Monthly Archives: December 2017

LAS VEGAS – Coleman Proctor needed to change some things up. He and his heeler, Billie Jack Saebens, have been just out of the money three times through the first five nights of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and had one no-time, so Proctor made a horse change. “Waiting on Round 5 to win something is now how we want it,” said Proctor, a four-time NFR qualifier from Pryor, Okla. “It’s now how we drew it up, but we’ve been pecking away. “It’s funny how a guy can get tapped off and rolling in the right direction or he’s in the whole. I made the horse change tonight; I’m on my little bay horse, Heisman. I thought he did an outstanding job.” He and Saebens stopped the clock in 4.0 seconds to finish the fifth round in a tie for third place, worth $13,327. It was important for the tandem to finally earn some Vegas money. “Billie ropes great,” Proctor said. “The steer he missed was tough to heel. He made a great run on him tonight. That sucker tricked us; he came up the rope and was hard to heel. He usually ropes every thing else by two feet. I feel like we have had just a few little bad breaks. “He’s roping great, the horses are working great and I feel like it is coming our way. I’m grateful for a check tonight, and I’m looking forward to many more the rest of the week.” The NFR is a tricky championship. Saebens and Proctor are just one of the top 15 teams that are competing for the world championship. Just like Las Vegas, Lady Luck can be a negative piece of the puzzle inside the Thomas & Mack Center. So maybe changing to Heisman changed his luck, or maybe it just gave him and Saebens a different opportunity. “He let me get off the back (of the timed-event box) a little quicker,” Proctor said of the horse. “You’ve got to get out of there a lot sooner. I was just missing the barrier on the sorrel. We would catch and make a good run, but we weren’t winning anything. “Sometimes it’s like a heavy-weight fight; you’ve just got to make your way through the meat of the rounds, and finally it will come your way.” Now he can enjoy his time with his baby, Stella Rein Lèon Proctor, who was born in late October. She won’t remember anything about this NFR, but she’ll have a nice scrapbook he will provide. “Having her here is great,” he said. “We go back to the room every night. We watch Longmire on Netflix, and she goes right to sleep. It’s been an awesome routine this week, and we have enjoyed it.”

Bareback riding: 1. Mason Clements, 88.5 points on Korkow Rodeos Onion Ring, $26,231; 2. (tie) Bill Tutor, Richmond Champion and Caleb Bennett, 88, $15,795 each; 5. (tie) Orin Larsen and J.R. Vezain, 87.5, $5,500 each. Steer wrestling: 1. Tanner Milan, 3.8 seconds, $26,231; 2. Tyler Waguespack, 3.9, $20,731; 3. Tyler Pearson, 4.0, $15,654; 4. J.D. Struxness, 4.1, $11,000; 5. Ty Erickson, 4.3, $6,769; 6. Olin Hannum, 4.6, $4,231. Team roping: 1. (tie) Erich Rogers/Cory Petska and Clay Tryan and Jade Corkill, 3.9 seconds, $23,481 each; 3. (tie) Coleman Proctor/Billie Jack Saebens and Tom Richards/Jeremy Buhler, 4.0, $13,327; 5. Riley Minor/Brady Minor, 4.6, $6,769; 6. Charly Crawford/Joseph Harrison, 4.7, $4,231. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Sterling Crawley, 89 points on Frontier Rodeo Medicine Woman, $26,231; 2. (tie) Zeke Thurston, Layton Green and Brody Cress, 87.5, $15,795; 5. Jesse Wright, 86.5, $6,769; 6. (tie) Hardy Braden and Ryder Wright, 85.5, $2,115 each. Tie-down roping: 1. Marty Yates, 7.0 seconds, $26,231; 2. Tuf Cooper, 7.1, $20,731; 3. (tie) Marcos Costa and Cade Swor, 7.5, $13,327 each; 5. J.C. Malone, 7.8, $6,769; 6. Ryan Jarrett, 8.1, $4,231. Barrel racing: 1. (tie) Ivy Conrado and Lisa Lockhart, 13.59 seconds, $23,481 each; 3. Hailey Kinsel, 13.67, $15,654; 4. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 13.59, $11,000; 5. Taci Bettis, 13.74, $6,769; 6. Nellie Miller, 13.75, $4,231. Bull riding: 1. Sage Kimzey, 89 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo Shootin’ Stars, $27,077; 2. Cole Melancon, 86.5, $21,577; 3. Jordan Spears, 85.5, $16,500; 4. Ty Wallace, 82.5, $11,846; 5. Joe Frost, 81, $7,615.

LAS VEGAS – It was a wild night of bareback riding Monday for the fifth round of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. At most rodeos and, oftentimes at the NFR, an 87.5-point ride will win the round. Orin Larsen will just enjoy settling for a tie for fifth place worth $5,500. “That is probably the best round of bareback riding that I’ve ever seen,” said Larsen, an Inglis, Manitoba, cowboy who rode Hi Lo Pro Rodeo’s Wilson Sanchez into the top six. “Everyone’s riding good, and the horses are doing great. That’s what the finals are all about. It is exciting to see what is going to happen the next five nights.” Only one point separated the top six finishers, those that earn money each night. Utahan Mason Clements was 88.5 to win the round, three cowboys tied for second at 88, and Larsen shared the last paying spot with Wyoming cowboy J.R. Vezain. Through the first five nights, the Manitoban has placed four times and has earned more than $56,000. That’s a pretty solid start to ProRodeo’s grand finale. He has moved up five spots to No. 5 in the world standings with $155,355. He’s not far from topping his 2016 NFR earnings, and it’s only the halfway point of this year’s championship. “It’s different, and I’m not used to it,” said Larsen, who lives in Gering, Neb. “I’m loving it. I’m going to ride this gravy train as long as I can. I’ve just been really grateful and thankful for the horses I’ve been getting on and the way I’ve been riding. “I’m just going to keep rolling with it.”

LAS VEGAS – Not only is Kaycee Feild a four-time world champion bareback rider, he’s somewhat of a prophet. In a story written by Patrick Everson for the Las Vegas Review Journal, Feild said this about Mason Clements: “I pick him for the average title. He’s focused like I’ve never seen him focused. Mason’s gonna really start to capitalize in the fifth, sixth round.” So far so good. Clements and Korkow Rodeo’s Onion Ring danced across the Thomas & Mack Arena dirt for 88.5 points and the fifth-round victory Monday at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. It was worth $26,231 for Clements, who was born in Las Vegas and now lives in Santaquin, Utah. “That horse is phenomenal right from the get-go, and he finishes even stronger,” he said. “It’s funny; you get frustrated with how things aren’t going, and it will cost you. Keep it simple; don’t over-complicate it.” Clements placed third on opening night but hadn’t reached the pay window until Monday. He bucked off Calgary Stampede’s Special Delivery in Saturday night’s “eliminator pen” of bucking horses but round features the toughest-to-ride broncs in the game. “You’re going to have struggles, you’re going to have setbacks and it’s going to be a little tough,” he said. “You have to keep your focus and keep your head level every night. I came here tonight just like every other night, focused and ready.” That’s a pretty veteran thought process for an NFR rookie. Clements scrambled at the end of the season to move into the No. 15 spot and earn the rights to compete in Sin City this week. He’s taken everything he’s learned through the rigors of the season and placed it into a premium spot in his brain. Feild told the Las Vegas newspaper that Clements’ work ethic is a big reason the 25-year-old is here. That has been proven in five rounds. He has earned $49,558 and has moved up six spots to ninth in the world standings. “I’ve been dreaming of that (first win) and dreaming of it, replaying every scenario over in my head just to be at the Thomas & Mack and making sure I’ve got everything perfect – exactly the wday I want to ride, exactly the way I need to ride,” Clements said. He gets to do this in front of a lot of family and friends, whether they came from just down the street or made the short drive from Utah. He’s taken all the lessons he can get, especially from people like Feild, a friend and traveling partner. “He told me, ‘You’re doing fine; keep it simple,’ ” Clements said. “To me, listening to advice from him is like hearing it from a parent or brother, because that’s the closest thing I have to a relationship in rodeo.”

LAS VEGAS – Only two other bareback riders at this year’s Wrangler National Finals Rodeo have earned more money than Richmond Champion through the first four rounds. Champion, 24, of The Woodlands, Texas, placed for the third time on Sunday with an 84-point ride, finishing in a tie for sixth place in the fourth go-round. He added another $2,115 to his bank account and has pushed his NFR earnings to $50,326. More importantly, though, is that he has moved up four spots to No. 5 in the world standings with $157,524. “I have traveled a lot further than I walked to the truck to drive here from the hotel for $600,” he said with a laugh. “To keep the ball rolling and get a couple grand is perfect. Those little checks add up. I’m happy, and I feel good. This is the best that I’ve probably ever felt here.” This is Champion’s third qualification to the NFR. He first arrived in Las Vegas in 2014 and won $108,000 in 10 nights. He’s halfway there, and ProRodeo’s grand finale hasn’t even reached the halfway point. “In my own mind frame of knowing that in 2014 it was, ‘Oh, man, I didn’t even mean to do that,’ and now it’s more purposeful,” he said. “I have a driving force behind me, and it feels good.” It should. On Sunday night, he matched moves with Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Control Freak to place in the round. Though it was the first time he had ridden the strong bay horse, he know quite a bit about it. “I’ve seen him a lot,” Champion said of Control Freak. “When I saw the draw, I knew he was solid. I knew Tanner (Aus) won the first round on him last year, so I knew there was an upside. He had a solid day, but the NFR is not a sprint; it’s a marathon. That’s a nice horse and a good score.” He has had nice horses all year. In addition to qualifying for this week’s festivities in the City of Lights, he also qualified for the Canadian Finals Rodeo for the first time in his career. It was a great learning situation for the young cowboy, even though he didn’t have the best of luck in Edmonton, Alberta. Still, he gained some things that are helping him this week. “I had trouble finding my groove up there, but here you fall back into it,” Champion said. “It’s a different animal here. The energy of this place is unbelievable. This is my bread and butter; that’s awesome.” So is Champion, who will have a shot to repeat history Monday night. He has a rematch with Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Dirty Jacket, the two-time Bareback Horse of the Year that Champion rode for 88 points to win the fifth go-round at the 2014 NFR.

LAS VEGAS – Tim O’Connell had to strap himself to two horses Sunday night during the fourth round of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. After his first horse, Andrew Rodeo’s Fire Water, failed to perform well, he was given the option for a re-ride. The alternate was Harry Vold Rodeo’s Excalibur, and it paid off for the Zwingle, Iowa, cowboy. He matched moves with the black horse for 84.5 points, worth $6,769. “I remember hitting the ground (after the first ride), and immediately was starting to nod my head that I would take the re-ride,” O’Connell said. “I didn’t care what it was, just load it.” The hope for any roughstock cowboy is to just have to get on one animal. That doesn’t always happen, as was the case Sunday. Fire Water had a bad day, so O’Connell got a better opportunity. “It is just like any other place, and you’ve just got to go,” he said. “You have to reset yourself, and you’ve got to clean your mind. You can’t be mad about what happened; you just have to make sure you are ready to go. “My deal was that I put in a lot of hard work this offseason to be ready to get on as many as I needed to when I got here. If I have to have a re-ride every night, my body was ready to do so. He has earned $69,654 in four nights of riding bucking horses. He has moved his season total to $271,569 and leads the world standings by more than $100,000. He is well on his way to defending his Montana Silversmiths gold buckle. It’s more than riding well; in bareback riding, half the score comes from the animal. That’s why the re-ride was so valuable, and Excalibur came through. “I rode that horse earlier this year,” O’Connell said. “I had success on her, and she was just as bucky as I remember her being. It was a pretty big fight. It was a lot of work for that little horse. I knew I had to be on my game and fast to the top and fast to the bottom, and I had to have a downward rigging drop. “A lot of people don’t see that, but it will reflect in the videos; you can see the strain I had to go through to get back to the bottom (of the spur stroke).” While he knew Excalibur was going to be good, he knew he had to match the horse. After North Dakotan Ty Breuer posted a 90.5-point ride to kick off the round, O’Connell decided to stick to his game plan of riding his horse and not trying to beat Breuer. “(Saturday) night, I was 91.5 points, but (Sunday) I didn’t have an opportunity to be 91.5,” he said. “I had an opportunity to do what I could on the back of that horse. That 84.5 is a great score on that horse, so I’ll take it. “I knew that I was physically fit, and I knew I was mentally trained to go through a 10-day battle and a 10-day war. I feel like I did the very best I could with the two opportunities I had.” He’s done that for four nights, and there’s no reason to expect anything different for the final six rounds of the ProRodeo season.

LAS VEGAS – Through four nights of ProRodeo’s grand finale, saddle bronc rider Hardy Braden is still living a dream. On Sunday night at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, Braden put on a classic spur ride on J Bar J Rodeo’s Special Time for 85.5 points to finish in a tie for third place, adding $13,327 to his payroll. He has pushed his 2017 earnings to $157,831, with more than $55,000 coming in Sin City. “It’s pretty unbelievable,” said Braden of Welch, Okla., who attended both Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College and Oklahoma Panhandle State University on rodeo scholarships. “It’s a dream come true. Every kid growing up watching rodeo or thinks he was to rodeo, this is where he wants to be. I finally get that shot, and it’s awesome.” He has placed in three of four rounds and is riding as strong as he ever has in his career. This is a good place to do it. It helps that he is doing so on the best horses in the world, all of which were selected to perform at the NFR by the bronc riders. “That horse felt really good,” he said of Special Time, a stout bay horse. “I wanted to finish one better, and I think we achieved that. That’s one of the better horses that I’ve been on so far with good timing, and it makes things feel good.” It was the first time he had ever been matched with Special Time, but he wouldn’t mind having another shot at the talented bucker. “I talked to some guys in the locker room, and they said she’s going to have a move to the right, and then she is going to feel really good,” he said. “She did. She had some timing to her, and I got more of that rocking-chair effect. “They’ve had a lot of success on that horse.” So did Braden, who has his parents, sister and her husband in the stands of the Thomas & Mack Center for all 10 days of the championship. “They are my biggest supporters,” Braden said. “It’s an awesome feeling. Money is just an object, and it’s good, but it is still a neat feeling to be riding here in front of them.” Not only is he riding at the NFR, but he’s having great success doing it.

17-year-old Wilson advances to Las Vegas Championship posting 87.5-point bout LAS VEGAS – Seth Wilson is a high school student in Jackson Hole, Wyo., but he’s getting quite the education this week in the City of Lights. On Sunday afternoon during the third day of qualifying for the Bullfighters Only Las Vegas Championship, Wilson posted an 87.5-point bout, the highest-marked fight through the first four days of competition. He now advances to face the world’s top nine bullfighters in the preliminary rounds, set for at 2 p.m. Wednesday & Thursday at the Tropicana Casino and Resort. “That was a really good bull,” said Wilson, 17. “He came out pretty hot. I just tried to hit him with the hardest fakes I could to make sure he’d take them. There were some things I would have liked to have done differently, but at the end of the day, I put forth the effort for what I came here to do.” Because of his age, he had to have parental permission and a signed waiver in order to compete. That was no problem for Wilson, whose family runs a rodeo company in Wyoming. He used to ride bulls before transitioning to the bullfighting cleats. “I fight for my family every week, so my mom knows I’ve got a passion for it,” he said. “She knows I have a chance to be successful at this.” He proved it Sunday afternoon inside the Bullfighters Only tent at the Tropicana; the sellout crowd was on their feet for the duration of Wilson’s fight. In the toughest three-man section of the day, he outlasted Kris Buffalo of Maskwacis, Alberta, by just half a point. “There are a lot of outstanding guys in the BFO, and we all watch them and want to be there,” Wilson said. “To get this opportunity these guys have been gracious to give me is a dream come true and it brings out all sorts of emotions.” He will be joined by Jimmy Essary of Somersville, Tenn., who scored 76 points to win his section, and Ely Sharkey of Ainsworth, Neb., who was 79 to win his three-man group. They will compete in the two preliminary rounds, which take place Wednesday and Thursday. Each day will feature three 3-man fights, with the winners advancing to Saturday’s championship. The other two bullfighters will move on to the Wild Card Round, set for Friday. For Wilson, he now has the opportunity to play the game he loves with the bullfighters he’s been admiring for years. He also has a chance to win that $25,000 first-place prize. “That’s pretty breathtaking,” he said of the top prize. “It would be an honor to be able to come up with that. It also gives you drive. It’s not going to come easy. The best guys in the world are going to be there. I’m going to find out how bad I really want it.” Advancing to Las Vegas Championship Jimmy Essary, 76; Seth Wilson, 87.5; and Ely Sharkey, 79

LAS VEGAS – The train of bucking horses that Orin Larsen has been riding this week seems to just keep chugging along. There have been no big victories nor any significant losses, but it’s working. On Sunday night, Larsen rode Four Star Rodeo’s Big Star for 86 points to place third in the fourth night of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, pocketing $15,654. It’s the third time he’s made his way to the pay window. “It’s awesome to have the kind of finals I’ve had the last couple of years and show up knowing what I can do and what I am mentally here for,” said Larsen of Inglis, Manitoba, now living in Gering, Neb., with his wife, Alexa. “It’s just amazing.” He rebounded from Saturday night’s fight with Frontier Rodeo’s Delta Ship, one of the hardest-to-ride horses in the world. On the night that featured the “eliminator” pen, the 15 bucking horses lived up to their name. While Larsen stayed on the big bay gelding, the 73-point score kept him out of the money. But he came away relatively unscathed. While most of the bareback riders were sore, he had held his own – that’s a far cry from his 2016 NFR, where an early rib injury cause him problems for the first five rounds; once he figured out how to ride through the pain, he finished strong. “That was the kind of round where everyone gets sore,” Larsen said with a grin. “They go to sports medicine more times that not, but for me, I feel 100 percent. I’m ready to go 10 more after this one. “The kind of momentum I’ve built to this have … I’m going to carry it with me. I’m going to treat the other six rounds like they belong to me.” That’s the right attitude to have, especially in Las Vegas. With go-round winners earning more than $26,000 a night, he has six more nights in the ProRodeo season to cash in. So far this season, he has earned $149,855, more than $50,000 of which has come over the last four nights. “I’m never totally satisfied with my riding,” he said. “I always feel like I can build more. I think you have to have that kind of mentality to be the best. I’m close to where I want to be, but I’m pretty critical of myself.” That’s why he’s one of the very best in the game for the third year in a row.

Bareback riding: 1. Ty Breuer, 90.5 points on Brookman Rodeo Riskey Business, $26,231; 2. Wyatt Denny, 87, $20,731; 3. Orin Larson, 86, $15,654; 4. Bill Tutor, 85, $11,000; 5. Tim O’Connell, 84.5, $6,769; 6. (tie) Richmond Champion and Caleb Bennett, 84, $2,115 each. Steer wrestling: 1. J.D. Struxness, 3.6 seconds, $26,231; 2. Chason Floyd, 3.8, $20,731; 3. Dakota Eldridge, 3.9, $15,654; 4. (tie) Ty Erickson and Jon Ragatz, 4.1, $8,885 each; 6. Rowdy Parrott, 4.2, $4,231. Team roping: 1. (tie) Luke Brown/Jake Long and Dustin Egusquiza/Kory Koontz, 4.1 seconds, $23,481 each; 3. Clay Smith/Paul Eaves, 4.3, $15,654; 4. Chad Masters/Travis Graves, 4.4, $11,000; 5. Erich Rogers/Cory Petska, 4.5, $6,769; 6. Jr. Dees/Tyler McKnight, 5.2, $4,231. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Ryder Wright, 89 points on Stace Smith Pro Rodeos Pony Man, $26,231; 2. Brody Cress, 86, $20,731; 3. (tie) Hardy Braden and Heith Demoss, 85.5, $13,327 each; 5. Audy Reed, 85, $6,769; 6. Sterling Crawley, 81.5, $4,231. Tie-down roping: 1. Cooper Martin, 7.9 seconds, $26,231; 2. Marty Yates, 7.7, $20,731; 3. Shane Hanchey, 7.8, $15,654; 4. (tie) Timber Moore and Randall Carlisle, $8,885 each; 6. J.C. Malone, 8.9, $4,231. Barrel racing: 1. Amberleigh Moore, 13.56 seconds, $26,231; 2. Ivy Conrado, 13.58, $20,731; 3. Taci Bettis, 13.59, $15,654; 4. Hailey Kinsel, 13.63, $11,000; 5. Kathy Grimes, 13.73, $6,769; 6. Lisa Lockhart, 13.76, $4,231. Bull riding: 1. Trey Benton III, 87.5 points on Andrews Rodeo Mo Money, $33,564; 2. Joe Frost, 83, $28,064; 3. Ty Wallace, 80.5, $22,987.

LAS VEGAS – J.D. Struxness took a deep breath, then exhaled. That sigh was of relief after posting a 3.6-second run Sunday night and winning the fourth go-round of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. It was the first of this year’s championship for the Appleton, Minn., cowboy. While that doesn’t sound like much, Struxness won at least a share of the title in four go-rounds and left Las Vegas with nearly $129,000. So far this year, he has placed twice and pocketed $43,762. He pushed his yearly salary to $120,203 and sits No. 7 in the world standings. “There is always pressure because everybody wants to win a round,” he said. “We were able to break the ice and win the round, so hopefully it’ll keep rolling and I’ll have a good rest of the week.” Sometimes all it takes is one good run to kick-start things for athletes. It’s worked for the Minnesota cowboy before. He share the Round 3 win a year ago, then followed that with wins in Rounds 4, 5 and 10. He also happened to be matched with the steer that Tyler Waguespack had during his round win on opening night. “It was a good steer, but that team of horses that we have is working outstanding this week,” Struxness said of his horse, Peso, and the hazing horse ridden and owned by Jacob Schofner. “I think they will just keep doing what they are doing, and we should be able to do good the rest of the week.” He has good reason to be excited about the mounts that are making him money. After failing to cash in during Rounds 2 and 3, Struxness stuck to a simple game plan – keep doing what he’s been doing. “Out here, anything can change in one round, so you just have to keep coming, taking those starts every night and throwing the steers down,” he said. “You hope you draw the right steers, and we did tonight”

LAS VEGAS – Risky Business is a bucking horse from Brookman Rodeo, and the black horse had a heck of a trip Sunday night during the fourth go-round of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Bareback Ty Breuer didn’t know much about the big-time bucker, but he made it worked with a 90.5-point ride, the second highest score through four nights of ProRodeo’s championship event. It was the first round win for Breuer, 27, of Mandan, N.D. “I’ve seen him a couple of times, and it has been good,” he said. “I called Devin Reilly about him, because he was on him in the short-round at Pendleton (Ore.). He said, ‘You’ll have fun, and it will be good.’ ” Reilly was right. It was the first time he has ever been at least 90 points at the NFR and the first time this week that he’s earned money in Las Vegas. “I knew I had seen him a couple of times and had different trips every time,” Breuer said. “it was a little bit wild sometimes, and the other couple times it was calmer. Today she was really good.” Risky Business threw a few tricks at the North Dakota cowboy, but Breuer kept a strong spur stroke through each side step the animal gave him. “My game plan, since I knew nothing about her, was to keep beating her to the ground every jump,” he said. “She felt good when I was doing that.” By winning the round, Breuer added $26,231 to his pocketbook. That’s pretty special, especially since he needs funds to buy diapers and all other baby essentials – his wife, Kelli, gave birth to their first child, a girl named Kayd Lee, on Nov. 8. “She was doing good when I left the room today,” Breuer said. “Having her here has been fun, that’s for sure. I don’t know how to explain that, either. It’s just been going back to something every night, just sit there and look at her.” Despite no financial success the first three rounds, he believes he was riding good and that it just carried over into Sunday’s performance. “I just keep doing what my game plan was here, just keep riding like I know I can,” he said. “I want to get a good mark out every night and go from there.” From start to finish, Breuer has proven why he’s back at the NFR for a third time.

LAS VEGAS – At 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, Tyler Pearson is a hulk of a man who wrestles steers for a living. But he’s not afraid to show his emotional side, especially when it concerns the sport he loves and the reasons behind it. Saturday night’s third go-round of the National Finals Rodeo was special to him. Not only did he place for the third straight night of ProRodeo’s grand finale, he watched his good friends and his prized horse perform well, too. “I was blessed with that run, and I would love to do that seven more times and be done with it,” said Pearson, who is from Louisville, Miss., but lives in Atoka, Okla., with his wife, Carissa, and their two children. But there is much more to his third performance in Las Vegas. Kyle Irwin – his friend, traveling partner and co-owner of their horse, Scooter – won the round. Two other good friends, Ty Erickson and Tyler Waguespack, also placed high on the Steer Wrestling Horse of the Year – Erickson was second, and Waguespack finished in a tie for fourth place. That means four of the top five finishers in the third round all rode the talented 12-year-old sorrel gelding. What’s even better is that those four men are also the top four in the bulldogging world standings: Erickson leads the race, followed by Pearson, Waguespack and Irwin. “It’s surreal to me,” Pearson said. “We knew we believed in the horse when we got here, but for him to perform like that, it brings a tear to my eye every time I think about it. I’ve always wanted to have a good horse like this. I hope he can stay sound for the next seven days.” Through three nights of this year’s NFR, Scooter has earned his cowboys $156,750. As long as the horse can remain healthy for the final seven nights of the 2017 ProRodeo season, that total should grow. That’s because all four share a similar mentality when it comes to competing inside the Thomas & Mack Center, the NFR’s home since 1985. “You just think fast,” Pearson said. “We’re just trying to get out of the box. If we can get off the corner (of the timed-event box) before the steer goes, that’s what we want. “You’ve got to go for first. If you back off here, they will kill you.” Pearson trails Erickson by less than $17,000, and Waguespack is less than $24,000 behind Pearson. Now all four men will race their way to the world championship. “This is awesome,” said Pearson, whose 4.0-second run Saturday earned him $15,653, padding his NFR paycheck to $67,115. “Iron sharpens iron. We want Ty to do good, we want me to do good and we want Kyle and Wags to do good. The faster they are, the faster we want to be. “It makes us hungry.” The NFR is the perfect place for a feast.

LAS VEGAS – There are times that saddle bronc riders feel like they are sitting in a rocking chair atop a 1,200-pound horse. That wasn’t the case for Hardy Braden on Saturday night during the third go-round of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Still, the Welch, Okla., cowboy made it work, matching moves with JK Rodeo’s Dakota Babe for 84 points. “I wish I could’ve ridden that horse a little better,” said Braden, who finished in a four-way tie for fourth place and pocketed an additional $5,500. “There’s something to that horse that I felt tonight. She’s droppy and heavy and really wants a guy’s feet in the saddle.” The perfect spur stroke in bronc riding is from the front of the horse’s shoulders back to the cantle of the saddle. Dakota Babe’s bucking motion seemed to keep Braden from getting his feet back out in front in rhythm with the horse. “This is a marathon, not a spring, and we’ll just keep clucking away at them,” he said. He won the opening round, then came down in the second round – that night featured the toughest-to-ride broncs in the game, the eliminator pen. Only seven of the top 15 cowboys in the world standings were able to say on for the qualifying 8-second ride. Through three nights of ProRodeo’s grand championship, Braden has earned $41,731. That is $7,000 more than he earned through the entire 2016 season. “I’m not complaining at all; I’m just nit-picking,” he said. “You never want to settle for anything, and you want to be a guy that just wants to get better all the time. I’ve just got to keep going at them.” He has seven more rounds to rake in even more cash. This is the richest rodeo in the world with a purse of $8 million. He’s seen these bucking horses all year long, and he’s excited to be in the City of Lights chasing his rodeo dreams. “I’m a little sore after (Friday) night,” Braden said. “That dude whacked me on the spine, and it’s a little swollen. We’re alright, still upright and walking.” And he’s ready for his next shot at riding one of the greatest bucking horses in ProRodeo for seven more nights.

LAS VEGAS – The feelings Richmond Champion experienced Saturday night at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo ran the gamut. “I woke up this morning at 7 o’clock, and my heart was just beating out of my chest,” he said, referring to his long day of preparing to ride one of the rankest horses in the sport, Frontier Rodeo’s Full Baggage, the two-time Bareback Horse of the Year. “It took me a while to calm down and go back to sleep. I’ve been thinking about it all day.” It must have paid off, because Champion and Full Baggage danced across the Thomas & Mack Center dirt for 89.5 points to finish second in the third go-round. It was worth $20,731 for The Woodlands, Texas, cowboy, who pushed his NFR earnings to $54,212. He did this all in the eliminator pen of bareback horses, those that are the hardest to ride. “This pen gets everybody,” he said. “The locker room was quiet. We all know what we have to do, and it showed tonight. It’s a 90-or-nothing pen, and that’s the way it should be. I was thankful to have that horse, because he’s all there. “That couldn’t have gone any better. I got to add a new favorite horse to my list.” He should. With his winnings, Champion has pushed his season earnings to $155,408 and sits fourth in the world standings. “I’m feeling good, and I’m just want to keep the ball rolling,” Champion said. “It’s such a marathon. I want it, and I’m excited, but at the same time, you can’t count your chickens. Tomorrow are the fun horses, the ones you like to get on, but there will be no difference in intensity tomorrow. “That’s what we signed up for, for 10 days. I love it, every moment of it.” This is Champion’s third trip to Las Vegas for the finale. He had a superb inaugural run in 2014, then missed the next campaign because of injury. Things didn’t go his way a season ago, but he’s making up for it already – in fact, he’s earned almost as much in three days as he did all of 2016. “Last year didn’t go my way, but I still appreciate it,” he said. “I had a moment of peace after this round, like I’ve done everything I could do, and that was a great feeling To get the ball rolling this early, I just want to keep it going. I’m a creature of habit and will keep it the same: Keep it simple, have fun and ride every horse for what they are.” He’s done just fine so far.

Saddle bronc riding: 1. Jacobs Crawley, 87.5 points on Sutton Rodeos South Point, $26,231; 2. Ryder Wright, 87, $20,731; 3. Taos Muncy, 85.5, $15,654; 4. (tie) Audy Reed, Heith DeMoss, Hardy Braden and CoBurn Bradshaw, 84, $5,500 each. Tie-down roping: 1. Timber Moore, 7.1 seconds, $26,231; 2. Cooper Martin, 7.2, $20,731; 3. Trevor Brazile, 7.3, $15,654; 4. Matt Shiozawa, 7.4, $11,000; 5. (tie) Cade Swor and Tuf Cooper, 7.9, $5,500 each. Barrel racing: 1. Hailey Kinsel, 13.11 seconds, $26,231; 2. Kassie Mowry, 13.36, $20,731; 3. Amberleigh Moore, 13.57, $15,654; 4. Ivy Conrado, 13.59, $11,000; 5. Nellie Miller, 13.66, $6,769; 6. Lisa Lockhart, 13.67, $4,231. Bull riding: 1. (tie) Sage Kimzey on Rafter H Rodeo Livestock Nose Bender and Cole Melancon on Smith, Harper & Morgan Hot and Ready, 91.5 points, $26,231 each; 3. Trey Benton III, 87, $18,404; 4. Ty Wallace, 86.5, $13,750.

Canadian shines on the second day of BFO Las Vegas qualifier round LAS VEGAS – The Cree are one of the largest groups of First Nations in North America, with more than 200,000 members living in Canada. Tommy Whitebear of Maskwacis, Alberta, is one of them. On Saturday afternoon, during the second day of qualifying for the Bullfighters Only Las Vegas Championship, Whitebear advanced to next week’s preliminary round, which will pay out more than $25,000 to the champion. He is the only Canadian who has advanced so far, with Quebec’s JF Roch and Saskatchewan’s Jordynn Swanson sent packing in Round 1. Fellow Cree bullfighter Kris Buffalo takes center stage Saturday during the third and final round of qualifying at Tropicana Las Vegas. “I came across a video of Bullfighters Only, and decided that this is what I wanted to do,” Whitebear said, describing his start in freestyle bullfighting. It’s a good thing. He has now placed his hat in the ring among the best in the business. “I can’t believe it right now,” he said. “It wasn’t even a year ago when I just wanted to be in Bullfighters Only, and now I get to go against the guys I have watched and studied.” He is one of three bullfighters who advanced from Saturday’s qualifier; he is joined by Noah Krepps of Jasper, Ark., and Dustin Konig of Ault, Colo. “I couldn’t have asked for a better bull,” said Krepps, who began his bout with a high-diving Superman. “The landing kind of knocked the air out of me. The bull worked out really well. I definitely think I could have pushed myself harder and pushed him harder though. “You can’t get by making mistakes like that come next week.I love the opportunity I have. I think I’ve got as good a chance as the next man. You’ve got a great group of guys, so it’s a good time to shine.” That’s what makes the qualifiers special. The final nine-man qualifier round is set to begin at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Tropicana Casino and Resort. Three more bullfighters will advance to next week’s BFO Las Vegas Championship, which begins Wednesday. “I really didn’t think about the fight,” said Whitebear, who took plenty of punishment during his 60-second bout. “I was just going with what the bull was doing the best I could. I knew this was my only shot to make the BFO.” Advancing to Las Vegas Championship Dustin Konig; 82, Noah Krepps 81.5; and Tommy Whitebear; 77

LAS VEGAS – Yes, Kyle Irwin was excited about his third-round victory Saturday at the National Finals Rodeo, but there was something bigger to him. “That means more to me than the round win does,” Irwin said, referring to the fact that of the top five steer wrestlers in the round, four of them were riding Scooter, the horse Irwin owns with friend and traveling partner Tyler Pearson. “That shows the heart that horse has and the try he has, run after run after run. Actually, he gets stronger with the runs.” Irwin’s 3.4-second run – the fastest of the NFR so far this year – led the way. Ty Erickson, the No. 1 cowboy in the game, finished second; Pearson, the No. 2 bulldogger, placed third; and Tyler Waguespack, the reigning world champion, finished in a tie for fourth. “I wasn’t trying to be 3.4,” Irwin said. “I was trying to make a good run, and (Scooter) gave me a chance. I got my feet on the ground so fast, and the rest of it kind of takes care of itself. He is special to have, and we are glad to have him.” Saturday’s victory marked the first time since Dec. 11, 2014, that he has won an NFR go-round. That came in the eighth round of that championship, and he’s been eagerly awaiting his return to the top of the leaderboard. His earned at least a share of three go-round wins three seasons ago. “It struck my memory that I won the third round in 2014,” said Irwin, who placed in three rounds in 2015, his last time to compete at the NFR. “It was good to come back and do that again. I placed in the third round in 2015, so maybe it’s something about the third round that’s good for me. “We will get the ball rolling and hopefully stay aggressive, so this is some good momentum to build on.” Yes, it is. Irwin has earned just shy of $50,000 in three nights’ work in Las Vegas and has pushed his season earnings to $129,242. He has moved from 11th to fourth in the world standings, and the three men above him are the ones that ride Scooter. Now he will celebrate the rest of Saturday night with his wife, Randa, and their 10-month-old son, Tripp, who took his first steps Saturday morning. Their first stop will be at the South Point for the Montana Silversmiths Go-Round Buckle Presentation. “My cousin, Quinn (Campbell) called me right before we went into the grand entry and said that he had a table right up front at the South Point,” Irwin said. “I’ll be danged if we didn’t make it. “I hope Tripp’s not too sleepy when we get to the South Point; maybe he will strike out and try to cross the stage.” Whether Tripp Irwin does that or not, his daddy will.

Steer wrestling:1. Kyle Irwin, 3.4 seconds, $26,231; 2. Ty Erikson, 3.7, $20,731; 3. Tyler Pearson, 4.0, $15,654; 4. (tie) Tyler Waguespack and Baylor Roche, 4.1, $8,885 each; 6. Rowdy Parrott, 4.3, $4,231. Team roping: 1. Luke Brown/Jake Long, 3.9 seconds, $26,231; 2. Jr. Dees/Tyler McKnight, 4.1, $20,731; 3. (tie) Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueria and Garrett Rogers/Jake Minor, 4.2, $13,327 each; 5. Clay Smith/Paul Eaves, 4.9, $6,769; 6. Erich Rogers/Cory Petska, 9.1, $4,231.

LAS VEGAS – With a world champion-vs.-world champion matchup, Tim O’Connell came away the big winner. “To have the world champion bucking horse and me, being the reigning world champion, to go head to head with an amazing animal athlete is just incredible,” said O’Connell, who tied a Wrangler National Finals Rodeo arena record 91.5 points on the 2017 Bareback Horse of the Year, C5 Rodeo’s Virgil. “The beauty of that animal is that you don’t know what he’s going to do. He was going to do whatever it took to get me off his back.” It didn’t work until after the 8-second horn sounded. By that time, he had managed to reel in another NFR payout worth $26,231. It was his first go-round victory of the 2017 championship, and it pushed his Las Vegas earnings to $62,885. He came in No. 1 in the world standings and has extended his lead. Now with $264,800, O’Connell leads the No. 2 man, Tanner Aus, by $94,662. A big part of that, though was being matched with the greatest bucking horse this year. “He is an amazing, large animal that gives it everything he’s got,” he said of Virgil. “I’m so blessed to have the opportunity to get on him on the biggest stage in the world, to tie the record with future hall-of-famers of our game under the biggest and brightest lights. “I don’t know what it was like to be a gladiator back in the day, but with that crowd roaring, I think I felt a little bit of it.” It’s an experience unlike any other in the sport. The Thomas & Mack Center holds more than 17,000 fans per night for 10 rounds, and virtually all of them are into the action. They understand what they see when a great matchup happens. “When I double-grabbed (after the ride), he said, ‘Get off,’ so I did,” O’Connell said of Virgil. I was by the roping end (of the arena, opposite of the bucking chutes), and I could see everybody in my section going nuts. To be 90 at the NFR … what more could you want?” He would like seven more rounds to continue. He has place the first three nights of the 2017 championship, and he’s well on his way to defending his Montana Silversmiths gold buckle. “My confidence is through the roof,” he said. “I feel like I’m on my game. I feel like everything’s working, and I’m just looking forward to tomorrow. I don’t want to underestimate any horse in the game. Everything can be taken away just like that. “I love this arena, I love this atmosphere, the guys in that locker room and the horses that we brought here. We’re seeing the best bareback riding in the history of the NFR.” And Tim O’Connell is right in the middle of it.

1. Tim O’Connell 91.5 points on C5 Rodeo Virgil, $26,231; 2. Richmond Champion, 89.5, $20,231; 3. Jake Vold, 87, $15,654; 4. Caleb Bennett, 86, $11,000; 5. R.C. Landingham, 84, $6,769; 6. Steven Dent, 83, $4,231.

LAS VEGAS – Most people can’t imagine jumping off a fast-running horse onto a fast-running steer, but Tyler Pearson makes his living doing it. So far through two nights of business at the National Finals Rodeo, he has done quite well. He’s finished second both the opening nights of this year’s championship and has earned $51,462 – that’s at least $10,000 more than he earned the entire 10 days of his first NFR trip in 2013. “It’s been good, and I’ve been fortunate to draw good and get two good starts,” said Pearson of Louisville, Miss. “I sure don’t want to stop at all. It’s a good time to get greedy.” That’s important, because rodeo isn’t just how he pays bills. In this sport, dollars equal points, and the contestants in each event with the most money won at the end of the NFR will be crowned world champions. He sits No. 2 in the world standings with $161,380 and trails the leader, Ty Erickson, by less than $12,000. Of course, he is getting a lot of help from Scooter, a 12-year-old sorrel gelding he owns with friend and traveling partner Kyle Irwin. Scooter, the 2017 Steer Wrestling Horse of the Year, guided three cowboys to paydays on Friday night’s second round – Pearson, Irwin (tied for third) and reigning world champion Tyler Waguespack (sixth). “They said that steer was pretty decent,” Pearson said. “I just caught up fast, and that steer was really good on the ground. This horse let me get my feet on the ground. The faster you get your feet on the ground, the faster you can get that steer turned on his side to give yourself a good time. “You can’t do any work until your feet are on the ground.” With Erickson also riding the talented sorrel, there are a lot of chances for cowboys to cash in on his back. “I’m sure glad the horse is doing good,” Pearson said. “That’s a lot of runs, but I know he can handle it. He’s done it all summer. It’s gong to be a long 10 days, but I think it’s going to be worth it.” Pearson handles the hazing duties for the other three, riding his solid hazing horse, Metallica. When it’s time for him to make a run, he leans on Irwin, just as the two have done through the year to make it this far. “This is Kyle’s first time to haze here, but I never batted an eye about making that decision to have him haze for me,” Pearson said. He’s hazed for me so much that he’s over there on go. We read each other a lot and know what we’re both thinking. “That’s why I feel like we do good together. We talk, so if something goes wrong, we talk about it and work it out right there.” Everything seems to be working out right now, and he has eight more nights to get as greedy as he can.

LAS VEGAS – Once good things begin in Sin City, the ball can get rolling rather quickly. Kyle Irwin knocked his steer down in 4.1 seconds Friday night to finish in a tie for third place in the second round of the National Finals Rodeo, collecting his first paycheck of this year’s championship. On Saturday morning, his 10-month-old son, Tripp, took his first three steps in the hotel room that Irwin shares with the baby boy and wife, Randa. That kind of movement only gets faster from here, but the Irwins are ready for it. That’s what they want to see out of every run at the NFR, too. “He’s having a blast,” said Irwin, who added $13,327 to his season earnings. “I know my wife is ready for my mother and my mother-in-law to get here so she can let her hair down and relax a little bit, but we’re excited that we were able to bring him.” They’re also excited about the opportunities the lie before Irwin over the next eight rounds, but it was good to find his way to the pay window early in this year’s finale. “That steer was a good chance,” he said. “He stepped at me, then stepped away from me and was pretty tricky to catch. I think that’s what kept me from placing a little bit better, but he made me hustle. I was able to get some good money.” He did. In fact, he pushed his season earnings to more than $103,000 and has moved up one spot to 10th in the world standings. “This lights the fire in me,” said Irwin, a three-time NFR qualifier from Robertsdale, Ala., now living in Westville, Fla. “Now we can do what we came here to do, and that’s make some good money.” He has some pretty good help in the form of his hazer, traveling partner Tyler Pearson, and Scooter, a 12-year-old sorrel gelding that he and Pearson own; Scooter was the 2017 Steer Wrestling Horse of the Year. “Scooter was amazing,” said Irwin, who pointed out that he is one of four cowboys riding the talented horse at this year’s NFR. “I was the first one out on him, and Tyler was third out on him; Tyler placed second, and I finished third. “I know my horse is going to do what he’s supposed to do. He is a difference-maker, and I’m very pleased to have him on my side.” It may have shown in the opening round, even though Irwin failed to finish among the top six. The Alabama cowboy was a bit late, but Scooter tracked the steer down in a hurry, and Irwin finished just out of the money. He made the necessary adjustments on Friday night. “I got a good start and was closer to the barrier,” he said. “With this pen of steers and the guys you are competing against, you have to take advantage of every start and every steer. Scooter got me in position, and I was able to get my feet on the ground fast. “After placing, now I feel like I’m settled in. Now it’s time to take advantage of all these opportunities.” After all, Tripp Irwin needs some new shoes.

LAS VEGAS – Nobody understands how humbling of a sport rodeo is better than Orin Larsen. A year ago, he suffered a rib injury early at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and had to learn how to ride through the excruciating pain. Once he did, he found the pay window each of the final five rounds. Through two nights of this year’s grand finale, Larsen has finished near the top of the bareback riding and has pocketed just shy of $35,000. “It’s dang sure going in my favor,” said Larsen, originally from Inglis, Manitoba, and now living in Gering, Neb., with his new bride, Alexa. “We are just going to keep riding this gravy train as long as we can.” He has pushed his season earnings to $134,202 and has moved up four spots to sixth in the world standings. It’s all important to the cowboy, who attended both the College of Southern Idaho and Oklahoma Panhandle State University on rodeo scholarships. On Friday night, he matched moves with Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Uncapped for 85 points to finish sixth in the second round. That was worth $4,231, but more importantly, it showed just how tough bareback riding is this year. There have been times in recent years that an 85 would have been the round-winner. “I feel like I rode the best I could,” he said. “The horse had a little slip, and I was given the option of a reride, but I think I made the right choice, regardless.” Uncapped came out of the chute strong, then fell to the ground before quickly recovering. The slip may have cost Larsen a point or two – and several thousand dollars in pay differential – but that happens in rodeo. He wasn’t about his performance. “I’m pretty happy for the next eight rounds, for sure,” he said. “I feel awesome, 100 percent. It’s different from past years. I love it so far.” Larsen is one of nine Canadian contestants competing at this year’s NFR. He is joined by fellow bareback rider Jake Vold, and both have earned paychecks on the opening two nights. “The more times I walk the Strip, the more people I see from Canada,” Larsen said. “There are a lot of people from my hometown, both in Alberta (where he was born) and Manitoba. It is awesome for everyone to come down for the sport.” The NFR is the sport’s biggest championship, which features an $8 million purse. A year ago, Larsen earned more than $81,000 and finished third in the final world standings. He knows just how special it is to be among the top 15 bareback riders in the game competing in Las Vegas in December; this is his third straight year. But riding bareback horses is tough business, and he knows it. It takes a strong focus and true athleticism to make it through 10 straight days of competing on the world’s best bucking broncs. “As long as I can stay healthy and stay riding good, I’m pretty excited about what’s going to happen by the end of the week,” he said. He should be.