2021 Wrangler NFR Round 9

Courtesy of Barb Poulsen of the CPRA

As competitors make their final runs and rides at this year’s Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, all seven events are still undecided.

No race is tighter at the 2021 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo than the tie down roping where just $16,000 separates the top four men. 2019 World Tie-Down Champion, Haven Meged, kept his hopes for a second title alive with a 7.3 second effort to take the first place $26,997 cheque in the ninth go-round.

“It kind of lit a fire under me when I missed that calf (in an earlier round)” the 2019 Reserve Canadian Champ noted. “I had a lot of confidence coming in here. I wanted to win as much as I could and I dang sure want to win a World Championship. I can hopefully draw one more good calf and see where I end up.”

Meged is ranked third overall and fourth in the aggregate with the lead back in the hands of Season Leader Shane Hanchey who picked up a third in round nine and is second in the aggregate. The man in the driver’s seat moving into the final day is two time World Champion Caleb Smidt who is second overall (just $3700 behind Hanchey) but first in the aggregate race with a five second cushion.

In the bareback riding, Caleb Bennett made a great ride (88 points) on Rafter H Rodeo Livestock’s Medicine Show for his first round win of 2021. As far as the World race, it was a status quo night as neither World contender made a big move. Jess Pope covered his draw but finished out of the money while Kaycee Field earned a share of sixth for only a small cheque ($1,451). Feild remains the World and aggregate leader; Pope is second in both sets of standings. Canada’s Orin Larsen was fifth in the round with an 85 point ride on Calgary Stampede’s Arbitrator Joe. The Manitoba native sits fifth in the aggregate.

Two time World Champion Steer Wrestler Tyler Waguespack moved closer to a third title with a 3.9 second run on night nine. The Louisiana cowboy was part of a four way round winning split which included Stetson Jorgensen, Stockton Graves and Jesse Brown. Waguespack is still in the overall lead by just over $100 - as he sits first overall and fourth in the aggregate. But also very much in the hunt is Will Lummus who clocked 4.3 to pick up a sixth place cheque to stay first in the aggregate and fourth in the World standings. The Mississippi bulldogger is $50,000 back of Waguespack in the World standings but is within striking distance with a $70,000 cheque going to the aggregate winner.

The team roping featured the fastest time of the week as a pair of 3.5’s topped the leaderboard courtesy of Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin and Cody Snow/Wesley Thorp. The Canadian-Utah duo of Jeremy Buhler and Rhen Richard earned a fifth place cheque with a 4.3 second run ($6,967) and moved to second in the aggregate. Richard is fourth overall and Buhler fifth - with titles still within reach for both ropers. The overall lead remains in the hands of Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira who are a couple of spots back of Buhler and Richard in the aggregate race.

Saddle bronc riding saw several spectacular rides - among them Brody Cress’ effort when he combined with Summit Pro Rodeo’s Kangaroo Lou for 91 points and the round win. Utah’s Stetson Wright posted an 89.5 on Calgary Stampede’s Business Girl for second while his brother, Ryder, was 87 points for fourth in the round. Heading into the final day of competition, Cress is third in the World standings - about $50,000 behind leader Stetson Wright and $30,000 back of Ryder who is in second place overall. In the cash-rich aggregate race, Cress sits first while Ryder is fifth and Stetson holds down the eighth and final spot. Canadian cowboy, Kolby Wanchuk enjoyed a solid trip in round nine on Big Bend’s Kool Toddy (85.5) for a split of sixth. Canadians Layton Green and Zeke Thurston were 84.5 and 81.5 respectively to finish out of the money while Ben Andersen and Dawson Hay were not successful in round nine.

For the second night in a row, Jordon Briggs turned up the heat in the barrel race - this time with a 13.48 to share the win with Stevi Hillman leaving her in second place overall with one round to go. Three time Champion and season leader, Hailey Kinsel ran 13.63 for fifth which sees the Texas cowgirl continue to hold down the number one spot in the World standings. However, she trails Briggs in the aggregate by almost five seconds.

The bull riding saw Jasper, Texas cowboy Braden Richardson, despite riding with broken ribs, get off the schneid to win the round with an 89 point score on Sankey Pro Rodeo and Phenom Genetics’ Bouchon. Six time World Champion Sage Kimzey picked up an important fourth place cheque with his 72.5 point ride on Duane Kesler’s Switchback. Kimzey climbed to third place in the aggregate and remains first overall. The Salado, Texas superstar, who is vying for a seventh title, padded his lead at the top of the World standings but the second place man, Stetson Wright, is still within mathematical contention.

See complete results at https://prorodeo.com/nfr/results

Interview quotes courtesy of thehttps://www.thecowboychannel.com/

Guaranteed Prize Money: $1.2 Million
Competition Prize Money: $9,057,048
Each of the 10 Full Go-Rounds: $87,087 each

Go Round Money
1. $26,997, 2. $21,336, 3. $13,716, 4. $11,321, 5. $6,966, 6. $4,354
Average Money
1. $69,234, 2. $56,171, 3. $44,414, 4. $32,657, 5. $23,513, 6. $16,981, 7. $11,756, 8. $6,531