Paul David Tierney ropes his calf en route to a 53.0-second third go-round. He pocketed $3,000 for winning the round and moved into third in the aggregate at the CINCH Timed Event Championship. (JAMES PHIFER PHOTO)

Paul David Tierney ropes his calf en route to a 53.0-second third go-round. He pocketed $3,000 for winning the round and moved into third in the aggregate at the CINCH Timed Event Championship. (JAMES PHIFER PHOTO)

Saturday afternoon’s third round of the CINCH Timed Event Championship featured a lead change, but then it went right back.

Trevor Brazile held the lead since midway through Friday’s opening round and kept it until the 14th run of the 25-run event. Clay Smith, who trailed Brazile by more than 10 seconds heading into the performance, slowly made up ground and eventually overtook the seven-time champion after steer wrestling.

Smith took a 2.2-second lead heading into steer roping, but that’s one of Brazile’s specialties – he has won 23 PRCA world titles, six of which have come in steer roping. After Brazile posted a solid 15.8-second run, Smith struggled to keep his animal on the ground and finished off a 35.3-second score.

Brazile now owns a 16.6-second lead over Paul David Tierney, who won the third round with the fastest score so far, a 53.0-second round. Paul David Tierney added $3,000 to his earnings while his older brother, Jess Tierney, finished second and Brazile third. Brazile has now pocketed $7,000 so far this weekend with two more rounds remaining.

Third round: 1. Paul David Tierney, 53.0 seconds, $3,000; 2. Jess Tierney, 62.1, $2,000; 3. Trevor Brazile, 63.0, $1,000.

Average leaders: 1. Trevor Brazile, 174.0; 2. Paul David Tierney, 190.6; 3. Clay Smith, 191.3; 4. Jess Tierney, 194.5; 5. Josh Peek, 218.1.