Team ropers grab world leads
LAS VEGAS – Speed Williams and Clay O’Brien Cooper took over the lead in both categories of team roping Monday night in the fifth round of the National Final Rodeo.
Williams, from De Leon, Texas, and Cooper, from Morgan Mill, Texas, tied for first place with a time of 4.0 seconds. The win allowed Cooper ($116,512) to take over the heeler world standings lead from Allen Bach of Weatherford, Texas, ($113,034), and Williams ($116,512) to increase his lead in the header standings over Matt Sherwood of Queen Creek, Ariz. ($109,354).
“I was telling Speed we needed to get into a rhythm and put together four or five rounds that felt good,” Cooper said. “We won second last night, but it didn’t feel real smooth. Tonight, we had a better steer and it felt a lot better. We had a good, smooth run and it was fast. I would like to put some together like that.”
Nick Sartain and Shannon Frascht, both from Alva, Okla., tied for first, while Sherwood and Walt Woodard of Stockton, Calif., placed third in 4.2.
In bareback riding, Will Lowe, the defending world champion and world standings leader from Canyon, Texas, tied for first on River Boat Annie with an 87-point ride – his third consecutive win. Lowe, who tied for first with Jess Davis of Payson, Utah, on Real Deal, increased his world lead to just over $79,000 over Andy Martinez of Pavillion, Wyo.
Lowe has earned $62,406 at the NFR and has $214,331 in world earnings.
“I’ve been drawing really good and have just been trying to use what I’m drawing and keep going to them,” Lowe said. “We’re at the finals, but there’s always one or two horses that might be much better than the other ones in the pen.”
Cheney bareback rider Ryan Gray finished out of the money again after scoring an 82 on Big Chill from the Powder River Rodeo string.
Gray, who has ridden all five of his horses at the finals, remains in 10th place in the average with 389.5 points.
In steer wrestling, Dean Gorsuch of Gering, Neb., increased his world lead over Luke Branquinho of Los Alamos, Calif., to just over $18,000 by claiming first during the fifth round with a time of 3.9 seconds.
In saddle bronc riding, Chad Ferley of Oelrichs, S.D., and Rod Hay of Canada were the round’s winning riders with scores of 87 on Millers Wheel and Big Jet, respectively.
The win also gave Ferley, who has earned $176,209, the world standings lead over Cody DeMoss of Heflin, La., who has won $170,868.
In tie-down roping, Scott Kormos of Teague, Texas, placed first with a time of 8.5 and edged out runner-up Fred Whitfield of Hockley, Texas, who had an 8.6. World standings leader Cody Ohl of Hico, Texas, sixth with a 9.9, increased his sizable world lead over Trevor Brazile of Decatur, Texas, to just under $58,000.
Kelly Maben of Spur, Texas, won her third barrel racing round with a time of 13.77. The victory kept Maben in third in the world standings with $128,986, while Mary Burger of Pauls Valley, Okla., fourth in the round with 13.93, stayed in second with $132,334. Brittany Pozzi of Victoria, Texas, is the world leader with $134,806.
In bull riding, B.J. Schumacher of Hillsboro, Wis., improved his position in the world standings by placing fourth with 80.5 points. Matt Austin of Wills Point, Texas, who withdrew from further competition on Sunday, leads with $157,716, while Schumacher is currently in second with $156,861.
J.C. Bean of Goldendale, Wash., and Jarrod Craig of Hillsboro, Texas, tied for first in the round with scores of 86 on Rough-N-Ready and Spin Dippin, respectively.
In all-around, Trevor Brazile of Decatur, Texas, increased his lead to over $123,000. Brazile has earned $306,997 while roper Joe Beaver of Huntsville, Texas, is second with $183,309.