BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
Friday night at the Thomas & Mack Center brought more round records tumbling down, and if you set one on Thursday, odds are you did it again.
NFR rookie Bradlee Miller has not ridden like one so far in Las Vegas. After an 86.5-point ride on Thursday got him second place, he matched that score in Round 2, and it was good enough to win the round. He has already brought in about $70,000 at the Finals and quickly shot from No. 11 to No. 3.
In an early look at the World Title race, Keenan Hayes got a leg up on Rocker Steiner after Hayes rode for 85 points and Steiner bucked off.
Rowdy Parrott had a similar start in the steer wrestling to Bradlee Miller’s start in the bareback riding. After a 3.8 to tie for second in Round 1, he came back with a 3.6 to win Round 2. There were nine times of 4.2 seconds or faster in the round.
In team roping, Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp have gotten off to a dream start. After setting the Round 1 record with a 3.7 on Thursday night, they turned around and did the exact same thing on Friday. Once again, the reigning World Champions were 3.7 to break the round record. Both cowboys now lead their respective World Standings by nearly $60,000 after both entering the NFR No. 2.
“I don’t know why I tried (to throw) when I did, but it worked out,” Wade said.
“I think that’s awesome (that we broke another Go-Round record), anytime you can get the week started like that, you can’t draw it up any better, so it’s gone our way,” Thorp added.
It took until Round 5 to get a 90-point ride in the saddle bronc riding a year ago, but first-timer Brody Wells didn’t abide by that memo this time around. On his second career out in Las Vegas, he was 90 on Pete Carr’s Pretty Woman to quickly pick up his first career Go-Round win.
"(I’m always going to remember) how good that felt, just nailed my start right out of there, held my feet and she broke, bailed up in the air and felt so good,” he said. “I’ve been dreaming of this as long as I can remember.”
If you’re not the reigning World Champion, you haven’t had a shot to win a round in either roping event as Riley Webb claimed the tie-down again in Round 2 with a 7.8-second run. Webb is the early leader in the NFR Average and has narrowed Shad Mayfield’s lead in the World Standings to about $16,000.
If you thought Hailey Kinsel and Sister were done after a disappointing 2023 NFR, it’s safe to say the dynamic duo is all the way back. The four-time World Champion stopped the clock at 13.48 seconds to win a second straight round and has now opened up a lead of $72,000 after entering the NFR No. 1. Kinsel now owns the Go-Round record in Rounds 1, 2, 3, 9, and 10.
To close the night another NFR rookie got their first Go-Round win early in their career. Jeter Lawrence was marked 87.5 points on a night that featured five more qualified rides.
BAREBACK RIDING
Round 2: 1. Bradlee Miller on True Grit, 86.5 points, $33,687; 2. (tie) Cole Franks and Keenan Hayes, 85, $23,364 each; 4. (tie) Taylor Broussard, Jess Pope and Dean Thompson, 84, $9,418 each; 7. Garrett Shadbolt, 83.5; 8. (tie) Cooper Cooke, R.C. Landingham, Jacob Lees and Weston Timberman, 83 each; 12. Cole Reiner, 82.5; 13. Richmond Champion, 81; 14. Leighton Berry, 79.5; 15. Rocker Steiner, NS.
World Standings: 1. Keenan Hayes, $272,550; 2. Rocker Steiner, $243,319; 3. Bradlee Miller, $207,676; 4. Dean Thompson, $201,032; 5. Weston Timberman, $197,787; 6. Jess Pope, $187,572; 7. Leighton Berry, $182,955; 8. Cole Franks, $182,338; 9. R.C. Landingham, $181,420; 10. Taylor Broussard, $158,335; 11. Cooper Cooke, $149,067; 12. Jacob Lees, $148,363; 13. Cole Reiner, $147,128; 14. Garrett Shadbolt, $147,096; 15. Richmond Champion, $138,965.
STEER WRESTLING
Round 2: 1. Rowdy Parrott, 3.6 seconds, $33,687; 2. Stetson Jorgensen, 3.8, $26,624; 3. (tie) Tucker Allen, Justin Shaffer and J.D. Struxness, 3.9, $14,308 each; 6. Ty Erickson, 4.1, $5,433; 7. (tie) Jesse Brown, Dakota Eldridge and Will Lummus, 4.2 each; 10. Don Payne, 5.0; 11. Scott Guenthner, 5.1; 12. Cash Robb, 5.4; 13. Tyler Waguespack, 5.5; 14. Dalton Massey, 6.3; 15. Tyler Pearson, 13.8.
World Standings: 1. Dalton Massey, $209,263; 2. Stetson Jorgensen, $193,093; 3. Will Lummus, $192,524; 4. Dakota Eldridge, $188,095; 5. Rowdy Parrott, $175,662; 6. J.D. Struxness, $171,574; 7. Jesse Brown, $145,266; 8. Cash Robb, $143,920; 9. Justin Shaffer, $134,816; 10. Don Payne, $132,655; 11. Tucker Allen, $117,745; 12. Ty Erickson, $115,090; 13. Tyler Pearson, $104,575; 14. Tyler Waguespack, $102,656; 15. Scott Guenthner, $101,348.
TEAM ROPING
Round 2: 1. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 3.7 seconds, $33,687 each; 2. Erich Rogers/Paul Eaves, 3.9, $26,624; 3. Brenten Hall/Kaden Profili, 4.2, $20,104; 4. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 4.3, $14,127; 5. (tie) Luke Brown/Travis Graves and Clint Summers/Jake Long, 4.5, $7,063 each; 7. (tie) Cyle Denison/Tanner Braden and Clay Smith/Coleby Payne, 4.7 each; 9. Derrick Begay/Jonathan Torres, 6.2; 10. Cody Snow/Hunter Koch, 9.6; 11. Jake Smith/Douglas Rich, 9.8; 12. J.C. Yeahquo/Buddy Hawkins II, 10.4; 13. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord and Andrew Ward/Kollin VonAhn, NT.
World Standings (Headers): 1. Tyler Wade, $269,112; 2. Dustin Egusquiza, $211,008; 3. Coleman Proctor, $200,021; 4. Kaleb Driggers, $187,361; 5. Brenten Hall, $182,391; 6. Clint Summers, $160,209; 7. Erich Rogers, $153,630; 8. Andrew Ward, $146,581; 9. Jake Smith, $139,366; 10. J.C. Yeahquo, $136,296; 11. Luke Brown, $134,482; 12. Derrick Begay, $129,195; 13. Clay Smith, $128,516; 14. Cyle Denison, $118,812; 15. Cody Snow, $118,269.
World Standings (Heelers): 1. Wesley Thorp, $269,112; 2. Levi Lord, $211,008; 3. Junior Nogueira, $198,486; 4. Logan Medlin, $186,788; 5. Kaden Profili, $183,564; 6. Jake Long, $163,647; 7. Paul Eaves, $154,229; 8. Jonathan Torres, $141,832; 9. Douglas Rich, $139,366; 10. Coleby Payne, $137,630; 11. Kollin VonAhn, $135,382; 12. Tanner Braden, $134,959; 13. Travis Graves, $129,106; 14. Buddy Hawkins II, $124,789; 15. Hunter Koch, $120,280.
SADDLE BRONC RIDING
Round 2: 1. Brody Wells on Resistol’s Pretty Woman, 90 points, $33,687; 2. Dawson Hay, 87, $26,624; 3. (tie) Damian Brennan and Zeke Thurston, 86.5, $17,115 each; 5. Brody Cress, 84, $8,693; 6. Wyatt Casper, 83, $5,433; 7. Ben Andersen, 82.5; 8. Logan Hay, 81.5; 9. Kolby Wanchuk, 80.5; 10. (tie) Zachary Dallas and Statler Wright, 79.5 each; 12. (tie) Kade Bruno and Lefty Holman, 76 each; 14. Sage Newman and Ryder Wright, NS.
World Standings: 1. Damian Brennan, $307,151; 2. Ryder Wright, $287,886; 3. Zeke Thurston, $272,188; 4. Kade Bruno, $251,250; 5. Brody Cress, $239,745; 6. Wyatt Casper, $235,217; 7. Lefty Holman, $217,735; 8. Sage Newman, $205,003; 9. Dawson Hay, $204,586; 10. Statler Wright, $182,824; 11. Brody Wells, $179,490; 12. Kolby Wanchuk, $149,743; 13. Zachary Dallas, $139,157; 14. Ben Andersen, $137,285; 15. Logan Hay, $137,250.
TIE-DOWN ROPING
Round 2: 1. Riley Mason Webb, 7.8 seconds, $33,687; 2. Zack Jongbloed, 8.0, $26,624; 3. Quade Hiatt, 8.1, $20,104; 4. Shad Mayfield, 8.3, $14,127; 5. Hunter Herrin, 8.5, $8,693; 6. John Douch, 8.7, $5,433; 7. (tie) Cole Clemons and Tuf Cooper, 8.8 each; 9. Marty Yates, 9.2; 10. (tie) Joel Harris and Haven Meged, 9.7 each; 12. (tie) Ty Harris and Kincade Henry, 10.8 each; 14. Shane Hanchey, 11.9; 15. Dylan Hancock, 18.7.
World Standings: 1. Shad Mayfield, $310,474; 2. Riley Mason Webb, $294,281; 3. Haven Meged, $231,309; 4. Ty Harris, $229,172; 5. Zack Jongbloed, $176,438; 6. John Douch, $171,237; 7. Shane Hanchey, $167,845; 8. Marty Yates, $165,868; 9. Hunter Herrin, $162,796; 10. Dylan Hancock, $153,590; 11. Joel Harris, $153,434; 12. Tuf Cooper, $151,571; 13. Kincade Henry, $150,958; 14. Quade Hiatt, $132,084; 15. Cole Clemons, $113,417.
BARREL RACING
Round 2: 1. Hailey Kinsel, 13.48 seconds, $33,687; 2. Kassie Mowry, 13.51, $26,624; 3. Tiany Schuster, 13.53, $20,104; 4. Ashley Castleberry, 13.62, $14,127; 5. Andrea Busby, 13.65, $8,693; 6. Abby Phillips, 13.66, $5,433; 7. Wenda Johnson, 13.71; 8. Shelley Morgan, 13.78; 9. Emily Beisel, 13.80; 10. (tie) Carlee Otero and Dona Rule, 13.87 each; 12. LaTricia Duke, 14.08; 13. Lisa Lockhart, 18.70; 14. Halyn Lide, 19.06; 15. Leslie Smalygo, NT.
BULL RIDING
Round 2: 1. Jeter Lawrence on Buck Nasty, 87.5 points, $34,774; 2. Tristen Hutchings, 86, $27,710; 3. Jace Trosclair, 84, $21,190; 4. Josh Frost, 81.5, $15,214; 5. Cooper James, 79.5, $9,780; 6. Tyler Bingham, Dustin Boquet, Chase Dougherty, TJ Gray, Trey Kimzey, Trevor Reiste, Wacey Schalla, Clayton Sellars, Jordan Spears, Hayes Weight and Creek Young, NS.
World Standings: 1. Josh Frost, $259,641; 2. TJ Gray, $254,844; 3. Jace Trosclair, $251,219; 4. Jeter Lawrence, $250,908; 5. Hayes Weight, $246,023; 6. Clayton Sellars, $217,366; 7. Wacey Schalla, $204,096; 8. Tristen Hutchings, $202,298; 9. Cooper James, $202,142; 10. Trevor Reiste, $177,733; 11. Chase Dougherty, $175,013; 12. Trey Kimzey, $172,142; 13. Jordan Spears, $139,997; 14. Tyler Bingham, $135,616; 15. Creek Young, $131,609.
