Austin sets pro rodeo season money record

LAS VEGAS – Bull riding champion Matt Austin broke Ty Murray’s season money record Sunday, earning $12,368 for a second-place finish in the final round of the National Finals Rodeo to push his total to $320,765.

Austin, from Wills Point, Texas, broke the record of $297,896 that Murray set in three events in 1993. The 23-year-old rider, who clinched the world title Friday night, also topped the NFR aggregate standings with 586.5 points on seven successful rides.

“I never imagined I’d win this much money in one year,” Austin said. “All this hasn’t soaked in yet. I hope to do as good as this next year. I’m going to go out, try my hardest and keep that same mind frame.”

Bobby Welsh of Gillette, Wyo., won the 10th round with an 89.5-point ride on Hot Damn. Austin had an 88.5, and Zack Oates of Tonasket, Wash., was third with an 87.5.

In bareback, Cimmaron Gerke of Fort Worth, Texas, scored 84 points on Fancy Free to tie Kelly Timberman of Mills, Wyo., for the NFR aggregate title with 837.5 points.

Timberman had an 83.5 on Real Deal, and the half-point difference allowed Gerke to tie him in the aggregate standings. It was the first tie for the bareback riding aggregate standings since 1983.

“I came in and did everything I wanted to do,” Gerke said. “I wanted to win the average, and I would let the world title work itself out. I said at the beginning of the week that it was my goal, and luckily I reached it.”

Will Lowe of Canyon, Texas, claimed his second gold buckle in the world standings with $185,485. Timberman, who earned $99,320 in the NFR, was second with $167,834.

Cody DeMers of Kimberly, Idaho, won the round with an 89 on Free Fall. Andy Martinez of Pavillion, Wash., and Wes Stevenson of Kaufman, Texas, followed with 88s.

Sandpoint’s Rowdy Buechner scored a 79.5 on his final ride to finish 10th, while Cheney’s Ryan Gray was bucked off on his last ride and placed 13th.

In total world earnings, Gray finished the season sixth with $140,606, and Buechner was seventh with $125,680.

In steer wrestling, Canada’s Lee Graves won the world title with an event-record $206,415 and also took the aggregate crown with a time of 39.20 seconds over 10 rounds.

“I’ve worked so hard at this for so long,” Graves said. “I’ve been steer wrestling for about 10 years now, and I’ve been here at the finals seven times. I’ve been on both sides of the fence. I’ve come in here and had terrible finals, and this time I told myself that it’s time for me to do something.”

Birch Negaard of Buffalo, S.D., won the round in 3.7 seconds, Dean Gorsuch of Gering, Neb., was second in 3.9, and Beau Franzen of Sidney, Mont., was third in 4.3.

In team roping, header Clay Tryan of Billings, Mont., and heeler Patrick Smith of Midland, Texas, claimed the world title with $167,204 each. The aggregate crown went to Tee Woolman of Llano, Texas, and Cory Petska of Lexington, Okla., at 71.70 seconds.

Speed Williams and Rich Skelton, both of Llano, Texas, won the 10th round in 3.9, Tryan and Smith were second in 4.0, and David Key of Caldwell, Texas, and Clayton Grant of Clayton, Calif., followed with a 4.4.

In saddle bronc, Jeffery Willert of Belvidere, S.D., won the world title with $278,168 and added to his NFR record for earnings in the event. He made $118,629 in the NFR, which was second to Billy Etbauer of Edmond, Okla., with $120,775. Rod Warren of Canada won the aggregate title with 798 points.

Etbauer and Cody DeMoss of Crowville, La., tied for first for the second consecutive round with 90-point rides. Willert was third with an 89.5.

In tie-down roping, Fred Whitfield of Hockley, Texas, beat Cody Ohl of Hico, Texas, for his eighth world title with $168,782. Ohl was second with $164,640.

Whitfield entered the NFR as the season leader with $124,274, but Ohl earned $85,817 in the rodeo to make the race close. Ryan Jarrett of Summerville, Ga., won the aggregate title with a time of 89.00 seconds.

In the 10th round, Ohl placed first in 6.7, Stran Smith of Childress, Texas, was second in 6.8, and Whitfield finished third in 7.4.

In barrel racing, Kelly Kaminski of Bellville, Texas, who led with $107,019 in NFR earnings, claimed the world title with $191,701. Liz Pinkston of San Antonio was the aggregate champ in 142.65 seconds.

Sheri Sinor Estrada of Alamogordo, N.M., placed first Sunday in 13.77, Denise Adams Fea of Lufkin, Texas, was second in 13.90, and Linda Vick of Hesperia, Calif., finished third in 14.07.

In all-around, Jarrett won the world title with $263,664 in steer wrestling, team roping and tie-down roping.

Graves finished second with $211,695 in steer wrestling and tie-down roping, and three-time all-around champ Trevor Brazile of Decatur, Texas, was third with $197,399 in steer wrestling, team roping and tie-down roping.