WNFR Night Four Wrap-up
Round Four of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo was a little unkind to the Canadian cowboys. In fact, three-time World Champion and four-time Canadian Champion saddle bronc rider Zeke Thurston was the only Canadian who didn’t let a tough Monday night get to him. The Big Valley, Alberta sensation split 4/5 in the round to protect his place in the aggregate (splitting 1/2 with Brody Cress) and his second-place spot at the top of the world standings just $16,000 behind Sage Newman who leads the world but sits way back in 7th in the all-important and cash-rich aggregate standings. Canadians Ben Andersen with 80.5 and Dawson Hay at 78.5 were out of the money while Ben Andersen was bucked off on Monday night. Newman rode the Calgary Stampede bronc, B-7 Birch Bubbles to 86 points to match Thurston’s identical score on Muddy Creek Pro Rodeo’s 4361 Bugsy. Another Canadian horse, Big Stone Rodeo’s 734 Second Thoughts carried Chase Brooks to 84.5 for the sixth place payoff.
Steer wrestler Dalton Massey (from East Oregon) maintained his grasp on the World standings and aggregate leads after night four at WNFR ’65. The Canadian and World season leader put together another solid performance with a 4.6 second run aboard Tanner Milan’s Horse of the Year Eddie for a share of fifth and $4,292. Despite placing only twice in four performances, the first time NFR qualifier is $45,000 ahead of second place fellow-Oregonian Jesse Brown who is fifth in the aggregate. Two time NFR qualifier Bridger Anderson enjoyed the round win for his second cheque of the week while Canadian bulldogger, Stephen Culling, had tough luck in round four. Despite a fast time on the clock, the NFR rookie broke the barrier dropping from fourth to eighth in the aggregate.
Bareback rider Orin Larsen, the Manitoba hand making his ninth trip to the Thomas and Mack Centre in Las Vegas, was 83 points but finished out of the money for the fourth time in four rounds and sits 11th in the aggregate standings. The round was won by 2022 CFR qualifier Layton Berry on Frontier Rodeo’s 28 Painted Smoke. Season leader Keenan Hayes was third in the round and pretty much restored the massive lead (over $120,000) he had coming to Las Vegas, a lead that was challenged over the first couple of rounds by Rocker Steiner.
Twenty year old tie-down roper Riley Webb further secured his hold on first place overall with a 7.1 second run – good for second and $24,268. The Denton, Texas second time WNFR qualifier is $100,000 ahead of 2019 World Champ Haven Meged. But to keep things interesting, Meged shares first place in the aggregate with Tuf Cooper while Webb holds down fourth on the critical aggregate leaderboard. Tonight’s top money went to 2020 World Champion Shad Mayfield who clocked a 6.9 for his first 2023 WNFR placing to date. And four time Canadian Champion and 2013 World Champion Shane Hanchey cashed a fifth place cheque aboard Logan Bird’s star tie-down horse, Peso. Stettler, Alberta’s Beau Cooper is still trying to find his way at his first National Finals Rodeo and took a no-time in the round.
Three wins in four rounds have vaulted Clint Summers and Jake Long to first place overall in the team roping. In Monday’s fourth round the electric duo were 3.7 seconds to go to the head of the class. They sit fifth in the aggregate, with WNFR 65 one round away from the halfway point. 2016 World Champion, Canadian Jeremy Buhler and his Utah partner Rhen Richard took a no time in the round and sit seventh in the world standings and ninth in the aggregate.
The bull riding was a two-man show on Monday night at the Thomas and Mack Arena. Australian Ky Hamilton is bearing down on his first world title as he is four for four after an 89-point round-winning ride on Bridwell Pro Rodeo’s -777 Fred. The Aussie super-rider has $402,013 in earnings for the year, to pass his travelling buddy Stetson Wright who has been sidelined for the duration of the NFR with a torn hamstring. Seven-time World Champion, Sage Kimzey, was the only other man to make eight as he posted an 89 score to climb to fifth in the aggregate and third in the world standings. Two Canadian Champions, Jordan Hansen and Jared Parsonage both bucked off in what was the toughest round of bull riding to date.
Texas barrel racer Sissy Win and Scoop earned their second round win at this year’s Finals with a 13.50 – the fastest time of the week so far. Last night’s round winner, Lisa Lockhart, picked up the sixth place cheque, moving the 17 time WNFR qualifier – and four time Canadian Champion – a step closer to being the highest money earning barrel racer in WPRA history. But the World and aggregate lead remain comfortably in the hands of the amazing Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi. The two time World Champion was 13.52 for second in the round, her fourth cheque in as many days.
