Last three champs see chances fade
Walker takes barrel lead over Cervi, Sears and Pozzi
There’s going to be a new world barrel racing champion for the first time in five years at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
The sixth round of the $1.6 million showdown in Las Vegas on Tuesday night turned out to be something of a demolition derby.
And, it eliminated the event’s last three world champions from the title hunt.
Arizona’s Sherry Cervi, a three-time world champion and the aggregate leader going into the round, dropped from first to last on the leaderboard when she and her horse Stingray fell going around the second barrel and took no time.
Then, Lindsay Sears, the defending world champion from Nanton, overshot the first barrel for the second night in a row and knocked down the second can for a time of 18.86. Without the penalty, she would have finished third.
Finally, two-time Texas world champion Brittany Pozzi knocked down her third barrel of the week to drop out of the title hunt.
It would now appear that Texan Mary Walker has a stranglehold on the world championship after winning first for the fourth time in six rounds.
The round was won by Red-Deerborn Texan Carlee Pierce with a time of 13.51. But, she’s out of the title chase as well with six tipped barrels.
Knowles struggles with steer
Trevor Knowles probably lost a gold buckle in the steer wrestling.
The two-time Calgary Stampede champion came up against a steer that slipped a horn on him and he took no time.
Knowles went into the sixth round second in the aggregate and projected as the world champion at the NFR’s halfway point.
He got an excellent start on Calgarian Lee Graves world champion horse Jesse, but the steer started to stop and, while Knowles got a hand on him, the large farm animal turned his head and escaped.
Wyoming’s Les Shepperson, who led the pack going into the round, split first with a time of 4.0 and remains No. 1 in the aggregate.
Feild has field day in bareback riding
Louisiana’s Winn Fast Ratliff won the bareback riding round with an 83.5 score on the Kesler family horse Starburst.
But, once again, defending world and Calgary Stampede champion Kaycee Feild was the story of the round.
He surpassed $200,000 in earnings for the year and $1 million in career income after finishing in a four-way tie for second with an 82.5 that paid $9,423.
Newly crowned Canadian champion, J.R. Vezain, third in the standings, was an 11th-best 77.5 and didn’t place.
Joy of six for DeMoss
Only one saddle bronc rider, former Calgary Stampede champion Cody DeMoss, from Louisiana, has covered all six horses
Cole Elshere, from South Dakota, was eliminated from the unbeatens when he missed out his bronc in round six.
The 2010 Canadian champion, New Mexico’s Taos Muncy, and reigning Calgary Stampede champion Wade Sundell, from Iowa, topped the leaderboard with scores of 84.
Reigning champ down to fifth
Former Canadian champion Clint Robinson and Oklahoma’s Ryan Jarrett split the sixth round in the calf roping with times of 7.2 seconds. But, the big news is reigning world champion Tuf Cooper, the 2010 Canadian champion, broke the barrier for an 18.8 second time that knocked him down to fifth in the aggregate from second.
Brazile secures world record
Trevor Brazile, rodeo’s most decorated cowboy, clinched his record-setting 10th world all-around championship on Monday night.
The Texan ran his income for the year to $138,180 by finishing third in the fifthround of the team roping with partner Patrick Smith for $10,895 apiece.
It’s Brazile’s 17th career gold buckle, one fewer than Guy Allen, who collected 18 steer roping titles.