tie) Matt Shiozawa, Chubbuck, Idaho, and Adam Gray, Seymour, Texas, 9.3 each; 10. Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, La., 9.4; 11. Reese Riemer, Stinnett, Texas, 12.0; 12. Marty Yates, Stephenville, Texas, 13.6; 13. Clint Robinson, Spanish Fork, Utah, 23.6; 14. (tie) Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla., and Tyson Durfey, Colbert, Wash., NT. World standings: 1. Tuf Cooper, $181,662; 2. Matt Shiozawa, $148,551; 3. Marty Yates, $141,268; 4. Trevor Brazile, $136,757; 5. Cody Ohl, $126,887; 6. Cade Swor, $115,243; 7. Clint Cooper, $108,316; 8. Shane Hanchey, $104,207; 9. Timber Moore, $103,095; 10. Clint Robinson, $102,137; 11. Hunter Herrin, $100,842; 12. Adam Gray, $93,307; 13. Ryan Watkins, $75,348; 14. Tyson Durfey, $73,742; 15. Reese Riemer, $66,317.

    Barrel racing: 1. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 13.73 seconds, $19,002; 2. Fallon Taylor, Whitesboro, Texas, 13.89, $15,018; 3. Carlee Pierce, Stephenville, Texas, 14.04, $11,340; 4. Nancy Hunter, Neola, Utah, 14.08, $7,969; 5. Michele McLeod, Whitesboro, Texas, 14.11, $4,904; 6. Jana Bean, Fort Hancock, Texas, 14.14, $3,065; 7. Kaley Bass, Kissimmee, Fla., 14.15; 8. Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 14.28; 9. Britany Diaz, Solen, N.D., 14.34; 10. Christine Laughlin, Pueblo, Colo., 14.51; 11. Trula Churchill, Valentine, Neb., 18.87; 12. (tie) Mary Walker, Ennis, Texas, and Christy Loflin, Franktown, Colo., 19.20 each; 14. Kassidy Dennison, Tohatchi, N.M., 24.22; 15. Samantha Lyne, Cotulla, Texas, NT. World standings: 1. Fallon Taylor, $218,821; 2. Lisa Lockhart, $192,263; 3. Kaley Bass, $175,201; 4. Michele McLeod, $138,956; 5. Britany Diaz, $131,604; 6. Nancy Hunter, $130,341; 7. Kassidy Dennison, $126,072; 8. Sherry Cervi, $117,261; 9. Carlee Pierce, $115,869; 10. Christy Loflin, $107,980; 11. Mary Walker, $107,681; 12. Trula Churchill, $107,136; 13. Christine Laughlin, $93,135; 14. Jana Bean, $89,418; 15. Samantha Lyne, $70,577.

    Bull riding: 1. (tie) Sage Kimzey, Strong City, Okla., on 4L & Diamond S Rodeo’s Haunted Mesa, and Elliot Jacoby, Fredericksburg, Texas, on Hurst Pro Rodeo’s Cactus Jungle, 86.5 points, $17,010 each; 3. Brennon Eldred, Sulphur, Okla., 84.5, $11,340; 4. Tyler Smith, Fruita, Colo., 82.5, $7,969; 5. (tie) J.W. Harris, Mullin, Texas, and Jordan Spears, Redding, Calif., 80, $3,984 each; 7. Cody Teel, Kountze, Texas, 76.5; 8. Josh Koschel, Nunn, Colo., 73.5; 9. (tie) Trey Benton III, Rock Island, Texas; Tim Bingham, Honeyville, Utah; Beau Hill, West Glacier, Mont.; Aaron Pass, Dallas, Texas; Reid Barker, Comfort, Texas; Joe Frost, Randlett, Utah, and Ty Wallace, Collbran, Colo., NS. World standings: 1. Sage Kimzey, $239,556; 2. Trey Benton III, $159,874; 3. Cody Teel, $128,947; 4. Joe Frost, $123,500; 5. Aaron Pass, $104,550; 6. Tim Bingham, $100,652; 7. Beau Hill, $97,807; 8. J.W. Harris, $97,228; 9. Elliot Jacoby, $97,067; 10. Brennon Eldred, $89,170; 11. Tyler Smith, $81,074; 12. Jordan Spears, $81,027; 13. Ty Wallace, $78,917; 14. Reid Barker, $76,227; 15. Josh Koschel, $72,837.

    Total payout: $6,375,000. Stock contractors: Various. Rodeo secretary: Sunni Deb Backstrom. Assistant secretary: Jackie Higlin. Contestant office manager: Vickie Shireman. Officials: Wade Berry, Terry Carlon, Skip Emmett, George Gibbs, Chuck Hoss, Allan Jordan Jr., Bruce Keller, Butch Kirby, Steve Knowles, Joe Bob Locke, Cliff Overstreet, Harry Rose Jr., Rocky Steagall and Mike Todd. Timers: Sherry Rice Gibson, Tammy Braden and Jessi Franzen. Announcers: Wayne Brooks, Randy Corley and Boyd Polhamus. Specialty acts: Rider Kiesner, Madison MacDonald and Kenny Petet. Bullfighters: Chuck Swisher, Dusty Tuckness and Cody Webster. Barrelman: Justin Rumford. Barrelman alternate: Mark Swingler. Livestock superintendent: John Barnes. Assistant livestock superintendent: Ryan Brown. Roughstock chute boss: Tom Neuens. Timed-event chute boss: Tony Amaral. Pickup men: Josh Edwards and Chase Cervi. Pickup man alternate: Matt Twitchell.

  • Shiozawa takes aim at top spot

    Shiozawa takes aim at top spot

    LAS VEGAS – Matt Shiozawa is chasing an elusive gold buckle, and the veteran tie-down roper put himself in great position to get it done Tuesday night at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

    The Chubbuck, Idaho, cowboy broke the Round 6 WNFR record with a run of 6.9 seconds before a sellout crowd of 17,495 at the Thomas & Mack Center, and it was good enough to share the round win with 20-year-old Marty Yates, who had already won two rounds in his first Wrangler NFR.

    Shiozawa, who is competing in his seventh Finals, took over the average lead and sits second in the Windham Weaponry High Performance PRCA World Standings with $148,551. He trails world leader Tuf Cooper, a two-time world champion, by $16,101.

    The 10-day rodeo concludes Saturday.

    “We were at halftime (of the WNFR), and it was time to score,” said Shiozawa, 34. “I came in behind in the average and we still have four more to run, but I have to win money on the ones I’m supposed to, and get by on the ones that I’m supposed to get by on. It’s that simple.”

    Shiozawa and Yates each earned $17,010 by splitting the win. They each broke Cody Ohl’s Round 6 record of 7.1 seconds, set in 2003.

    Yates is third in the world standings, but sits 12th in the average because he’s had two no-times.

    Cooper is second in the average with a time of 57.3 seconds on six head. Shiozawa has a time of 54.8 seconds on six head.

    “A guy has to keep going at ’em,” Shiozawa said. “There’s still a lot of game left in this deal and it’s definitely not any time to coast. The average will play a factor, but you can’t worry about that until it’s over.”

    The average winner will add $48,732 to his bank account, and that could determine who wins the gold buckle.

    Yates said he’s determined to stay aggressive, and would even if he was fighting for the average title.

    “I kind of have a run-and-gun style, and I’ve been really running at the barrier every night and getting a good start,” he said. “The ones I have won on, I’ve been really aggressive. The two I missed, I backed off a little bit. I just have to stay focused and stay aggressive.”

    Bareback rider Austin Foss rode for 86 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Movie Madness, then sweated out three re-rides by other cowboys before he was officially declared the winner. It was the first career round win for Foss, who is competing in his second Wrangler NFR.

    “Sitting on that horse and taking a victory lap at Thomas & Mack was just incredible,” Foss said. “The people are whooping and hollering, and it was all for me. It’s just an indescribable feeling. It’s the most moving feeling I’ve had all year. It could be an addicting feeling, it felt so good.”

    The 22-year-old Terrebonne, Ore., cowboy was the 2012 PRCA Resistol Bareback Riding Rookie of the Year. He won 10 rodeos outright in 2014, and shared the title at five others, and said it was all he had hoped for.

    “It’s absolutely beyond expectations,” Foss said. “I was hovering around the 1-2-3 spots all year and it was a really good feeling to be able to stay there. I was very consistent all year, and it just kept adding up.”

    Of the three re-rides, only Bobby Mote’s was good enough to earn a check as the four-time world champion bareback rider took second when he rode for 83 points.

    “You sit there and grit your teeth,” Foss said. “There’s not much you can do, because the cards are going to fall the way they’re going to fall. It’s a great feeling to know you won.”

    Mote’s check for $15,018 pushed him past $1 million in career earnings at the WNFR. He’s the seventh contestant to reach that mark, joining Trevor Brazile, Cody Ohl, Billy Etbauer, Sherry Cervi, Fred Whitfield and Joe Beaver. Mote is in eighth place in overall career earnings with $2,576,039 after passing ProRodeo Hall of Famer Dan Mortensen when he finished third in Round 3.

    Steer wrestler Luke Branquinho had won a check in each round of this year’s Finals until Round 6; he’s within $25,722 of reaching $1 million in WNFR competition.

    K.C. Jones broke through to earn his first check of this Finals in a big way, when he took the steer wrestling round buckle in 3.5 seconds. Jones, an eight-time qualifier for the WNFR, improved to second in the average with a time of 28.3 seconds on six head. Jones is fifth in the world with $101,058.

    Branquinho is first in the world standings with $128,976 and leads the average with 24.6 seconds on six head.

    “It’s anybody’s game right now,” Jones said. “There are a lot of guys who could still walk out of here with that gold buckle. I’m just lucky I’ve got all (my steers) down and I won a little money tonight. I’m also glad I have four more steers.”

    Jones changed horses, after riding Tebow for five rounds.

    “We were making good runs, but we just haven’t been able to light up the leaderboard,” Jones said. “He came up with a sore suspensory (ligament), so we were going to give him some time off. I got on the black mare of Judd Little’s called Smoker I rode here the last two years. She’s really electric and I got a great start.

    “I’m just throwing all caution to the wind, and I’m just going to try and blow that barrier out every night and see how much we can win.”

    Bull rider Aaron Pass claimed his second round win – he also took Round 2 – when he scored 83.5 points on Honeycutt Rodeo’s Pair a Dice. He was the first cowboy to ride Pair a Dice.

    “I didn’t know that going in, and all I was told was the bull was big, strong and gave people a bunch of trouble,” Pass said. “It’s always nice to break a bull’s streak, just like to break a great athlete’s streak. The bull was good and did what he was supposed to do, and I just had to stay on and do my part.

    “I feel good. I wanted to win more rounds by now, but I’ve had some bad rides. I’m happy that I’ve won two rounds, and I told my wife on the way to Vegas that I wanted to win three rounds out of 10. So I guess I have four more nights and maybe I can win more than three. That’s the plan.”

    Only three bull riders stayed aboard for eight seconds. World standings leader Sage Kimzey, a rookie at age 20, took second with 73.5 points while 35-year-old Beau Hill was third with 72.

    Kimzey, who leads the average, is trying to become just the second bull riding rookie to win a gold buckle; Bill Kornell accomplished the feat in 1963.

    Jake Wright won the saddle bronc riding in Round 6 when he rode for 79 points on Powder River Rodeo’s Rich N Fancy.

    “That was the best 79 points I’ve ever had,” said Wright, who earned a check for $19,002.

    Wright finished second in the world standings last year when he won four rounds at the WNFR. In 26 career rounds at the Finals, the Milford, Utah, cowboy has won seven times.

    “This is a rodeo that’s close to home for me, and I love to ride in front of a hometown crowd,” Wright said. “It’s a great atmosphere, and everybody is excited to be here and it’s the best broncs and bronc riders in the world. You just try to bring your ‘A’ game.

    “Tonight was the horses’ second trip this NFR, and they seemed a little tired compared to Round 1. But I’ll still take the win.”

    Heith DeMoss took the lead in a red-hot world saddle bronc riding race, where $735 separates him from third-place Cort Scheer. Taos Muncy, who entered the Finals in first place, is second. Spencer Wright, who tied for third in the round, leads the average with 479.5 points on six head; Scheer and Cody Wright are the only other cowboys to make the whistle in all six rounds.

    The four Wright brothers – Cody, Jake, Jesse and Spencer – are the first set of brothers to qualify for the WNFR, and all did it in the same year. Spencer and Jake both have round wins at this Finals, while two-time World Champion Cody (2008, 2010) and 2012 World Champion Jesse have yet to take a victory lap.

    “Cody rode great last night, but Wade (Sundell) is also riding great right now and it just depends on who rides the best each night,” Jake Wright said. “It’s been awesome to be here competing with my three brothers, and it’s everything we thought it would be.”

    Team ropers Aaron Tsinigine and Clay O’Brien Cooper won their first check of the WNFR with a run of 4.0 seconds. The 28-year-old Tsinigine is competing in his first Finals while Cooper, 53, is roping at his 28th. The legendary Cooper is a seven-time world champion (1985-89, 1992, 1994) and ProRodeo Hall of Famer.

    “My confidence is higher roping with the Champ,” Tsinigine said of Cooper. “He knows everything. And if he doesn’t know something, he knows how to figure it out. I don’t want to get too excited. I’ve seen guys win go-rounds and not do good the next night. I like to stick to my game plan – get out of the barrier and catch every steer.”

    Cooper, whose last round win at the WNFR was in 2006 in Round 5 when he was roping with Speed Williams, praised his heading partner and said the Thomas & Mack Center is ideal for Tsinigine.

    “Aaron’s been roping great and turning steers fast all week,” Cooper said. “This short setup is right up his alley, because it’s a fast track. Aaron has a hair trigger. He can take one swing and just wham ’em right there. It happens so fast, and I’ve felt like I was behind all week because I wasn’t riding my position so great and was riding in too early. I needed to be more patient. I was finally able to get it right tonight. I couldn’t have asked for a more clear shot.”

    Britany Diaz, aboard her horse Rootie, won the barrel racing with a time of 13.89 seconds, and sits third in the average and fifth in the world. Fallon Taylor was fourth in 14.08 seconds and leads the world with $203,803 – which is $25,602 ahead of Kaley Bass.

    “I am so excited,” said Diaz, who earned her first round win in her second WNFR. “Rootie has been really consistent. It’s been a great ride thus far.”

    Kimzey leads the RAM Top Gun Award standings with $79,381. Taylor is second with $72,332 and steer wrestler Luke Branquinho is third with $62,984.

    The 56th annual Wrangler NFR continues Wednesday with the seventh round at the Thomas & Mack Center. The action will be televised live and in HD on CBS Sports Net (DirecTV channel 221 and DISH Network channel 158) from 7-10 p.m. (PT) with hosts Jeff Medders and Butch Knowles.


    Wrangler National Finals Rodeo

    Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas

    Round 6 – Dec. 9

    Bareback riding: 1. Austin Foss, Terrebonne, Ore., 86 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Movie Madness, $19,002; 2. Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., 83.0, $15,018; 3. (tie) Caleb Bennett, Tremonton, Utah, and Jessy Davis, Power, Mont.; and Tilden Hooper, Carthage, Texas, 81, $8,071 each; 6. (tie) Kaycee Feild, Spanish Fork, Utah, and Will Lowe, Canyon, Texas, 80, $1,532 each; 8. Jake Vold, Ponoka, Alberta, 79; 9. Winn Ratliff, Leesville, La., 78.5; 10. Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, Iowa, 77.5; 11. Richmond Champion, The Woodlands, Texas, 74.5; 12. Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb., 71; 13. J.R. Vezain, Cowley, Wyo., 70.5; 14. (tie) Steven Peebles, Redmond, Ore., and Justin McDaniel, Porum, Okla., NS. World standings: 1. Kaycee Feild, $201,807; 2. Austin Foss, $162,408; 3. Steven Peebles, $145,932; 4. Bobby Mote, $143,581; 5. Justin McDaniel, $121,981; 6. Tim O’Connell, $119,900; 7. Will Lowe, $115,104; 8. Richmond Champion, $110,470; 9. Winn Ratliff, $103,076; 10. Steven Dent, $93,633; 11. Jake Vold, $92,713; 12. Caleb Bennett, $92,296; 13. Tilden Hooper, $86,570; 14. Jessy Davis, $75,757; 15. J.R. Vezain, $70,208.

    Steer wrestling: 1. K.C. Jones, Decatur, Texas, 3.5 seconds, $19,002; 2. Wyatt Smith, Rexburg, Idaho, 3.6, $15,018; 3. Clayton Hass, Terrell, Texas, 3.7, $11,340; 4. Dru Melvin, Hebron, Neb., 4.1, $7,969; 5. Bray Armes, Ponder, Texas, 4.2, $4,904; 6. (tie) Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont., and Seth Brockman, Wheatland, Wyo., 4.8, $1,532 each; 8. Cole Edge, Durant, Okla., 5.2; 9. (tie) Casey Martin, Sulphur, La.; Luke Branquinho, Los Alamos, Calif., and Kyle Irwin, Robertsdale, Ala., 5.5 each; 12. Dakota Eldridge, Elko, Nev., 8.5; 13. Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta, 19.0; 14. (tie) Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore., and Nick Guy, Sparta, Wis., NT. World standings: 1. Luke Branquinho, $128,976; 2. Nick Guy, $124,341; 3. Trevor Knowles, $123,066; 4. Casey Martin, $102,959; 5. K.C. Jones, $101,058; 6. Kyle Irwin, $100,653; 7. Clayton Hass, $94,353; 8. Bray Armes, $85,153; 9. Curtis Cassidy, $84,421; 10. Dru Melvin, $80,399; 11. Seth Brockman, $73,468; 12. Cole Edge, $72,424; 13. Wyatt Smith, $72,206; 14. Dakota Eldridge, $69,452; 15. Ty Erickson, $66,568.

    Team roping: 1. Aaron Tsinigine, Tuba City, Ariz./Clay O’Brien Cooper, Gardnerville, Nev., 4.0 seconds, $19,002; 2. Turtle Powell, Stephenville, Texas/Dakota Kirchenschlager, Morgan Mill, Texas, 4.2, $15,018; 3. Jake Barnes, Scottsdale, Ariz./Junior Nogueira, Scottsdale, Ariz., 4.4, $11,340; 4. Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont./Jade Corkill, Fallon, Nev., 5.0, $7,969; 5. Tom Richards, Humboldt, Ariz./Cesar de la Cruz, Tucson, Ariz., 5.3, $4,904; 6. Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla./Jake Long, Coffeyville, Kan., 5.5, $3,065; 7. Kaleb Driggers, Albany, Ga./Patrick Smith, Lipan, Texas, 8.8; 8. Charly Crawford, Prineville, Ore./Shay Carroll, La Junta, Colo., 11.8; 9. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas/Travis Graves, Jay, Okla., 15.2; 10. (tie) Erich Rogers, Round Rock, Ariz./Cory Petska, Marana, Ariz.; Dustin Bird, Cut Bank, Mont./Paul Eaves, Lonedell, Mo.; Riley Minor, Ellensburg, Wash./Brady Minor, Ellensburg, Wash.; Brandon Beers, Powell Butte, Ore./Jim Ross Cooper, Monument, N.M.; Nick Sartain, Dover, Okla./Rich Skelton, Llano, Texas, and Luke Brown, Stephenville, Texas/Kollin VonAhn, Blanchard, Okla., NT. World standings (headers): 1. Clay Tryan, $147,113; 2. Trevor Brazile, $129,290; 3. Dustin Bird, $124,663; 4. Turtle Powell, $122,332; 5. Coleman Proctor, $116,780; 6. Riley Minor, $111,393; 7. Erich Rogers, $110,923; 8. Charly Crawford, $99,756; 9 Jake Barnes, $99,619; 10. Brandon Beers, $97,267; 11. Kaleb Driggers, $96,028; 12. Luke Brown, $92,065; 13. Aaron Tsinigine, $87,076; 14. Nick Sartain, $80,028; 15. Tom Richards, $74,713. World standings (heelers): 1. Jade Corkill, $147,113; 2. Travis Graves, $129,290; 3. Paul Eaves, $127,755; 4. Dakota Kirchenschlager, $118,972; 5. Jake Long, $117,780; 6. Brady Minor, $111,393; 7. Cory Petska, $111,270; 8. Shay Carroll, $100,815; 9. Jim Ross Cooper, $97,267; 10. Patrick Smith, $96,028; 11. Junior Nogueira, $89,611; 12. Kollin VonAhn, $89,065; 13. Rich Skelton, $80,028; 14. Clay O’Brien Cooper, $79,258; 15. Cesar de la Cruz, $66,484.

    Saddle bronc riding: 1. Jake Wright, Milford, Utah, 79 points on Powder River Rodeo’s Rich N Fancy, $19,002; 2. Cody DeMoss, Heflin, La., 78.5, $15,018; 3. (tie) Heith DeMoss, Heflin, La., and Spencer Wright, Milford, Utah, 78, $9,654 each; 5. Tyler Corrington, Hastings, Minn., 77.5, $4,904; 6. (tie) Cort Scheer, Elsmere, Neb., and Dustin Flundra, Pincher Creek, Alberta, 76.5, $1,532 each; 8. Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M., 75; 9. Wade Sundell, Boxholm, Iowa, 74; 10. (tie) Cody Wright, Milford, Utah, and Jesse Wright, Milford, Utah, 71 each; 12. (tie) Jacobs Crawley, Stephenville, Texas; Bradley Harter, Loranger, La.; Chad Ferley, Oelrichs, S.D., and Cole Elshere, Faith, S.D., NS. World standings: 1. Heith DeMoss, $141,766; 2. Taos Muncy, $141,437; 3. Cort Scheer, $141,031; 4. Cody Wright, $130,394; 5. Wade Sundell, $124,944; 6. Jacobs Crawley, $120,450; 7. Spencer Wright, $110,069; 8. Tyler Corrington, $104,052; 9. Cody DeMoss, $96,719; 10. Jake Wright, $86,767; 11. Cole Elshere, $82,449; 12. Chad Ferley, $81,674; 13. Bradley Harter, $77,900; 14. Jesse Wright, $77,495; 15. Dustin Flundra, $77,133.

    Tie-down roping: 1. (tie) Matt Shiozawa, Chubbuck, Idaho, and Marty Yates, Stephenville, Texas, 6.9 seconds, $17,010 each; 3. (tie) Timber Moore, Aubrey, Texas, and Cody Ohl, Hico, Texas, 7.3, $9,654 each; 5. Adam Gray, Seymour, Texas, 7.5, $4,904; 6. (tie) Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla., and Tyson Durfey, Colbert, Wash., 7.6, $1,532 each; 8. (tie) Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, La., and Cade Swor, Winnie, Texas, 8.0 each; 10. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 8.5; 11. Ryan Watkins, Bluff Dale, Texas, 9.6; 12. Reese Riemer, Stinnett, Texas, 11.7; 13. Tuf Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 15.7; 14. (tie) Clint Robinson, Spanish Fork, Utah, and Clint Cooper, Decatur, Texas, NT. World standings: 1. Tuf Cooper, $164,652; 2. Matt Shiozawa, $148,551; 3. Marty Yates, $141,268; 4. Trevor Brazile, $131,854; 5. Cade Swor, $115,243; 6. Cody Ohl, $109,877; 7. Shane Hanchey, $104,207; 8. Clint Robinson, $102,137; 9. Hunter Herrin, $100,842; 10. Clint Cooper, $96,976; 11. Timber Moore, $95,126; 12. Adam Gray, $93,307; 13. Tyson Durfey, $73,742; 14. Ryan Watkins, $72,283; 15. Reese Riemer, $66,317.

    Barrel racing: 1. Britany Diaz, Solen, N.D., 13.89 seconds, $19,002; 2. Kaley Bass, Kissimmee, Fla., 13.90, $15,018; 3. Christy Loflin, Franktown, Colo., 13.91, $11,340; 4. Fallon Taylor, Whitesboro, Texas, 14.08, $7,969; 5. Trula Churchill, Valentine, Neb., 14.13, $4,904; 6. Jana Bean, Fort Hancock, Texas, 14.18, $3,065; 7. Christine Laughlin, Pueblo, Colo., 14.28; 8. Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 14.29; 9. Samantha Lyne, Cotulla, Texas, 14.35; 10. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 18.72; 11. Nancy Hunter, Neola, Utah, 18.86; 12. Kassidy Dennison, Tohatchi, N.M., 18.90; 13. Mary Walker, Ennis, Texas, 18.96; 14. Michele McLeod, Whitesboro, Texas, 19.00; 15. Carlee Pierce, Stephenville, Texas, 19.32. World standings: 1. Fallon Taylor, $203,803; 2. Kaley Bass, $175,201; 3. Lisa Lockhart, $173,261; 4. Michele McLeod, $134,052; 5. Britany Diaz, $131,604; 6. Kassidy Dennison, $126,072; 7. Nancy Hunter, $122,372; 8. Sherry Cervi, $117,261; 9. Christy Loflin, $107,980; 10. Mary Walker, $107,681; 11. Trula Churchill, $107,136; 12. Carlee Pierce, $104,529; 13. Christine Laughlin, $93,135; 14. Jana Bean, $86,353; 15. Samantha Lyne, $70,577.

    Bull riding: 1. Aaron Pass, Dallas, Texas, 83.5 points on Honeycutt Rodeo’s Pair a Dice, $19,002; 2. Sage Kimzey, Strong City, Okla., 73.5, $15,018; 3. Beau Hill, West Glacier, Mont., 72, $11,340; 4. (tie) Trey Benton III, Rock Island, Texas; Cody Teel, Kountze, Texas; J.W. Harris, Mullin, Texas; Tim Bingham, Honeyville, Utah; Josh Koschel, Nunn, Colo.; Reid Barker, Comfort, Texas; Joe Frost, Randlett, Utah; Brennon Eldred, Sulphur, Okla.; Elliot Jacoby, Fredericksburg, Texas; Ty Wallace, Collbran, Colo.; Tyler Smith, Fruita, Colo., and Jordan Spears, Redding, Calif., NS. World standings: 1. Sage Kimzey, 222,546; 2. Trey Benton III, $159,874; 3. Cody Teel, $128,947; 4. Joe Frost, $123,500; 5. Aaron Pass, $104,550; 6. Tim Bingham, $100,652; 7. Beau Hill, $97,807; 8. J.W. Harris, $93,244; 9. Elliot Jacoby, $80,057; 10. Ty Wallace, $78,917; 11. Brennon Eldred, $77,830; 12. Jordan Spears, $77,043; 13. Reid Barker, $76,227; 14. Tyler Smith, $73,105; 15. Josh Koschel, $72,837.

    Total payout: $6,375,000. Stock contractors: Various. Rodeo secretary: Sunni Deb Backstrom. Assistant secretary: Jackie Higlin. Contestant office manager: Vickie Shireman. Officials: Wade Berry, Terry Carlon, Skip Emmett, George Gibbs, Chuck Hoss, Allan Jordan Jr., Bruce Keller, Butch Kirby, Steve Knowles, Joe Bob Locke, Cliff Overstreet, Harry Rose Jr., Rocky Steagall and Mike Todd. Timers: Sherry Rice Gibson, Tammy Braden and Jessi Franzen. Announcers: Wayne Brooks, Randy Corley and Boyd Polhamus. Specialty acts: Rider Kiesner, Madison MacDonald and Kenny Petet. Bullfighters: Chuck Swisher, Dusty Tuckness and Cody Webster. Barrelman: Justin Rumford. Barrrelman alternate: Mark Swingler. Livestock superintendent: John Barnes. Assistant livestock superintendent: Ryan Brown. Roughstock chute boss: Tom Neuens. Timed-event chute boss: Tony Amaral. Pickup men: Josh Edwards and Chase Cervi. Pickup man alternate: Matt Twitchell.

  • Frost rockets to emotional win

    Frost rockets to emotional win

     

    LAS VEGAS – Bull rider Joe Frost had extra incentive to win Round 5 at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo Monday. And he came through with flying colors on an emotional “Tough Enough to Wear Pink Night” at the Thomas & Mack Center.

    Frost, 22, is a senior at Oklahoma Panhandle State University and wore a “Riding for Craig” patch on his shirt and vest to honor his college rodeo coach, NFR saddle bronc rider Craig Latham, who is in a long-running battle with cancer.

    Frost called Latham “my hero,” and said, “I’ve called him and talked to him each night before I ride. Today, he called me at noon and told me that he was here in Las Vegas to watch me ride, and we had an extra ticket, so he sat with my parents (Shane and Lisa Frost). This one was for him. There was no way I was getting bucked off tonight.”

    After his victory lap, Frost was emotional while being congratulated by friends.

    “I shed a tear,” said the tough bull rider, who is also the 2014 Linderman Award winner, which goes to the cowboy who wins the most money in at least three events, and a minimum of $1,000 in each, including at least one event at both ends of the arena.

    Frost rode Corey & Lange Rodeo’s Bottle Rocket for 89 points to earn a check of $19,002.

    “I was very focused,” Frost said. “That bull bucked me off in about one-and-a-half seconds at the short round in Ellensburg (Wash.) this year, but I knew I had him tonight. I knew I had the best bull out tonight, so as long as I got my job done, I knew that I would have a good ride and let the judges sort it out.

    “My main goal coming into this week was to win a world title, and that’s still my goal. Bull No. 6 tomorrow night is the only thing I’m worried about right now.”

    Frost also won Round 1, in an impressive performance at his first Wrangler NFR. He sits fourth in the Windham Weaponry High Performance PRCA World Standings with $123,500, and is second in the WNFR average race with 329 points on four bulls.

    WNFR rookie Sage Kimzey leads the world with $207,528 and tops the average with 339 points on four head.

    “Tonight it especially was a big win because Sage Kimzey has won two rounds already,” Frost said, “so it was my turn to get my second tonight.”

    Kimzey broke Steve Woolsey’s 2005 rookie earnings record for a full season in any event ($197,646), and Woolsey’s overall rookie earnings record ($202,128).

    Kimzey took second in the round and earned $15,018.

    A proven pairing teamed up again in the bareback riding as Richmond Champion got his dream draw and made the most of it. The 21-year-old cowboy from The Woodlands, Texas, won the bareback riding with a score of 89 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s 2014 PRCA Bareback Horse of the Year Dirty Jacket.

    Champion heard about his draw the night before, and got a jolt of positive energy.

    “Me and Jake Vold and Caleb Bennett were signing autographs last night, and Caleb had the (bareback riding) stock (draw) on his phone,” Champion said. “They were kidding me, so I knew something was up. When they told me, I threw my Sharpie in the air and said, ‘Wow!’ I ran around the bar and was giving high-fives, then decided I’d go to bed early and not go out.”

    Champion rode for a season-best 91 points on Dirty Jacket at the Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days Rodeo.

    “I thought he was just as good tonight,” Champion said. “I was really trying not to think about it. I tried to wipe Cheyenne out of my mind. He’s done different things. I just wanted to mark him out good, and I knew the rest would take care of itself. He’s a great athlete, just incredible. In the chute, you can feel every muscle he’s got. He’s like a spring that’s compressed. I’ve yet to be on another horse that feels like that.”

    Dirty Jacket is a consistent performer; Steven Dent also rode him for 91 points at the Cowboy Capital of the World PRCA Rodeo in Stephenville, Texas, in September.

    Champion is competing at his first WNFR, and said Round 5 is one he’ll always remember.

    “To go 88-and-a-half, Thomas & Mack, the NFR, it doesn’t get any better,” he said. “I’m ecstatic.”

    Champion is eighth in the world standings and sixth in the average.

    World standings leader and three-time defending World Champion Bareback Rider Kaycee Feild took fifth in the round and earned $4,904 to crack the $200,000 barrier for 2014. Feild, who is fifth in the average, is shooting for his fourth consecutive average title. Justin McDaniel leads the average with 421.5 points on five head, while Feild has 405 points on five head.

    A winner for the second straight night was saddle bronc rider Wade Sundell, who rode for 87 points on Bar T Rodeo’s Son of Sadie.

    “I had been on Son of Sadie once before, and was 87 that time, too,” Sundell said. “Tonight, the horse yanked all the rein out of my hand on about the third jump, and thank goodness that I caught it. I mean, he really yanked it and it was about a foot of the rein that went up in my hand. I just grabbed for it, and luckily was able to get enough to finish the ride.”

    The 29-year-old Coleman, Okla., cowboy, is taking an all-or-nothing approach after being bucked off two horses and seemingly being out of the race for the average title.

    “Going out and being aggressive is the only way to do it when you’re two down in the average,” he said. “I have to win every round I possibly can to collect as much money as I can, and hopefully it’ll all work out.

    “I need to keep drawing well and getting horses like that one that jam up and buck, and I need to keep doing my part. I’m going to wad this up and put it in the trash and go at tomorrow night fresh, because I need to keep winning rounds and not be happy with what I’ve done.”

    Steer wrestler Curtis Cassidy of Donalda, Alberta, became the first Canadian to win a round at the WNFR since barrel racer Lindsay Sears in Round 8 in 2012.

    The last bulldogger to win a round at the Finals? It was none other than Cassidy, who won Round 10 in 2010.

    Cassidy’s time of 3.3 seconds was a personal best at the WNFR. Trevor Knowles, who led the world coming into the 10-day Finals and now sits third in the standings, took second in 3.9 seconds.

    Nick Guy was third and is second in the average behind four-time World Champion Luke Branquinho, who also leads the world. Branquinho tied for third in the round with Nick Guy, who is second in the average.

    Cassidy, who is sixth in the world standings with $84,421, didn’t think he had a chance to win the round. He thought for certain he’d broken the barrier and incurred a 10-second penalty.

    “I didn’t think I broke the barrier, I thought I broke the barrier for sure,” he said. “When I was catching the steer, I remember thinking I broke the barrier and I’m catching this good sucker right here. I threw him down and I got back up slow, and I looked at the barrier and I figured the judges would be there for sure picking the pigtail up. The pigtail was still in the barrier and I couldn’t believe it. It was awesome. Then, to be 3.3 makes it even sweeter.”

    Cassidy had quite a turnaround from his Round-4 performance, when he stopped the clock in 17.7 seconds.

    “It’s rodeo, that’s exactly what it is all about,” he said. “One day it’s the depths of despair and another day you’re on top of the mountain. Rodeo is humbling. You can’t ever get too cocky, because it’s diamonds or dust, and it’s like that every day everywhere you go.”

    Tie-down roper Adam Gray can relate to that sentiment, as he didn’t win a check in the first four rounds but bounced back to claim victory in Round 5 with a time of 7.3 seconds.

    “The times were slower because these calves were a whole lot bigger and stronger,” Gray said. “The only way it changed anything in my thought process was I didn’t feel like I needed to put a wrap and a hooey on him, and take the chance of him getting up. I planned on putting two wraps on because they were quite a bit stronger and bigger.”

    Gray is also going for broke in the final half of the world’s richest rodeo.

    “I hadn’t won anything this week and I’m dang sure going at first or second every night,” Gray said. “I have nothing to lose.”

    World standings leader Tuf Cooper took fifth in the round and leads the average with a time of 41.6 seconds on five head.

    Longtime friends Coleman Proctor and Jake Long won the team roping with a time of 4.1 seconds.

    “Jake’s made it here three times before,” Proctor said. “I was his biggest fan and talked to him every night. But I was home watching it on the couch, because I didn’t want to come until I made it. Jake’s like my brother; he’s family. We’ve been roping together since our diaper days, when he was 3 and I was 2. To win my first go-round here with him is a dream come true.”

    Long said this trip to the Finals is special to him.

    “I’ve had the privilege of experiencing this rodeo three other times, but to get to experience this with a guy who’s basically my brother and finally live it out is beyond words, really.”
    Long praised Proctor for his Round-5 handle.

    “Coleman did a great job making that steer easier for me to heel by really softening him up in the turn,” he said. “I told myself I was going to be more aggressive in my approach tonight. I decided to turn it up a notch, and it worked out really well.”

    Proctor returned the respect.

    “I have the best heeler in the world behind me – Jake’s one of the best heelers ever in the Thomas & Mack – so all I have to do is do my job and get out of his way,” Proctor said.

    “I came here wanting to try to beat Jake Barnes and Clay O’Brien Cooper’s average record on 10 steers. Then I missed our first steer and took care of that. I told Jake I used our mulligan, so now he’s going to have to be perfect. He’s doing a great job of that.”

    Michele McLeod won the barrel racing in 13.66 seconds, the fastest run at this year’s WNFR. She was riding Skye, who replaced the horse she rode at the 2013 Finals, Slick, who is injured.

    It’s McLeod’s first-ever WNFR round win.

    “It is so exciting, because I always thought it would be with Slick,” she said, “but what’s meant to be is meant to be, and this is incredible, very incredible.

    “I have a lot of confidence in Skye.  I’ve won several things on her.  Like at Nampa (Idaho) this year, she set the arena record.  I mean, she can do it. Once I got Skye in the arena, she was great. Getting around the barrels you don’t have to do anything.”

    Kimzey and barrel racer Fallon Taylor, who won Rounds 1 and 4, share the lead in the RAM Top Gun Award standings with $64,363. Branquinho is third with $62,984.

    The 56th annual Wrangler NFR continues Tuesday with the sixth round at the Thomas & Mack Center. The action will be televised live and in HD on CBS Sports Net (DirecTV channel 221 and DISH Network channel 158) from 7-10 p.m. (PT) with hosts Jeff Medders and Butch Knowles.

     

    Wrangler National Finals Rodeo

    Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, Nev.

    Fifth round, Dec. 8, 2014

    Bareback riding: 1. Richmond Champion, The Woodlands, Texas, 88.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Dirty Jacket, $19,002; 2. Winn Ratliff, Leesville, La., 87, $15,018; 3. Justin McDaniel, Porum, Okla., 86, $11,340; 4. Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb., 85, $7,969; 5. Kaycee Feild, Spanish Fork, Utah, 84.5, $4,904; 6. Jake Vold, Ponoka, Alberta, 84, $3,065; 7. Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, Iowa, 83; 8. Caleb Bennett, Tremonton, Utah, 82.5; 9. Jessy Davis, Power, Mont., 81.5; 10. Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., 81; 11. Will Lowe, Canyon, Texas, 80.5; 12. (tie) Austin Foss, Terrebonne, Ore., and J.R. Vezain, Cowley, Wyo., 77 each; 14. Tilden Hooper, Carthage, Texas, 73; 15. Steven Peebles, OUT-injured. World standings: 1. Kaycee Feild, $200,274; 2. Steven Peebles, $145,932; 3. Austin Foss, $143,405; 4. Bobby Mote, $128,563; 5. Justin McDaniel, $121,981; 6. Tim O’Connell, $119,900; 7. Will Lowe, $113,571; 8. Richmond Champion, $110,470; 9. Winn Ratliff, $103,076; 10. Steven Dent, $93,633; 11. Jake Vold, $92,713; 12. Caleb Bennett, $84,225; 13. Tilden Hooper, $78,499; 14. J.R. Vezain, $70,208; 15. Jessy Davis, $67,686.

    Steer wrestling: 1. Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta, 3.3 seconds, $19,002; 2. Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore., 3.9, $15,018; 3. Nick Guy, Sparta, Wis., 4.0, $11,340; 4. (tie) Clayton Hass, Terrell, Texas, and Luke Branquinho, Los Alamos, Calif., 4.2, $6,436 each; 6. (tie) Dru Melvin, Hebron, Neb., and Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont., 4.6, $1,532 each; 8. K.C. Jones, Decatur, Texas, 4.8; 9. Seth Brockman, Wheatland, Wyo., 4.9; 10. Casey Martin, Sulphur, La., 5.6; 11. Bray Armes, Ponder, Texas, 6.5; 12. Cole Edge, Durant, Okla., 6.8; 13. Kyle Irwin, Robertsdale, Ala., 7.1; 14. Dakota Eldridge, Elko, Nev., 12.4; 15. Wyatt Smith, Rexburg, Idaho, NT. World standings: 1. Luke Branquinho, $128,976; 2. Nick Guy, $124,341; 3. Trevor Knowles, $123,066; 4. Casey Martin, $102,959; 5. Kyle Irwin, $100,653; 6. Curtis Cassidy, $84,421; 7. Clayton Hass, $83,012; 8. K.C. Jones, $82,055; 9. Bray Armes, $80,249; 10. Dru Melvin, $72,430; 11. Cole Edge, $72,424; 12. Seth Brockman, $71,935; 13. Dakota Eldridge, $69,452; 14. Ty Erickson, $65,036; 15. Wyatt Smith, $57,188.

    Team roping: 1. Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla./Jake Long, Coffeyville, Kan., 4.1 seconds, $19,002 each; 2. (tie) Riley Minor, Ellensburg, Wash./Brady Minor, Ellensburg, Wash., and Charly Crawford, Prineville, Ore./Shay Carroll, La Junta, Colo., 4.3, $13,179 each; 4. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas/Travis Graves, Jay, Okla., 4.5, $7,969; 5. Jake Barnes, Scottsdale, Ariz./Junior Nogueira, Scottsdale, Ariz., 5.9, $4,904; 6. Tom Richards, Humboldt, Ariz./Cesar de la Cruz, Tucson, Ariz., 6.0, $3,065; 7. Brandon Beers, Powell Butte, Ore./Jim Ross Cooper, Monument, N.M., 8.3; 8. Kaleb Driggers, Albany, Ga./Patrick Smith, Lipan, Texas, 9.3; 9. Erich Rogers, Round Rock, Ariz./Cory Petska, Marana, Ariz., 10.0; 10. Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont./Jade Corkill, Fallon, Nev., 11.4; 11. (tie) Dustin Bird, Cut Bank, Mont./Paul Eaves, Lonedell, Mo.; Nick Sartain, Dover, Okla./Rich Skelton, Llano, Texas; Luke Brown, Stephenville, Texas/Kollin VonAhn, Blanchard, Okla.; Aaron Tsinigine, Tuba City, Ariz./Clay O’Brien Cooper, Gardnerville, Nev., and Turtle Powell, Stephenville, Texas/Dakota Kirchenschlager, Morgan Mill, Texas, NT. World standings (headers): 1. Clay Tryan, $139,144; 2. Trevor Brazile, $129,290; 3. Dustin Bird, $124,663; 4. Coleman Proctor, $113,715; 5. Riley Minor, $111,393; 6. Erich Rogers, $110,923; 7. Turtle Powell, $107,314; 8. Charly Crawford, $99,756; 9. Brandon Beers, $97,267; 10. Kaleb Driggers, $96,028; 11. Luke Brown, $92,065; 12. Jake Barnes, $88,279; 13. Nick Sartain, $80,028; 14. Tom Richards, $69,809; 15. Aaron Tsinigine, $68,074. World standings (heelers): 1. Jade Corkill, $139,144; 2. Travis Graves, $129,290; 3. Paul Eaves, $127,755; 4. Jake Long, $114,715; 5. Brady Minor, $111,393; 6. Cory Petska, $111,270; 7. Dakota Kirchenschlager, $103,954; 8. Shay Carroll, $100,815; 9. Jim Ross Cooper, $97,267; 10. Patrick Smith, $96,028; 11. Kollin VonAhn, $89,065; 12. Rich Skelton, $80,028; 13. Junior Nogueira, $78,271; 14. Cesar de la Cruz, $61,580; 15. Clay O’Brien Cooper, $60,255.

    Saddle bronc riding: 1. Wade Sundell, Boxholm, Iowa, 87 points on Bar T Rodeo’s Son of Sadie, $19,002; 2. Tyler Corrington, Hastings, Minn., 86, $15,018; 3. Heith DeMoss, Heflin, La., 85, $11,340; 4. Cody Wright, Milford, Utah, 84.5, $7,969; 5. Dustin Flundra, Pincher Creek, Alberta, 82.5, $4,904; 6. Bradley Harter, Loranger, La., 80, $3,065; 7. Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M., 79.5; 8. Spencer Wright, Milford, Utah, 78.5; 9. Cody DeMoss, Heflin, La., 77.5; 10. Jesse Wright, Milford, Utah, 75; 11. Jacobs Crawley, Stephenville, Texas, 73.5; 12. Jake Wright, Milford, Utah, 72.5; 13. Cort Scheer, Elsmere, Neb., 72; 14. (tie) Chad Ferley, Oelrichs, S.D., and Cole Elshere, Faith, S.D., NS. World standings: 1. Taos Muncy, $141,437; 2. Cort Scheer, $139,499; 3. Heith DeMoss, $132,111; 4. Cody Wright, $130,394; 5. Wade Sundell, $124,944; 6. Jacobs Crawley, $120,450; 7. Spencer Wright, $100,415; 8. Tyler Corrington, $99,148; 9. Cole Elshere, $82,449; 10. Cody DeMoss, $81,701; 11. Chad Ferley, $81,674; 12. Bradley Harter, $77,900; 13. Jesse Wright, $77,495; 14. Dustin Flundra, $75,601; 15. Jake Wright, $67,764.

    Tie-down roping: 1. Adam Gray, Seymour, Texas, 7.3 seconds, $19,002; 2. Clint Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 7.9, $15,018; 3. Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, La., 8.1, $11,340; 4. Cody Ohl, Hico, Texas, 8.2, $7,969; 5. Tuf Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 8.4, $4,904; 6. Ryan Watkins, Bluff Dale, Texas, 9.4, $3,065; 7. Cade Swor, Winnie, Texas, 10.4; 8. Matt Shiozawa, Chubbuck, Idaho, 11.7; 9. Clint Robinson, Spanish Fork, Utah, 13.3; 10. Reese Riemer, Stinnett, Texas, 18.2; 11. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 18.7; 12. Tyson Durfey, Colbert, Wash., 22.0; 13. (tie) Marty Yates, Stephenville, Texas; Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla., and Timber Moore, Aubrey, Texas, NT. World standings: 1. Tuf Cooper, $164,652; 2. Trevor Brazile, $131,854; 3. Matt Shiozawa, $131,541; 4. Marty Yates, $124,257; 5. Cade Swor, $115,243; 6. Shane Hanchey, $104,207; 7. Clint Robinson, $102,137; 8. Cody Ohl, $100,222; 9. Hunter Herrin, $99,309; 10. Clint Cooper, $96,976; 11. Adam Gray, $88,403; 12. Timber Moore, $85,472; 13. Ryan Watkins, $72,283; 14. Tyson Durfey, $72,209; 15. Reese Riemer, $66,317.

    Barrel racing: 1. Michele McLeod, Whitesboro, Texas, 13.66 seconds, $19,002; 2. Fallon Taylor, Whitesboro, Texas, 13.85, $15,018; 3. (tie) Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., and Britany Diaz, Solen, N.D., 13.88, $9,654 each; 5. Mary Walker, Ennis, Texas, 13.90, $4,904; 6. Carlee Pierce, Stephenville, Texas, 13.93, $3,065; 7. Nancy Hunter, Neola, Utah, 14.02; 8. Samantha Lyne, Cotulla, Texas, 14.29; 9. Trula Churchill, Valentine, Neb., 18.93; 10. Kassidy Dennison, Tohatchi, N.M., 18.95; 11. Jana Bean, Fort Hancock, Texas, 19.07; 12. Christine Laughlin, Pueblo, Colo., 19.12; 13. Kaley Bass, Kissimmee, Fla., 19.13; 14. Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 19.28; 15. Christy Loflin, Franktown, Colo., NT. World standings: 1. Fallon Taylor, $195,834; 2. Lisa Lockhart, $173,261; 3. Kaley Bass, $160,183; 4. Michele McLeod, $134,052; 5. Kassidy Dennison, $126,072; 6. Nancy Hunter, $122,372; 7. Sherry Cervi, $117,261; 8. Britany Diaz, $112,601; 9. Mary Walker, $107,681; 10. Carlee Pierce, $104,529; 11. Trula Churchill, $102,233; 12. Christy Loflin, $96,640; 13. Christine Laughlin, $93,135; 14. Jana Bean, $83,288; 15. Samantha Lyne, $70,577.

    Bull riding: 1. Joe Frost, Randlett, Utah, 89 points on Corey & Lange Rodeo’s Bottle Rocket, $19,002; 2. Sage Kimzey, Strong City, Okla., 87, $15,018; 3. Ty Wallace, Collbran, Colo., 86.5, $11,340; 4. Trey Benton III, Rock Island, Texas, 86, $7,969; 5. Jordan Spears, Redding, Calif., 85, $4,904; 6. J.W. Harris, Mullin, Texas, 81, $3,065; 7. (tie) Cody Teel, Kountze, Texas; Tim Bingham, Honeyville, Utah; Beau Hill, West Glacier, Mont.; Aaron Pass, Dallas, Texas; Josh Koschel, Nunn, Colo.; Reid Barker, Comfort, Texas; Brennon Eldred, Sulphur, Okla.; Elliot Jacoby, Fredericksburg, Texas, and Tyler Smith, Fruita, Colo., NS. World standings: 1. Sage Kimzey, $207,528; 2. Trey Benton III, $159,874; 3. Cody Teel, $128,947; 4. Joe Frost, $123,500; 5. Tim Bingham, $100,652; 6. J.W. Harris, $93,244; 7. Beau Hill, $86,467; 8. Aaron Pass, $85,548; 9. Elliot Jacoby, $80,057; 10. Ty Wallace, $78,917; 11. Brennon Eldred, $77,830; 12. Jordan Spears, $77,043; 13. Reid Barker, $76,227; 14. Tyler Smith, $73,105; 15. Josh Koschel, $72,837.

    Total payout: $6,375,000. Stock contractors: Various. Rodeo secretary: Sunni Deb Backstrom. Assistant secretary: Jackie Higlin. Contestant office manager: Vickie Shireman. Officials: Wade Berry, Terry Carlon, Skip Emmett, George Gibbs, Chuck Hoss, Allan Jordan Jr., Bruce Keller, Butch Kirby, Steve Knowles, Joe Bob Locke, Cliff Overstreet, Harry Rose Jr., Rocky Steagall and Mike Todd. Timers: Sherry Rice Gibson, Tammy Braden and Jessi Franzen. Announcers: Wayne Brooks, Randy Corley and Boyd Polhamus. Specialty acts: Rider Kiesner, Madison MacDonald and Kenny Petet. Bullfighters: Chuck Swisher, Dusty Tuckness and Cody Webster. Barrelman: Justin Rumford. Barrrelman alternate: Mark Swingler. Livestock superintendent: John Barnes. Assistant livestock superintendent: Ryan Brown. Roughstock chute boss: Tom Neuens. Timed-event chute boss: Tony Amaral. Pickup men: Josh Edwards and Chase Cervi. Pickup man alternate: Matt Twitchell.

  • Spencer shows the Wright stuff

    Spencer shows the Wright stuff

    LAS VEGAS – The youngest is now first. Spencer Wright beat his older brothers and the rest of the world’s best saddle bronc riders to win Round 4 of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo before a sellout crowd of 17,600 at the Thomas & Mack Center Sunday.

    At age 23, he is the youngest of four record-setting Wright brothers – the first set of four siblings ever to qualify for the Wrangler NFR, let alone all in the same year.

    It is Spencer Wright’s first WNFR, and he is celebrating in fine fashion. He leads the average with 323 points on four head, and also tops all saddle bronc riders here this week with $40,150 earned in four rounds.

    “This really is a dream come true,” said Wright, 23. “I’ve dreamed of winning several rounds at the NFR for a long time, so I’m tickled to have won my first one.”

    The oldest of the Wright brothers, 37-year-old Cody, won world saddle bronc riding championships in 2008 and 2010, and has a dozen WNFR qualifications.

    Twins Jesse and Jake Wright, 25, also have enjoyed success. Jesse has five WNFR qualifications and won a gold buckle in 2012, while Jake has earned three trips to the Finals.

    “One of the four of us had to kick this off and win a round, and I’m glad it was me,” Spencer Wright said.

    He rode for 84 points on Calgary Stampede’s Mata Fact, a half-point better than Cody DeMoss. Cody Wright took third in the round when he rode for 82 points.

    “Being here with my brothers has been amazing, and who better to be here with than your family,” Spencer Wright said. “They’re here rooting for me and helping me out, and it’s been much easier to have them here with me. The first few days I just followed Jake around and learned the routine for myself.

    “This has been a great experience, and I think this is something that’s going to fuel next season, because it’s been so great to be here.”

    Mata Fact shot up in the air straight out of the chute, and made it tough on Wright early in the ride.

    “It’s definitely more challenging to ride those kind of horses, but you have to ride them just like any other horse,” he said. “Out of the chute, I was just thinking to myself that I needed to hold my feet and not miss him out. I feel like I’m riding solid right now, and I just want to keep it up and see what happens.”

    Steer wrestler Seth Brockman, in his second WNFR, won his first round with a time of 3.6 seconds. The Wheatland, Wyo., cowboy sits 12th in the average with a time of 19.5 seconds on three steers.

    “Basically, I need to show up (Monday night) and try to blow the barrier out,” Brockman said. “I’m going to try and win every round, because I’m already out of the average here.”

    Four-time World Champion Steer Wrestler Luke Branquinho finished second in Round 4 with a time of 3.7 seconds, and leads the average with 14.9 seconds on four head.

    Branquinho also moved into the world standings lead with $122,539. He led the world on July 18 when he was injured at California Rodeo Salinas and was sidelined until the WNFR.

    Rookie bull rider Sage Kimzey won his second consecutive round, when he rode for 87 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Kojack. Kimzey, 20, said he’s felt in a groove all year long.

    “Every time I get on a bull, I’m confident and I slide up with conviction, and things are absolutely clicking right now,” he said. “That’s a great bull from Frontier Rodeo that bucks really hard, but is also rider-friendly.”

    Although Kimzey is first in the average and comfortably leads the world standings by $40,605, he’s taking nothing for granted. He could become only the second rookie to win the bull riding gold buckle; Bill Kornell did it in 1963.

    “I’m not even thinking about the gold buckle until it’s perma-frosted,” Kimzey said. “There’s no icing anything. I’ve been thinking and dreaming about winning a world title for a long time, but I haven’t really put those thoughts into reality yet. I know that I have a good shot to win it, and I just want to keep coming and taking care of my business and it’ll work out the way I want it to.

    “This is what I’ve been working for since I was 3 years old. Hopefully, this is the year that dream turns into a reality.”

    The bareback riding was a story of old and young, as the veteran of the group, four-time World Champion Bobby Mote, shared the round win with the youngest contestant, Missouri Valley College student Tim O’Connell.

    Mote, 38, extended his record for bareback riding round wins at the Finals to 25, which is eight more than Marvin Garrett’s total. For O’Connell, in his first WNFR, it was his first round win.

    O’Connell rode for 84 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s On Tap and Mote matched him when he rode for 84 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Rylee’s Raisin Cain.

    Mote shared one round win in 2013, but knows how difficult it is to finish first at the Thomas & Mack Center.

    “Rounds are hard to win here,” Mote said. “The first year I rode here (in 2001), I won the first round and I thought this place was made for me and that I could do no wrong here. I got the wrong impression. It’s really hard to get round wins here. I never take it for granted, and it feels great.”

    Mote entered the WNFR in sixth place, and moved up to fourth in the world with six rounds remaining.

    “You always wonder if you’ll come back here, and there’s no guarantee you’ll make it,” he said. “It’s all about how deep you want to dig.”

    Mote is just $6,204 shy of winning $1 million in his WNFR career. Six others have achieved that rare feat: Trevor Brazile, Cody Ohl, Billy Etbauer, Sherry Cervi, Fred Whitfield and Joe Beaver.

    “That’s a big accomplishment at one rodeo,” Mote said. “I wish I had it all now.”

    O’Connell has a big future ahead of him. He was the PRCA Bareback Riding Permit Holder of the Year in 2012 and the PRCA Resistol Bareback Riding Rookie of the Year in 2013.

    “It’s an honor just to ride with these guys, the best bareback riders in the world,” O’Connell said. “It feels great, and it’s really exciting.”

    O’Connell earned his first WNFR check of $17,010. He was bucked off by Andrews Rodeo’s PTSD Power Play in Round 2 and suffered a similar fate when he drew Frontier Rodeo’s Full Baggage in Round 3.

    “You can’t stub a toe, that’s what I learned the last two nights,” said O’Connell, 23. “I’ve not drawn badly, that’s for sure, but when you make mistakes on great horses, they put you in the ground hard. When I did my backflip over (PTSD) Power Play, I tore a lot of microfibers in my hamstring. I’ve been spending two hours every morning at (Justin) Sportsmedicine. They’ve done a great job for me.”

    Tie-down roper Marty Yates, in his first WNFR, won his second round in four tries, and his time of 6.7 seconds was just .1 slower than Cody Ohl’s fourth-round record set in 2009.

    “I knew I had a good calf and I got a great start,” Yates said. “It was pretty cool to get a good start and it all came together. It all happened really fast, so I knew I was going to be flirting with it being pretty dang fast.”

    The Stephenville, Texas, cowboy has won $41,070 at this WNFR, which has moved him into fourth place in the world standings with $124,257.

    “I feel grateful for being here and being able to rope to my best ability and win go-rounds,” Yates said. “I’ve always lived with a kind of live-by-the-sword, die-by-the-sword type of style, so nothing changes for me.”

    Yates said the arena suits his horse, 8-year-old Chicken, who was second in the 2014 AQHA/PRCA Tie-down Roping Horse of the Year voting.

    “In this setup, he’s great,” Yates said. “To me, this setup was built for me and him. He makes everything so easy on me.”

    Team ropers Luke Brown and Kollin VonAhn won the round in 3.6 seconds and were just one-tenth off the round record set in 2010 by Brady Tryan and Jake Long.

    “Getting a good start here is the key to the whole deal,” Brown said. “It makes it so much easier when you get out right. That back end comes fast.”

    It was the first check of the WNFR for Brown and VonAhn, who won the average title here a year ago.

    “We practiced as hard or harder this year to do the same thing we did here last year,” Brown said. “I hickeyed a horn (which is an illegal head catch) in the second round, but we’re not going to change anything.”

    They sit ninth in the average with a time of 26.3 seconds on three head.

    “I don’t think anybody ever comes here just thinking about the average,” VonAhn said. “That’ll start playing a bigger role later in the week, in about the seventh round. You can’t really back off in this arena anyway, because it’s so small. If you miss the barrier here it’s really hard just to catch.

    “We feel like we have a pretty consistent run. Luke’s been getting out and getting it on them so quick that all I have to do is catch. The situation determines how fast you can throw. If you’re in the right spot, it’s pretty easy.

    “I can only go as fast as he (Brown) turns them. Last night he turned one so fast I wasn’t even ready. I’ve just been trying to do my job, and most of the time it’s good enough.”

    VonAhn is riding Frank, who’ll be 21 next month and is competing in his sixth WNFR.

    “I’ve ridden him here four times,” VonAhn said. “Shannon Frascht and Travis Graves have also ridden him here.”

    Brown, who rides 21-year-old Slim Shady, said, “I’ve ridden him all but three rounds in the seven years I’ve been here. He’s really easy to get a good start on and he won’t duck. I’ve ridden him so much, I know him like the back of my hand. It’d be crazy not to ride him here.”

    Fallon Taylor won her second go-round, her time of 13.85 seconds edging Lisa Lockhart by three-tenths. Reigning World Champion Sherry Cervi was third in 13.90.

    “It’s the coolest thing ever,” Taylor said. “Two round wins means more to me than anything, especially after such a rocky year last year and putting in a lot of hard work when nobody was watching all the long hours in the practice pen with the blood, sweat and tears. To now be able to showcase all the hard work on such a national level is really rewarding, and (my horse) Baby Flo deserves all the credit.”

    Branquinho leads the RAM Top Gun Award standings with $56,547. Kimzey and Taylor are tied for second with $49,345 while bareback rider Justin McDaniel is fourth with $45,463.

    The 56th annual Wrangler NFR continues Monday with the fifth round at the Thomas & Mack Center. The action will be televised live and in HD on CBS Sports Net (DirecTV channel 221 and DISH Network channel 158) from 7-10 p.m. (PT) with hosts Jeff Medders and Butch Knowles.

     

    Wrangler National Finals Rodeo

    Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas

    Round 4, Dec. 7

    Bareback riding: 1. (tie) Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, Iowa, on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s On Tap, and Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., on Andrews Rodeo’s Rylee’s Raisin Cain, 84 points, $17,010 each; 3. (tie) Austin Foss, Terrebonne, Ore., and Tilden Hooper, Carthage, Texas, 83, $9,654 each; 5. Will Lowe, Canyon, Texas, 82, $4,904; 6. (tie) Richmond Champion, The Woodlands, Texas, and Jake Vold, Ponoka, Alberta, 81.5, $1,532 each; 8. Kaycee Feild, Spanish Fork, Utah, 80.5; 9. Justin McDaniel, Porum, Okla., 80; 10. Caleb Bennett, Tremonton, Utah, 77; 11. (tie) Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb.; Winn Ratliff, Leesville, La., and J.R. Vezain, Cowley, Wyo., 76.5 each; 14. Jessy Davis, Power, Mont., 72.5 (Steven Peebles injured-DNC). World standings: 1. Kaycee Feild, $195,370; 2. Steven Peebles, $145,932; 3. Austin Foss, $143,405; 4. Bobby Mote, $128,563; 5. Tim O’Connell, $119,900; 6. Will Lowe, $113,571; 7. Justin McDaniel, $110,641; 8. Richmond Champion, $91,467; 9. Jake Vold, $89,649; 10. Winn Ratliff, $88,057; 11. Steven Dent, $85,664; 12. Caleb Bennett, $84,225; 13. Tilden Hooper, $78,499; 14. J.R. Vezain, $70,208; 15. Jessy Davis, $67,686.

    Steer wrestling: 1. Seth Brockman, Wheatland, Wyo., 3.6 seconds, $19,002; 2. Luke Branquinho, Los Alamos, Calif., 3.7, $15,018; 3. Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore., 4.0, $11,340; 4. (tie) Casey Martin, Sulphur, La., and Dakota Eldridge, Elko, Nev., 4.1, $6,436 each; 6. Dru Melvin, Hebron, Neb., 5.5, $3,065; 7. (tie) K.C. Jones, Decatur, Texas, and Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont., 6.0 each; 9. Nick Guy, Sparta, Wis., 6.6; 10. Clayton Hass, Terrell, Texas, 6.9; 11. Kyle Irwin, Robertsdale, Ala., 8.8; 12. Bray Armes, Ponder, Texas, 14.3; 13. Cole Edge, Durant, Okla., 16.5; 14. Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta, 17.7; 15. Wyatt Smith, Rexburg, Idaho, NT. World standings: 1. Luke Branquinho, $122,539; 2. Nick Guy, $113,001; 3. Trevor Knowles, $108,048; 4. Casey Martin, $102,959; 5. Kyle Irwin, $100,653; 6. K.C. Jones, $82,055; 7. Bray Armes, $80,249; 8. Clayton Hass, $76,576; 9. Cole Edge, $72,424; 10. Seth Brockman, $71,935; 11. Dru Melvin, $70,897; 12. Dakota Eldridge, $69,452; 13. Curtis Cassidy, $65,418; 14. Ty Erickson, $63,503; 15. Wyatt Smith, $57,188.

    Team roping: 1. Luke Brown, Stephenville, Texas/Kollin VonAhn, Blanchard, Okla., 3.6 seconds, $19,002; 2. Dustin Bird, Cut Bank, Mont./Paul Eaves, Lonedell, Mo., 3.9, $15,018; 3. Riley Minor, Ellensburg, Wash./Brady Minor, Ellensburg, Wash., 4.5, $11,340; 4. (tie) Erich Rogers, Round Rock, Ariz./Cory Petska, Marana, Ariz., and Brandon Beers, Powell Butte, Ore./Jim Ross Cooper, Monument, N.M., 4.6, $6,436 each; 6. Nick Sartain, Dover, Okla./Rich Skelton, Llano, Texas, 4.8, $3,065; 7. Jake Barnes, Scottsdale, Ariz./Junior Nogueira, Scottsdale, Ariz., 6.1; 8. Aaron Tsinigine, Tuba City, Ariz./Clay O’Brien Cooper, Gardnerville, Nev., 9.4; 9. (tie) Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas/Travis Graves, Jay, Okla., and Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont./Jade Corkill, Fallon, Nev., 9.6 each; 11. Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla./Jake Long, Coffeyville, Kan., 13.9; 12. Turtle Powell, Stephenville, Texas/Dakota Kirchenschlager, Morgan Mill, Texas, 19.1; 13. (tie) Kaleb Driggers, Albany, Ga./Patrick Smith, Lipan, Texas; Charly Crawford, Prineville, Ore./Shay Carroll, La Junta, Colo.; and Tom Richards, Humboldt, Ariz./Cesar de la Cruz, Tucson, Ariz., NT. World standings (headers): 1. Clay Tryan, $139,144; 2. Dustin Bird, $124,663; 3. Trevor Brazile, $121,321; 4. Erich Rogers, $110,923; 5. Turtle Powell, $107,314; 6. Riley Minor, $98,214; 7. Brandon Beers, $97,267; 8. Kaleb Driggers, $96,028; 9. Coleman Proctor, $94,712; 10. Luke Brown, $92,065; 11. Charly Crawford, $86,577; 12. Jake Barnes, $83,375; 13. Nick Sartain, $80,028; 14. Aaron Tsinigine, $68,074; 15. Tom Richards, $66,744. World standings (heelers): 1. Jade Corkill, $139,144; 2. Paul Eaves, $127,755; 3. Travis Graves, $121,321; 4. Cory Petska, $111,270; 5. Dakota Kirchenschlager, $103,954; 6. Brady Minor, $98,214; 7. Jim Ross Cooper, $97,267; 8. Patrick Smith, $96,028; 9. Jake Long, $95,712; 10. Kollin VonAhn, $89,065; 11. Shay Carroll, $87,636; 12. Rich Skelton, $80,028; 13. Junior Nogueira, $73,367; 14. Clay O’Brien Cooper, $60,255; 15. Cesar de la Cruz, $58,515.

    Saddle bronc riding: 1. Spencer Wright, Milford, Utah, 84 points on Calgary Stampede’s Mata Fact, $19,002; 2. Cody DeMoss, Heflin, La., 83.5, $15,018; 3. Cody Wright, Milford, Utah, 82, $11,340; 4. Chad Ferley, Oelrichs, S.D., 81, $7,969; 5. Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M., 76.5, $4,904; 6. Cort Scheer, Elsmere, Neb., 75, $3,065; 7. Cole Elshere, Faith, S.D., 73; 8. (tie) Jacobs Crawley, Stephenville, Texas, and Jesse Wright, Milford, Utah, 71 each; 10. (tie) Heith DeMoss, Heflin, La.; Wade Sundell, Boxholm, Iowa; Bradley Harter, Loranger, La.; Tyler Corrington, Hastings, Minn.; Jake Wright, Milford, Utah, and Dustin Flundra, Pincher Creek, Alberta, NS. World standings: 1. Taos Muncy, $141,437; 2. Cort Scheer, $139,499; 3. Cody Wright, $122,425; 4. Heith DeMoss, $120,771; 5. Jacobs Crawley, $120,450; 6. Wade Sundell, $105,942; 7. Spencer Wright, $100,415; 8. Tyler Corrington, $84,130; 9. Cole Elshere, $82,449; 10. Cody DeMoss, $81,701; 11. Chad Ferley, $81,674; 12. Jesse Wright, $77,495; 13. Bradley Harter, $74,836; 14. Dustin Flundra, $70,697; 15. Jake Wright, $67,764.

    Tie-down roping: 1. Marty Yates, Stephenville, Texas, 6.7 seconds, $19,002; 2. Cade Swor, Winnie, Texas, 7.4, $15,018; 3. (tie) Matt Shiozawa, Chubbuck, Idaho, and Timber Moore, Aubrey, Texas, 7.5, $9,654 each; 5. Clint Robinson, Spanish Fork, Utah, 7.6, $4,904; 6. (tie) Tuf Cooper, Decatur, Texas; Clint Cooper, Decatur, Texas, and Ryan Watkins, Bluff Dale, Texas, 8.3, $1,022 each; 9. Reese Riemer, Stinnett, Texas, 8.7; 10. Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, La., 9.0; 11. (tie) Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, and Tyson Durfey, Colbert, Wash., 9.6 each; 13. Adam Gray, Seymour, Texas, 10.0; 14. Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla., 10.2; 15. Cody Ohl, Hico, Texas, NT. World standings: 1. Tuf Cooper, $159,748; 2. Trevor Brazile, $131,854; 3. Matt Shiozawa, $131,541; 4. Marty Yates, $124,257; 5. Cade Swor, $115,243; 6. Clint Robinson, $102,137; 7. Hunter Herrin, $99,309; 8. Shane Hanchey, $92,867; 9. Cody Ohl, $92,253; 10. Timber Moore, $85,472; 11. Clint Cooper, $81,958; 12. Tyson Durfey, $72,209; 13. Adam Gray, $69,401; 14. Ryan Watkins, $69,218; 15. Reese Riemer, $66,317.

    Barrel racing: 1. Fallon Taylor, Whitesboro, Texas, 13.85 seconds, $19,002; 2. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 13.88, $15,018; 3. Trula Churchill, Valentine, Neb., 13.90, $11,340; 4. Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 13.91, $7,969; 5. Jana Bean, Fort Hancock, Texas, 13.99, $4,904; 6. Michele McLeod, Whitesboro, Texas, 14.00, $3,065; 7. Britany Diaz, Solen, N.D., 14.01; 8. Mary Walker, Ennis, Texas, 14.02; 9. Christy Loflin, Franktown, Colo., 14.04; 10. Kassidy Dennison, Tohatchi, N.M., 14.15; 11. Samantha Lyne, Cotulla, Texas, 14.19; 12. Kaley Bass, Kissimmee, Fla., 14.23; 13. Christine Laughlin, Pueblo, Colo., 18.99; 14. Carlee Pierce, Stephenville, Texas, 19.03; 15. Nancy Hunter, Neola, Utah, 23.79. World standings: 1. Fallon Taylor, $180,816; 2. Lisa Lockhart, $163,606; 3. Kaley Bass, $160,183; 4. Kassidy Dennison, $126,072; 5. Nancy Hunter, $122,372; 6. Sherry Cervi, $117,261; 7. Michele McLeod, $115,050; 8. Britany Diaz, $102,947; 9. Mary Walker, $102,777; 10. Trula Churchill, $102,233; 11. Carlee Pierce, $101,464; 12. Christy Loflin, $96,640; 13. Christine Laughlin, $93,135; 14. Jana Bean, $83,288; 15. Samantha Lyne, $70,577.

    Bull riding: 1. Sage Kimzey, Strong City, Okla., 87 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Kojack, $19,002; 2. Elliot Jacoby, Fredericksburg, Texas, 85, $15,018; 3. Trey Benton III, Rock Island, Texas, 84.5, $11,340; 4. Beau Hill, West Glacier, Mont., 78, $7,969; 5. (tie) Cody Teel, Kountze, Texas; J.W. Harris, Mullin, Texas; Tim Bingham, Honeyville, Utah; Aaron Pass, Dallas, Texas; Josh Koschel, Nunn, Colo.; Reid Barker, Comfort, Texas; Joe Frost, Randlett, Utah; Brennon Eldred, Sulphur, Okla.; Ty Wallace, Collbran, Colo.; Tyler Smith, Fruita, Colo., and Jordan Spears, Redding, Calif., NS. World standings: 1. Sage Kimzey, $192,510; 2. Trey Benton III, $151,905; 3. Cody Teel, $128,947; 4. Joe Frost, $104,498; 5. Tim Bingham, $100,652; 6. J.W. Harris, $90,179; 7. Beau Hill, $86,467; 8. Aaron Pass, $85,548; 9. Elliot Jacoby, $80,057; 10. Brennon Eldred, $77,830; 11. Reid Barker, $76,227; 12. Tyler Smith, $73,105; 13. Josh Koschel, $72,837; 14. Jordan Spears, $72,139; 15. Ty Wallace, $67,577.

    Total payout: $6,375,000. Stock contractors: Various. Rodeo secretary: Sunni Deb Backstrom. Assistant secretary: Jackie Higlin. Contestant office manager: Vickie Shireman. Officials: Wade Berry, Terry Carlon, Skip Emmett, George Gibbs, Chuck Hoss, Allan Jordan Jr., Bruce Keller, Butch Kirby, Steve Knowles, Joe Bob Locke, Cliff Overstreet, Harry Rose Jr., Rocky Steagall and Mike Todd. Timers: Sherry Rice Gibson, Tammy Braden and Jessi Franzen. Announcers: Wayne Brooks, Randy Corley and Boyd Polhamus. Specialty acts: Rider Kiesner, Madison MacDonald and Kenny Petet. Bullfighters: Chuck Swisher, Dusty Tuckness and Cody Webster. Barrelman: Justin Rumford. Barrrelman alternate: Mark Swingler. Livestock superintendent: John Barnes. Assistant livestock superintendent: Ryan Brown. Roughstock chute boss: Tom Neuens. Timed-event chute boss: Tony Amaral. Pickup men: Josh Edwards and Chase Cervi. Pickup man alternate: Matt Twitchell.

     

  • Brazile hits jackpot with gold buckle 21

    Brazile hits jackpot with gold buckle 21

    LAS VEGAS – Trevor Brazile doubled down on his gold buckle count for the season when he hit No. 21 by clinching the all-around world championship Saturday night before a sold-out crowd of 17,858 at the Thomas & Mack Center.

    The King of the Cowboys has won a record 12 all-around titles, and an unprecedented nine straight.

    “This is awesome,” Brazile said. “Every time that number gets bigger, it gets harder to believe. I never expected anything like this, so it almost doesn’t seem real.”

    Brazile has earned $361,046 during the 2014 season. That’s $197,605 more than Tuf Cooper, who is second in the all-around standings.

    The incomparable Brazile won the steer roping gold buckle Nov. 8 and sits second in both team roping and tie-down roping, so he has a chance to win two more gold buckles.

    “What makes it extra exciting is the chance at another Triple Crown,” said the Decatur, Texas, cowboy. “After tonight, one more (gold buckle) will complete it. So getting this one done gives me some piece of mind. I never take winning championships for granted.”

    Brazile claimed Triple Crowns – three world titles in one season – in 2007 and 2010. A third Triple Crown would equal the record set by ProRodeo Hall of Famer Jim Shoulders (1956-58), who always accomplished the feat in the same three events: all-around, bull riding and bareback riding. If Brazile wins the team roping title for a third Triple Crown, he will have done it with three different combinations of events.

    No cowboy has ever achieved a Grand Slam – winning four gold buckles in one season.

    “I think they (world titles) mean more to me the older I get,” said Brazile, who turned 38 last month. “It seems like my competition gets younger every year. That’s why I keep enjoying it more. At some point, there’s going to be a changing of the guard. So every gold buckle means more as time marches on.”

    Brazile, a team roping header, and partner Travis Graves were second in Round 3 with a time of 4.0 seconds, just .1 behind round winners Dustin Bird and Paul Eaves.

    Ever the perfectionist, Brazile said, “I was really disappointed with my execution in the team roping (Friday) night, but I’m looking forward and taking every calf and every steer for what he is. I’m just going to keep doing my best every night.”

    Brazile finished fourth in Round 3 tie-down roping with a time of 7.4 seconds.

    Brazile is $17,823 behind team roping header leader Clay Tryan. He’s $26,873 behind tie-down roping leader Cooper, who is his brother-in-law.

    Dustin Bird and Paul Eaves claimed the team roping win, and both sit third in the Windham Weaponry High Performance PRCA World Standings.

    “We decided not to be more conservative, but to try to be a little more consistent,” Eaves said. “I want to make sure I catch ’em all. I don’t have to worry about Dustin, so I just have to focus on doing my job, which keeps my hands full. That run was what we’ve been practicing. We’re going to keep trying to make the same runs without doing anything crazy. There are a lot of steers left, and there’s a lot of money to be won. So I don’t want to get too excited about tonight. It’d be nice to win something in the average, too, but this is a good start right here.”

    Bird rode a different horse, using fellow WNFR header Kaleb Driggers’ Fast Time. Bird rode his own horse, Dolly, in the first two rounds.

    “I wasn’t having very good rhythm with my mare (Dolly) – she was getting a little too excited, and I broke the barrier last night – so I decided to try something different,” Bird said. “Kaleb’s horse gives you a lot of time, so you don’t have to get in a rush all the time.

    “I want to catch every steer as fast as I can, but I don’t want to miss. Fast Time’s a horse you can catch a lot of steers on, because he doesn’t get quick. That was the first steer I ever ran on that horse. I’ll be back on him tomorrow.”

    Kyle Irwin won Round 3 in steer wrestling after sharing the win last night and earning a fifth-place check on opening night. He leads the average with 10.9 seconds on three steers, and moved into third place in the world standings, just $12,348 behind leader Nick Guy.

    “It’s a little bit surreal,” said the Robertsdale, Ala., cowboy, who earned $19,002 with the Round 3 win. “I also don’t mean this (to sound) arrogantly, but I always knew if I got here, I would at least try and win first every night. I’m going to try and go as fast as I can with the opportunity I have and the steers that I have. Hopefully, I will make no mistakes and the rest will take care of itself.”

    Irwin, who is making his Finals debut, is just the second steer wrestler from Alabama to qualify for the WNFR, after Victor Deck (1996-97), who tied for one round win.

    Irwin just missed breaking the Round 3 steer wrestling record at the WNFR. The late Ricky Huddleston holds that mark with a 3.1-second time in 1985. Steve Duhon (1986) and Bryan Fields (2001) share the WNFR record at 3.0 seconds.

    Irwin was riding Sketch, a horse owned by Tyler Pearson, and gave much of the credit to the horse.

    “He got me the win at the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo (in Guthrie, Okla.),” Irwin said. “I’ve been riding that horse since October of 2013 and I sure like him.”

    Bareback rider Justin McDaniel, the 2008 world champion, took advantage of his dream draw and rode for 89 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Delta Ship to win the event. Back in 2007, McDaniel set the arena record when rode for 91.5 points on Delta Ship, also in Round 3.

    In three outs on the horse, McDaniel had three wins. Make it four now.

    So what did McDaniel think when he saw the draw with Delta Ship next to his name?

    “That I had a chance to break the record and win the round, and that it was all up to me,” he said. “I knew the horse would do his part. I just wanted to stay calm, be confident and have fun. I’ve had that horse three times and been 91.5, 87 and 92 on him. He’s my favorite horse.”

    He said the horse was as good as advertised.

    “He’s exactly what you want in a bucking horse,” McDaniel said. “He’s big and strong and kicks hard. At about six seconds, he jumped so high and I was right in time with him, and that’s what I’ve dreamed about when I was a kid. And when the crowd at the NFR stands up and cheers for you, it’s the best feeling in the world.”

    McDaniel moved to fifth in the world standings and leads the average. He’s earned $110,641 in 2014, but that puts him far behind three-time defending world champion Kaycee Feild, who tied for fifth place in Round 3, and leads all bareback riders with $195,370.

    “I came in 14th and still have a lot of ground to cover,” McDaniel said. “I need to keep winning rounds and see what happens.”

    McDaniel also leads the RAM Top Gun Award standings, which recognizes the contestant who wins the most money in a single event at the WNFR. He has $45,463, while steer wrestler Luke Branquinho is second with $41,529 and Irwin is third with $40,916. Brazile is tied for fourth at $38,005 with team roping partners Turtle Powell and Dakota Kirchenschlager.

    Five-time World Champion Tie-down Roper Cody Ohl broke his own round record when he won in 6.6 seconds, .1 faster than the mark he set a year ago.

    “I knew I was fast, and it’s funny to say, but I could’ve broke the arena record right there,” Ohl said. “I was already like a quarter of a way to the calf and I didn’t think there was any way I got out. I kind of had a little hitch there when I flanked him, but my mind was like, ‘Man, I broke the barrier. I broke the barrier.’ Then I throw my hands up and I’m looking at the judge and he’s holding the barrier up there and it’s not broke. I thought, ‘Are you kidding me?’”

    Ohl’s victory was especially satisfying, since it came one night after his rope broke in Round 2, which led to a no-time.

    “Everybody was like, ‘Oh man,’ and it was (just) the second round and this thing had not even started yet,” Ohl said. “There were eight more go-rounds at $19,000. My confidence and attitude hadn’t changed one ounce since (Friday), and that’s what it takes to move on, and then come back and bounce back, like I did tonight.”

    Ohl set the arena record of 6.5 seconds in 2003’s Round 10, and he owns six of the 10 round records. He has 10 rounds of less than 7 seconds. He’s won 50 rounds at the Finals in tie-down roping, also a record. Ohl has a total of 53 career round wins, counting three at the National Finals Steer Roping, which is three shy of Brazile’s overall record of 57.

    Rookie bull rider Sage Kimzey, who leads the world standings, was thrilled to win Round 3. He rode for 84.5 points on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Line Man, and said it was just as good as he’d imagined.

    “It was everything I thought it would be, and more,” Kimzey said. “I’ve said it over and over again this season, but I’m living out my childhood dream, and it’s everything I hoped it would be. I can’t even describe the feeling of the crowd going crazy for me, and it’s a feeling I’ve never been close to experiencing in my life. It’s something else, and I don’t know how many people get a feeling like that in their lives.”

    Kimzey said he gets pumped up to perform in front of large crowds – and that he is confident about excelling in the Finals.

    “The greater the pressure, the better I feel I perform,” he said. “It’s been that way since I was a little kid, and I’m not sure why, but it seems like the big moments are when I thrive and do the best. Every moment in my life has led up to me riding here.”

    Wade Sundell claimed the Round 3 saddle bronc riding win for the second year in a row when he rode Rafter G Rodeo’s Low Bucks for 87 points.

    “I had never been on that horse before, but I had seen him quite a few times, and he always looked like he’d be a good one to have,” said Sundell, who is sixth in the world. “You always want to ride those horses that buck real hard and will buck you off if you stub your toe. You can have fun and show off on those kind of horses, and it worked out awesome for me tonight.”

    The Coleman, Okla., cowboy has qualified for the last six Finals, and said it’s still a thrill to take a victory lap.

    “It absolutely doesn’t get old to win here,” he said, “and I wish I could do this again seven more nights.”

    Kassidy Dennison won the barrel racing with a time of 13.94 seconds and sits fourth in the world. Fallon Taylor, who won Round 1, took over the lead in the barrel racing world standings when she earned a check for third place.

    “I am so excited I can hardly speak,” said Dennison, who is competing at her first Finals. “I can hardly believe it. It is so exciting having so many of my family here with me to share this victory.”

    The 56th annual Wrangler NFR continues Sunday with the fourth round at the Thomas & Mack Center. The action will be televised live and in HD on CBS Sports Net (DirecTV channel 221 and DISH Network channel 158) from 7-10 p.m. (PT) with Jeff Medders and Butch Knowles announcing.

     

     

    Wrangler National Finals Rodeo

    Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas

    Round 3, Dec. 6

    Bareback riding: 1. Justin McDaniel, Porum, Okla., 89 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Delta Ship, $19,002; 2. Winn Ratliff, Leesville, La., 87.5, $15,018; 3. Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., 82.5, $11,340; 4. Austin Foss, Terrebonne, Ore., 80.0, $7,969; 5. (tie) Kaycee Feild, Spanish Fork, Utah, and Jake Vold, Ponoka, Alberta, 78, $3,984 each; 7. (tie) Richmond Champion, The Woodlands, Texas, and Jessy Davis, Power, Mont., 75.5 each; 9. (tie) Will Lowe, Canyon, Texas; Caleb Bennett, Tremonton, Utah, and Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb., 75 each; 12. Tilden Hooper, Carthage, Texas, 71.5; 13. J.R. Vezain, Cowley, Wyo., 69; 14. Steven Peebles, Redmond, Ore., 68.5; 15. Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, Iowa, NS. World standings: 1. Kaycee Feild, $195,370; 2. Steven Peebles, $145,932; 3. Austin Foss, $133,751; 4. Bobby Mote, $111,553; 5. Justin McDaniel, $110,641; 6. Will Lowe, $108,668; 7. Tim O’Connell, $102,890; 8. Richmond Champion, $89,935; 9. Jake Vold, $88,116; 10. Winn Ratliff, $88,057; 11. Steven Dent, $85,664; 12. Caleb Bennett, $84,225; 13. J.R. Vezain, $70,208; 14. Tilden Hooper, $68,844; 15. Jessy Davis, $67,686.

    Steer wrestling: 1. Kyle Irwin, Robertsdale, Ala., 3.2 seconds, $19,002; 2. Cole Edge, Durant, Okla., 3.8, $15,018; 3. Luke Branquinho, Los Alamos, Calif., 3.9, $11,340; 4. Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta, 4.0, $7,969; 5. Nick Guy, Sparta, Wis., 4.2, $4,904; 6. Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont., 4.4, $3,065; 7. (tie) K.C. Jones, Decatur, Texas, and Dakota Eldridge, Elko, Nev., 4.6 each; 9. Seth Brockman, Wheatland, Wyo., 4.9; 10. Clayton Hass, Terrell, Texas, 5.1; 11. Casey Martin, Sulphur, La., 5.8; 12. Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore., 6.8; 13. Dru Melvin, Hebron, Neb., 10.2; 14. (tie) Bray Armes, Ponder, Texas, and Wyatt Smith, Rexburg, Idaho, NT. World standings: 1. Nick Guy, $113,001; 2. Luke Branquinho, $107,521; 3. Kyle Irwin, $100,653; 4. Trevor Knowles, $96,707; 5. Casey Martin, $96,522; 6. K.C. Jones, $82,055; 7. Bray Armes, $80,249; 8. Clayton Hass, $76,576; 9. Cole Edge, $72,424; 10. Dru Melvin, $67,832; 11. Curtis Cassidy, $65,418; 12. Ty Erickson, $63,503; 13. Dakota Eldridge, $63,015; 14. Wyatt Smith, $57,188; 15. Seth Brockman, $52,933.

    Team roping: 1. Dustin Bird, Cut Bank, Mont./Paul Eaves, Lonedell, Mo., 3.9 seconds, $19,002 each; 2. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas/Travis Graves, Jay, Okla., 4.0, $15,018; 3. (tie) Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont./Jade Corkill, Fallon, Nev., and Kaleb Driggers, Albany, Ga./Patrick Smith, Lipan, Texas, 4.2, $9,654 each; 5. (tie) Riley Minor, Ellensburg, Wash./Brady Minor, Ellensburg, Wash., and Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla./Jake Long, Coffeyville, Kan., 4.3, $3,984 each; 7. Charly Crawford, Prineville, Ore./Shay Carroll, La Junta, Colo., 4.8; 8. Brandon Beers, Powell Butte, Ore./Jim Ross Cooper, Monument, N.M., 5.2; 9. Jake Barnes, Scottsdale, Ariz./Junior Nogueira, Scottsdale, Ariz., 6.6; 10. Turtle Powell, Stephenville, Texas/Dakota Kirchenschlager, Morgan Mill, Texas, 9.2; 11. Aaron Tsinigine, Tuba City, Ariz./Clay O’Brien Cooper, Gardnerville, Nev., 9.6; 12. Luke Brown, Stephenville, Texas/Kollin VonAhn, Blanchard, Okla., 13.3; 13. Erich Rogers, Round Rock, Ariz./Cory Petska, Marana, Ariz., 14.0; 14. Tom Richards, Humboldt, Ariz./Cesar de la Cruz, Tucson, Ariz., 14.7; 15. Nick Sartain, Dover, Okla./Rich Skelton, Llano, Texas, NT. World standings (headers): 1. Clay Tryan, $139,144; 2. Trevor Brazile, $121,321; 3. Dustin Bird, $109,645; 4. Turtle Powell, $107,314; 5. Erich Rogers, $104,486; 6. Kaleb Driggers, $96,028; 7. Coleman Proctor, $94,712; 8. Brandon Beers, $90,831; 9. Riley Minor, $86,873; 10. Charly Crawford, $86,577; 11. Jake Barnes, $83,375; 12. Nick Sartain, $76,963; 13. Luke Brown, $73,062; 14. Aaron Tsinigine, $68,074; 15. Tom Richards, $66,744. World standings (heelers): 1. Jade Corkill, $139,144; 2. Travis Graves, $121,321; 3. Paul Eaves, $112,737; 4. Cory Petska, $104,834; 5. Dakota Kirchenschlager, $103,954; 6. Patrick Smith, $96,028; 7. Jake Long, $95,712; 8. Jim Ross Cooper, $90,831; 9. Shay Carroll, $87,636; 10. Brady Minor, $86,873; 11. Rich Skelton, $76,963; 12. Junior Nogueira, $73,367; 13. Kollin VonAhn, $70,062; 14. Clay O’Brien Cooper, $60,255; 15. Cesar de la Cruz, $58,515.

    Saddle bronc riding: 1. Wade Sundell, Boxholm, Iowa, 87 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s Low Bucks, $19,002; 2. (tie) Heith DeMoss, Heflin, La., and Spencer Wright, Milford, Utah, 84, $13,179 each; 4. (tie) Tyler Corrington, Hastings, Minn., and Cole Elshere, Faith, S.D., 83.5, $6,436 each; 6. Jacobs Crawley, Stephenville, Texas, 82.5, $3,065; 7. Chad Ferley, Oelrichs, S.D., 81.5; 8. (tie) Cody Wright, Milford, Utah, and Cort Scheer, Elsmere, Neb., 77 each; 10. (tie) Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M., and Jake Wright, Milford, Utah, 76 each; 12. Jesse Wright, Milford, Utah, 75.5; 13. Bradley Harter, Loranger, La., 74; 14. Dustin Flundra, Pincher Creek, Alberta, 63; 15. Cody DeMoss, Heflin, La., NS. World standings: 1. Taos Muncy, $136,533; 2. Cort Scheer, $136,434; 3. Heith DeMoss, $120,771; 4. Jacobs Crawley, $120,450; 5. Cody Wright, $111,085; 6. Wade Sundell, $105,942; 7. Tyler Corrington, $84,130; 8. Cole Elshere, $82,449; 9. Spencer Wright, $81,413; 10. Jesse Wright, $77,495; 11. Bradley Harter, $74,836; 12. Chad Ferley, $73,705; 13. Dustin Flundra, $70,697; 14. Jake Wright, $67,764; 15. Cody DeMoss, $66,683.

    Tie-down roping: 1. Cody Ohl, Hico, Texas, 6.6 seconds, $19,002; 2. (tie) Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, La., and Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla., 7.2, $13,179 each; 4. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 7.4, $7,969; 5. Tuf Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 7.6, $4,904; 6. Marty Yates, Stephenville, Texas, 7.9, $3,065; 7. Tyson Durfey, Colbert, Wash., 8.4; 8. Clint Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 9.1; 9. Matt Shiozawa, Chubbuck, Idaho, 9.3; 10. Ryan Watkins, Bluff Dale, Texas, 9.5; 11. Clint Robinson, Spanish Fork, Utah, 10.6; 12. Reese Riemer, Stinnett, Texas, 11.1; 13. Cade Swor, Winnie, Texas, 17.8; 14. Adam Gray, Seymour, Texas, 18.8; 15. Timber Moore, Aubrey, Texas, NT. World standings: 1. Tuf Cooper, $158,726; 2. Trevor Brazile, $131,854; 3. Matt Shiozawa, $121,886; 4. Marty Yates, $105,255; 5. Cade Swor, $100,225; 6. Hunter Herrin, $99,309; 7. Clint Robinson, $97,233; 8. Shane Hanchey, $92,867; 9. Cody Ohl, $92,253; 10. Clint Cooper, $80,936; 11. Timber Moore, $75,817; 12. Tyson Durfey, $72,209; 13. Adam Gray, $69,401; 14. Ryan Watkins, $68,197; 15. Reese Riemer, $66,317.

    Barrel racing: 1. Kassidy Dennison, Tohatchi, N.M., 13.94 seconds, $19,002; 2. Nancy Hunter, Neola, Utah, 13.99, $15,018; 3. Fallon Taylor, Whitesboro, Texas, 14.05, $11,340; 4. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 14.07, $7,969; 5. Christy Loflin, Franktown, Colo., 14.08, $4,904; 6. Mary Walker, Ennis, Texas, 14.10, $3,065; 7. (tie) Kaley Bass, Kissimmee, Fla., and Carlee Pierce, Stephenville, Texas, 14.20 each; 9. Jana Bean, Fort Hancock, Texas, 14.21; 10. Trula Churchill, Valentine, Neb., 14.25; 11. Michele McLeod, Whitesboro, Texas, 14.27; 12. Britany Diaz, Solen, N.D., 14.32; 13. Samantha Lyne, Cotulla, Texas, 14.36; 14. Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 19.20; 15. Christine Laughlin, Pueblo, Colo., 24.04. World standings: 1. Fallon Taylor, $161,814; 2. Kaley Bass, $160,183; 3. Lisa Lockhart, $148,588; 4. Kassidy Dennison, $126,072; 5. Nancy Hunter, $122,372; 6. Michele McLeod, $111,985; 7. Sherry Cervi, $109,292; 8. Britany Diaz, $102,947; 9. Mary Walker, $102,777; 10. Carlee Pierce, $101,464; 11. Christy Loflin, $96,640; 12. Christine Laughlin, $93,135; 13. Trula Churchill, $90,892; 14. Jana Bean, $78,384; 15. Samantha Lyne, $70,577.

    Bull riding: 1. Sage Kimzey, Strong City, Okla., 84.5 points on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Line Man, $19,002; 2. Trey Benton III, Rock Island, Texas, 82, $15,018; 3. Cody Teel, Kountze, Texas, 81.5, $11,340; 4. Joe Frost, Randlett, Utah, 80.5, $7,969; 5. J.W. Harris, Mullin, Texas, 74.5, $4,904; 6. Tyler Smith, Fruita, Colo., 73, $3,065; 7. (tie) Tim Bingham, Honeyville, Utah; Beau Hill, West Glacier, Mont.; Aaron Pass, Dallas, Texas; Josh Koschel, Nunn, Colo.; Reid Barker, Comfort, Texas; Brennon Eldred, Sulphur, Okla.; Elliot Jacoby, Fredericksburg, Texas; Ty Wallace, Collbran, Colo., and Jordan Spears, Redding, Calif., NS. World standings: 1. Sage Kimzey, $173,508; 2. Trey Benton III, $140,565; 3. Cody Teel, 128,947; 4. Joe Frost, $104,498; 5. Tim Bingham, $100.652; 6. J.W. Harris, $90,179; 7. Aaron Pass, $85,548; 8. Beau Hill, $78,498; 9. Brennon Eldred, $77,830; 10. Reid Barker, $76,227; 11. Tyler Smith, $73,105; 12. Josh Koschel, $72,837; 13. Jordan Spears, $72,139; 14. Ty Wallace, $67,577; 15. Elliot Jacoby, $65,039.

    Total payout: $6,375,000. Stock contractors: Various. Rodeo secretary: Sunni Deb Backstrom. Assistant secretary: Jackie Higlin. Contestant office manager: Vickie Shireman. Officials: Wade Berry, Terry Carlon, Skip Emmett, George Gibbs, Chuck Hoss, Allan Jordan Jr., Bruce Keller, Butch Kirby, Steve Knowles, Joe Bob Locke, Cliff Overstreet, Harry Rose Jr., Rocky Steagall and Mike Todd. Timers: Sherry Rice Gibson, Tammy Braden and Jessi Franzen. Announcers: Wayne Brooks, Randy Corley and Boyd Polhamus. Specialty acts: Rider Kiesner, Madison MacDonald and Kenny Petet. Bullfighters: Chuck Swisher, Dusty Tuckness and Cody Webster. Barrelman: Justin Rumford. Barrrelman alternate: Mark Swingler. Livestock superintendent: John Barnes. Assistant livestock superintendent: Ryan Brown. Roughstock chute boss: Tom Neuens. Timed-event chute boss: Tony Amaral. Pickup men: Josh Edwards and Chase Cervi. Pickup man alternate: Matt Twitchell.

  • Team ropers make winning a habit

    Team ropers make winning a habit

    LAS VEGAS – Turtle Powell and Dakota Kirchenschlager remain perfect at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, and one of them called it a life-changing experience.

    The red-hot team ropers won Round 2 before a sellout crowd of 17,858 at the Thomas & Mack Center Friday, and for the second consecutive night they set a record for the round. Powell and Kirchenschlager won Round 1 in 4.0 seconds and bettered that the second time around with a time of 3.8 seconds.

    It’s the sixth time that the same team ropers won both Rounds 1 and 2 at the same Finals.

    The partners earned $19,002 each for the second straight night and again climbed several spots in the Windham Weaponry High Performance PRCA World Standings. Powell entered the Wrangler NFR in 13th place and has shot up to second, while Kirchenschlager has moved from 12th to fourth.

    Kirchenschlager said winning more than $38,000 in two nights is a dream come true.

    “This money changes my life,” he said. “I told my fiancé (Whitney Godinez) last night we can buy a new house now. This changes life greatly for me and my family.”

    And the ropers aren’t done yet.

    “We’re just going to stick to our guns and keep going as fast as we can go,” Powell said.

    Powell, who is competing in his ninth Finals, won a gold buckle with heeler Jhett Johnson in 2011. After just two nights, he’s in position to do it again.

    “I’m just glad to see our plan’s coming together,” Kirchenschlager said. “We need eight more rounds just like the first two.”

    This is the second Finals for the 23-year-old Kirchenschlager.

    “It’s so great to be here,” he said. “This is my dream. This is what I’ve always wanted to do, right here. Our game plan of going at every single steer just like we did all year long is what we’re here for. There’s no sense changing what got us to this point.

    “Now we just need to finish strong and do what we set out to do.”

    Both ropers live in Stephenville, Texas, the current roping capital of the world. Powell, 41, said there’s no reason they can’t keep winning.

    They’re also the early leaders for the Ram Top Gun Award, which goes to the top money winner in a single event at the Finals.

    “Dakota roped that steer right there in the corner and we finished strong,” Powell said. “I think that’s what helped us the most in that run. My heeler will try it on every time, so we have a chance to win all 10 rounds if I catch ’em all.”

    Another cowboy making a move toward the top of the standings is four-time World Champion Steer Wrestler Luke Branquinho. He shared the Round 2 win with Kyle Irwin, as both bulldoggers had a run of 3.6 seconds.

    Branquinho said would let Irwin be awarded the buckle for winning the round when the winners are recognized on stage at the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa later in the night.

    “Luke is a great guy, and a competitor and a winner, so to share this win with him just gives me more confidence,” said Irwin, who moved to sixth in the world standings.

    Branquinho, who led the world standings before suffering an injury July 18 at California Rodeo Salinas, has cashed two checks in two nights for $30,189 and is fourth in the world. He had surgery the end of July, and was sidelined until the Finals.

    “I’ve just been rehabbing and trying to make sure everything is strong,” he said. “My therapist at home made sure everything is tight and felt good, and he was right on par with what needed to get accomplished to be successful here.

    “This feels good, especially since I was able to be home and spend a lot of time with my kids and family, more so than I ever have. I think that really freshened me up. I’ve been going to the gym and therapy a lot, and that helped my body heal up from years of traveling down the road.”

    Irwin, who is competing in his first Finals, was thrilled with his success.

    “This is great,” he said. “All the hard work, all the practice and the late-night drives, it all paid off tonight. It makes it all worth it, and I just hope the momentum can build and I keep up this success in the other eight rounds.”

    Tie-down roper Cade Swor won a check for the second straight night and sits second in the average. Trevor Brazile took second place in Round 2 and earned a check for $15,018 to move within $29,938 of world leader Tuf Cooper.

    Swor, who is fifth in the world and $53,597 behind Cooper, said the WNFR is “like 10 one-headers. When I back in there, I will not look at that average until the last go-round.”

    Swor bought his horse, Floyd Money, in March and credits his mount with much of his success.

    “He was awesome tonight,” Swor said. “This is the first time I’ve ever ridden my own horse here. That horse has been the key to my success.”

    Steven Peebles recreated a bit of history by winning Round 2 in the bareback riding competition for the second straight year. He scored 85 points on New West Rodeo Productions’ Right Spur, and had high praise for his mount.

    “That’s a strong bucking horse right there; the definition of a bucking horse,” Peebles said. “He threw everything he had at me, and tested me, for sure. He dang sure had my heart pumping.”

    Peebles, 25, is battling a cold, along with a persistent pain in his lower back.

    ” I’ve had some lower back pain for a few years now; my right hip gets out of line and pinches some nerves,” Peebles said. “I didn’t feel it all summer, but then I did at my (RAM Columbia River) Circuit Finals.”

    The pain didn’t keep him from winning the RCRCF, however. Peebles said he felt pain in his lower back in Round 1 also.

    “I’ve ridden with pain all my career, and I’ve learned to block it out,” he said.

    Peebles’ season earnings rose to $145,932 – he’s second in the world – but he still trails three-time defending World Champion Kaycee Feild by $45,454. Peebles said he’s a long shot to catch Feild, but still has hope of winning his first gold buckle.

    “Kaycee would have to slip up and I’d have to pound it, but I’m ready,” Peebles said. “It’s an outside chance, but I’ve got a shot.”

    Jacobs Crawley won the saddle bronc riding when he rode for 82.5 points on Rafter H Rodeo Livestock’s Spade to claim his second career round win at the Finals.

    Crawley was the first saddle bronc rider to climb on Spade, after the horse switched over from bareback competition in 2011.

    “I won on him in Claremore, Okla., in his first-ever saddle bronc trip, so it was pretty special to draw Spade tonight and win on him,” Crawley said. “I’m looking forward to going to the South Point stage, thanks to Spade.”

    Crawley moved within $19,148 of world standings leader Taos Muncy. First-round winner Cort Scheer is second, and Crawley said the world title is up for grabs.

    “I’m excited, and I feel like I’m riding like I want to ride, which is consistent and take care of business,” Crawley said. “Winning the (NFR) average last year really made winning the world a possibility in my mind. If you would’ve asked me two years ago, winning the world would’ve seemed so far off, but now after winning the average here last year, I feel like if I can pick up a few round wins and grab the average again, that it’s anybody’s game this year.”

    Only four bull riders stayed aboard for eight seconds for the second night in a row, and Aaron Pass claimed the victory when he rode for 89.5 points on Rafter H Rodeo Livestock’s Seeing Red. He celebrated by throwing his hat in the air.

    “The bull was great, and people had talked good about him,” Pass said. “I usually don’t throw my hat in the air like that, and I usually just throw my hands up in the air. I just bought this hat today and my buddy Trey (Benton III) told me I had to get it dirty, so that’s why I threw it. This is an exciting atmosphere and it’s hard to explain what that moment felt like. It’s a lifelong dream to be here, and I’m really hoping I get a few more go-round wins under my belt.”

    Joe Frost, who won Round 1 and was fourth Friday, is the only bull rider with two qualified rides.

    Lisa Lockhart rode her buckskin horse, Louie, to the barrel racing win in 14.29 seconds, just .02 faster than Kassidy Dennison. It’s the fifth time the Round 2 winner has prevailed by less than .03 seconds.

    “I rode very conservatively tonight,” Lockhart said. “Although I couldn’t see what was going on in the arena, I could hear that the times were not what they have been in the past, so I had it in my mind to back off just a little and let Louie pick his pace.”

    The 56th annual Wrangler NFR continues Saturday with the second round at the Thomas & Mack Center. The action will be televised live and in HD on CBS Sports Net (DirecTV channel 221 and DISH Network channel 158) from 7-10 p.m. (PT) with Jeff Medders and Butch Knowles announcing.
    Wrangler National Finals Rodeo

    Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, Nev.

    Second Round

    Bareback riding: 1. Steven Peebles, Redmond, Ore., 85 points on New West Rodeo Productions’ Right Spur, $19,002; 2. (tie) Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb.; Jake Vold, Ponoka, Alberta, and Justin McDaniel, Porum, Okla., 83, $11,442 each; 5. Bobby Mote, 82.5, $4,904; 6. Tilden Hooper, Carthage, Texas, 81.5, $3,065; 7. Winn Ratliff, Leesville, La., 81; 8. Will Lowe, Canyon, Texas, 80.5; 9. Richmond Champion, The Woodlands, Texas, 79.5; 10. (tie) Austin Foss, Terrebonne, Ore., and J.R. Vezain, Cowley, Wyo., 78 each; 12. Kaycee Feild, Spanish Fork, Utah, 77.5; 13. Jessy Davis, Power, Mont., 76; 14. Caleb Bennett, Tremonton, Utah, 71; 15. Tim O’Connell, NS. World standings: 1. Kaycee Feild, $191,386; 2. Steven Peebles, $145,932; 3. Austin Foss, $125,782; 4. Will Lowe, $108,668; 5. Tim O’Connell, $102,890; 6. Bobby Mote, $100,213; 7. Justin McDaniel, $91,639; 8. Richmond Champion, $89,935; 9. Steven Dent, $85,664; 10. Caleb Bennett, $84,225; 11. Jake Vold, $84,132; 12. Winn Ratliff, $73,039; 13. J.R. Vezain, $70,208; 14. Tilden Hooper, $68,844; 15. Jessy Davis, $67,686.

    Steer wrestling: 1. (tie) Luke Branquinho, Los Alamos, Calif., and Kyle Irwin, Robertsdale, Ala., 3.6 seconds, $17,010 each; 3. Nick Guy, Sparta, Wis., 3.7, $11,340; 4. Bray Armes, Ponder, Texas, 3.9, $7,969; 5. Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore., 4.1, $4,904; 6. Casey Martin, Sulphur, La., 4.4, $3,065; 7. K.C. Jones, Decatur, Texas, 4.5; 8. Clayton Hass, Terrell, Texas, 4.8; 9. Dakota Eldridge, Elko, Nev., 4.9; 10. Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont., 5.2; 11. Dru Melvin, Hebron, Neb., 7.2; 12. Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta, 9.5; 13. Cole Edge, Durant, Okla., 14.6; 14. (tie) Wyatt Smith, Rexburg, Idaho, and Seth Brockman, Wheatland, Wyo., NT. World standings: 1. Nick Guy, $108,097; 2. Trevor Knowles, $96,707; 3. Casey Martin, $96,522; 4. Luke Branquinho, $96,181; 5. K.C. Jones, $82,055; 6. Kyle Irwin, $81,650; 7. Bray Armes, $80,249; 8. Clayton Hass, $76,576; 9. Dru Melvin, $67,832; 10. Dakota Eldridge, $63,015; 11. Ty Erickson, $60,439; 12. Curtis Cassidy, $57,449; 13.  Cole Edge, $57,406; 14. Wyatt Smith, $57,188; 15. Seth Brockman, $52,933.

    Team roping: 1. Turtle Powell, Stephenville, Texas/Dakota Kirchenschlager, Morgan Mill, Texas, 3.8 seconds, $19,002; 2. Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla./Jake Long, Coffeyville, Kan., 4.5, $15,018; 3. Brandon Beers, Powell Butte, Ore./Jim Ross Cooper, Monument, N.M., 4.6, $11,340; 4. Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont./Jade Corkill, Fallon, Nev., 9.4, $7,969; 5. Kaleb Driggers, Albany, Ga./Patrick Smith, Lipan, Texas, 9.7, $4,904; 6. Jake Barnes, Scottsdale, Ariz./Junior Nogueira, Scottsdale, Ariz., 10.1, $3,065; 7. Tom Richards, Humboldt, Ariz./Cesar de la Cruz, Tucson, Ariz., 10.9; 8. Erich Rogers, Round Rock, Ariz./Cory Petska, Marana, Ariz., 12.7; 9. Dustin Bird, Cut Bank, Mont./Paul Eaves, Lonedell, Mo., 19.1; 10. Aaron Tsinigine, Tuba City, Ariz./Clay O’Brien Cooper, Gardnerville, Nev., 19.7; 11. (tie) Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas/Travis Graves, Jay, Okla.; Riley Minor, Ellensburg, Wash./Brady Minor, Ellensburg, Wash.; Nick Sartain, Dover, Okla./Rich Skelton, Llano, Texas; Luke Brown, Stephenville, Texas/Kollin VonAhn, Blanchard, Okla., and Charly Crawford, Prineville, Ore./Shay Carroll, La Junta, Colo., NT. World standings (headers): 1. Clay Tryan, $129,490; 2. Turtle Powell, $107,314; 3. Trevor Brazile, $106,303; 4. Erich Rogers, $104,486; 5. Brandon Beers, $90,8311; 6. Coleman Proctor, $90,728; 7. Dustin Bird, $90,643; 8. Charly Crawford, $86,577; 9. Kaleb Driggers, $86,374; 10. Jake Barnes, $83,375; 11. Riley Minor, $82,889; 12. Nick Sartain, $76,963; 13. Luke Brown, $73,062; 14. Aaron Tsinigine, $68,074; 15. Tom Richards, $66,744. World standings (heelers): 1. Jade Corkill, $129,490; 2. Travis Graves, $106,303; 3. Cory Petska, $104,834; 4. Dakota Kirchenschlager, $103,954; 5. Paul Eaves, $93,735; 6. Jake Long, $91,728; 7. Jim Ross Cooper, $90,831; 8. Shay Carroll, $87,636; 9. Patrick Smith, $86,374; 10. Brady Minor, $82,889; 11. Rich Skelton, $76,963; 12. Junior Nogueira, $73,367; 13. Kollin VonAhn, $70,062; 14. Clay O’Brien Cooper, $60,255; 15. Cesar de la Cruz, $58,515.

    Saddle bronc riding: 1. Jacobs Crawley, Stephenville, Texas, 82.5 points on Rafter H Rodeo Livestock’s Spade, $19,002; 2. Cort Scheer, Elsmere, Neb., 82, $15,018; 3. Dustin Flundra, Pincher Creek, Alberta, 81, $11,340; 4. Jake Wright, Milford, Utah, 80.5, $7,969; 5. Cole Elshere, Faith, S.D., 76.5, $4,904; 6. Spencer Wright, Milford, Utah, 75, $3,065; 7. Cody Wright, Milford, Utah, 74.5; 8. (tie) Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M.; Heith DeMoss, Heflin, La.; Wade Sundell, Boxholm, Iowa; Bradley Harter, Loranger, La.; Tyler Corrington, Hastings, Minn., Jesse Wright, Milford, Utah; Chad Ferley, Oelrichs, S.D., and Cody DeMoss, Heflin, La., NS. World standings: 1. Taos Muncy, $136,533; 2. Cort Scheer, $136,434; 3. Jacobs Crawley, $117,385; 4. Cody Wright, $111,085; 5. Heith DeMoss, $107,592; 6. Wade Sundell, $86,940; 7. Tyler Corrington, $77,694; 8. Jesse Wright, $77,495; 9. Cole Elshere, $76,013; 10. Bradley Harter, $74,836; 11. Chad Ferley, $73,705; 12. Dustin Flundra, $70,697; 13. Spencer Wright, $68,234; 14. Jake Wright, $67,764; 15. Cody DeMoss, $66,683.

    Tie-down roping: 1. Cade Swor, Winnie, Texas, 7.7 seconds, $19,002; 2. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 7.9, $15,018; 3. Clint Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 8.0, $11,340; 4. Tyson Durfey, Colbert, Wash., 8.1, $7,969; 5. Matt Shiozawa, Chubbuck, Idaho, 8.2, $4,904; 6. Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla., 8.5, $3,065; 7. Tuf Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 8.7; 8. Clint Robinson, Spanish Fork, Utah, 9.8; 9. Ryan Watkins, Bluff Dale, Texas, 10.8; 10. Reese Riemer, Stinnett, Texas, 11.7; 11. Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, La., 13.3; 12. (tie) Marty Yates, Stephenville, Texas; Timber Moore, Aubrey, Texas; Adam Gray, Seymour, Texas, and Cody Ohl, Hico, Texas, NT. World standings: 1. Tuf Cooper, $153,822; 2. Trevor Brazile, $123,885; 3. Matt Shiozawa, $121,886; 4. Marty Yates, $102,190; 5. Cade Swor, $100,225; 6. Clint Robinson, $97,233; 7. Hunter Herrin, $86,130; 8. Clint Cooper, $80,936; 9. Shane Hanchey, $79,687; 10. Timber Moore, $75,817; 11. Cody Ohl, $73,251; 12. Tyson Durfey, $72,209; 13. Adam Gray, $69,401; 14. Ryan Watkins, $68,197; 15. Reese Riemer, $66,317.

    Barrel racing: 1. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 14.29 seconds, $19,002; 2. Kassidy Dennison, Tohatchi, N.M., 14.31, $15,018; 3. Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 14.35, $11,340; 4. Jana Bean, Fort Hancock, Texas, 14.59, $7,969; 5. Kaley Bass, Kissimmee, Fla., 14.66, $4,904; 6. Carlee Pierce, Stephenville, Texas, 14.81, $3,065; 7. Samantha Lyne, Cotulla, Texas, 14.96; 8. Trula Churchill, Valentine, Neb., 18.99; 9. Nancy Hunter, Neola, Utah, 19.07; 10. Christy Loflin, Franktown, Colo., 19.15; 11. Fallon Taylor, Whitesboro, Texas, 19.27; 12. Christine Laughlin, Pueblo, Colo., 19.29; 13. Michele McLeod, Whitesboro, Texas, 19.43; 14. Britany Diaz, Solen, N.D., 19.45; 15. Mary Walker, Ennis, Texas, 24.11. World standings: 1. Kaley Bass, $160,183; 2. Fallon Taylor, $150,474; 3. Lisa Lockhart, $140,619; 4. Michele McLeod, $111,985; 5. Sherry Cervi, $109,292; 6. Nancy Hunter, $107,354; 7. Kassidy Dennison, $107,069; 8. Britany Diaz, $102,947; 9. Carlee Pierce, $101,464; 10. Mary Walker, $99,712; 11. Christine Laughlin, $93,135; 12. Christy Loflin, $91,736; 13. Trula Churchill, $90,892; 14. Jana Bean, $78,384; 15. Samantha Lyne, $70,577.

    Bull riding: 1. Aaron Pass, Dallas, Texas, 89.5 points on Rafter H Rodeo Livestock’s Seeing Red, $19,002; 2. Cody Teel, Kountze, Texas, 85, $15,018; 3. Sage Kimzey, Strong City, Okla., 80.5, $11,340; 4. Joe Frost, Randlett, Utah, 74, $7,969; 5. (tie) Trey Benton III, Rock Island, Texas; J.W. Harris, Mullin, Texas; Tim Bingham, Honeyville, Utah; Beau Hill, West Glacier, Mont.; Josh Koschel, Nunn, Colo.; Reid Barker, Comfort, Texas; Brennon Eldred, Sulphur, Okla.; Elliot Jacoby, Fredericksburg, Texas; Ty Wallace, Collbran, Colo.; Tyler Smith, Fruita, Colo., and Jordan Spears, Redding, Calif., NS. World standings: 1. Sage Kimzey, $154,505; 2. Trey Benton III, $125,547; 3. Cody Teel, $117,607; 4. Tim Bingham, $100,652; 5. Joe Frost, $96,529; 6. Aaron Pass, $85,548; 7. J.W. Harris, $85,275; 8. Beau Hill, $78,498; 9. Brennon Eldred, $77,830; 10. Reid Barker, $76,227; 11. Josh Koschel, $72,837; 12. Jordan Spears, $72,139; 13. Tyler Smith, $70,040; 14. Ty Wallace, $67,577; 15. Elliot Jacoby, $65,039.

    Total payout: $6,375,000. Stock contractors: Various. Rodeo secretary: Sunni Deb Backstrom. Assistant secretary: Jackie Higlin. Contestant office manager: Vickie Shireman. Officials: Wade Berry, Terry Carlon, Skip Emmett, George Gibbs, Chuck Hoss, Allan Jordan Jr., Bruce Keller, Butch Kirby, Steve Knowles, Joe Bob Locke, Cliff Overstreet, Harry Rose Jr., Rocky Steagall and Mike Todd. Timers: Sherry Rice Gibson, Tammy Braden and Jessi Franzen. Announcers: Wayne Brooks, Randy Corley and Boyd Polhamus. Specialty acts: Rider Kiesner, Madison MacDonald and Kenny Petet. Bullfighters: Chuck Swisher, Dusty Tuckness and Cody Webster. Barrelman: Justin Rumford. Barrelman alternate: Mark Swingler. Livestock superintendent: John Barnes. Assistant livestock superintendent: Ryan Brown. Roughstock chute boss: Tom Neuens. Timed-event chute boss: Tony Amaral. Pickup men: Josh Edwards and Chase Cervi. Pickup man alternate: Matt Twitchell.