BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
Will Lummus, Zeke Thurston and Hailey Kinsel stayed hot while bareback riding and tie-down roping saw their best scores of the rodeo in Round 3.
Let’s start like always in the bareback riding, where 2022 World Champion Jess Pope let everyone know he is going to be a factor in the World Title race once again. The eliminator pen was no trouble for Pope who rode Pete Carr’s Nite Faded for 89.5 points, the highest marked bareback ride of the NFR so far. Pope entered the round No. 6 and now sits No. 3 in both the PRCA World Standings and the Projected World Standings.
“My first two rounds didn’t go the way I wanted to so I came in here with a vengeance, one thing I like about the eliminator pen is it’s kill or be killed,” he said.
In steer wrestling, Will Lummus kept things rolling with a 3.5, giving him two round wins already at the 2024 NFR. Lummus now leads the Average and all three of his runs so far have been 4.2 seconds or faster.
Team roping flipped the script Saturday at the NFR. Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord and Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira rebounded with matching 3.7-second times to split the Go-Round win, while Wade/Thorp, dominant through the first two rounds, recorded a no time.
On to saddle bronc riding, which continues to be owned by Zeke Thurston. The Canadian cowboy who won the last two World Titles picked up his second Go-Round win with an 88-point ride on Miss Valley and is now within $2,000 of World No. 1 Damian Brennan in addition to being the leader in the NFR Average and the Projected World Champion. Thurston currently leads Brennan by nine points in the Average and both cowboys have already cleared $300,000.
“There’s not any magic, just come out here and do your job, it’s the same horses we get on all year,” he said.
In an electric round of tie-down roping, it looked like Riley Webb was going to win a third straight round. For about two minutes. After Webb made a 7.1-second run, Ty Harris followed it up with a much-needed 6.9 to snag the victory. There were seven times of 7.7 or faster Saturday night.
Webb did however officially take over the No. 1 spot in the World from Shad Mayfield. Harris is third and about $60,000 back of the top spot.
Thurston and Webb have both dominated to begin the 2024 NFR, but neither have dominated quite like Hailey Kinsel. The four-time World Champion was 13.48 on Saturday night and has won all three rounds. She entered the NFR No. 1 and now leads the World Standings by $90,000. Kinsel has now won three or more Go-Rounds at four NFRs since 2018.
“It’s so tough for these horses to come here, so you just want to be as spot on and as prepared as you can,” she said. “In the end, nothing prepares you for the Thomas & Mack except the Thomas & Mack.”
To close the night down, Clayton Sellars put himself in the bull riding World Title mix by riding Stockyards Pro Rodeo’s Hard Rock for 87.5 points. He is up to No. 3 in the World and one of six bull riders to cover at least two bulls in the first three nights.
BAREBACK RIDING
Round 3: 1. Jess Pope on Night Faded, 89.5 points, $33,687; 2. Cooper Cooke, 88, $26,624; 3. Cole Franks, 87, $20,104; 4. Rocker Steiner, 85.5, $14,127; 5. Keenan Hayes, 85, $8,693; 6. Dean Thompson, 83, $5,433; 7. (tie) Leighton Berry and R.C. Landingham, 82.5 each; 9. Cole Reiner, 82; 10. Weston Timberman, 80.5; 11. (tie) Taylor Broussard and Richmond Champion, 80 each; 13. Jacob Lees, 78.5; 14. Garrett Shadbolt, 74; 15. Bradlee Miller, 62.5.
World Standings: 1. Keenan Hayes, $281,244; 2. Rocker Steiner, $257,446; 3. Jess Pope, $221,260; 4. Bradlee Miller, $207,676; 5. Dean Thompson, $206,466; 6. Cole Franks, $202,442; 7. Weston Timberman, $197,787; 8. Leighton Berry, $182,955; 9. R.C. Landingham, $181,420; 10. Cooper Cooke, $175,691; 11. Taylor Broussard, $158,335; 12. Jacob Lees, $148,363; 13. Cole Reiner, $147,128; 14. Garrett Shadbolt, $147,096; 15. Richmond Champion, $138,965.
STEER WRESTLING
Round 3: 1. Will Lummus, 3.5 seconds, $33,687; 2. Tucker Allen, 3.8, $26,624; 3. Tyler Pearson, 4.2, $20,104; 4. J.D. Struxness, 4.5, $14,127; 5. (tie) Jesse Brown and Rowdy Parrott, 4.6, $7,063 each; 7. Cash Robb, 4.7; 8. Stetson Jorgensen, 4.9; 9. Don Payne, 5.1; 10. Dakota Eldridge, 5.7; 11. Tyler Waguespack, 6.6; 12. Dalton Massey, 6.7; 13. Scott Guenthner, 12.7; 14. Ty Erickson and Justin Shaffer, NT.
World Standings: 1. Will Lummus, $226,212; 2. Dalton Massey, $209,263; 3. Stetson Jorgensen, $193,093; 4. Dakota Eldridge, $188,095; 5. J.D. Struxness, $185,701; 6. Rowdy Parrott, $182,725; 7. Jesse Brown, $152,329; 8. Tucker Allen, $144,368; 9. Cash Robb, $143,920; 10. Justin Shaffer, $134,816; 11. Don Payne, $132,655; 12. Tyler Pearson, $124,678; 13. Ty Erickson, $115,090; 14. Tyler Waguespack, $102,656; 15. Scott Guenthner, $101,348.
TEAM ROPING
Round 3: 1. (tie) Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira and Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord, 3.7 seconds, $30,155 each; 3. Andrew Ward/Kollin VonAhn, 3.8, $20,104; 4. (tie) Cody Snow/Hunter Koch and J.C. Yeahquo/Buddy Hawkins II, 4.0, $11,410 each; 6. (tie) Erich Rogers/Paul Eaves and Clint Summers/Jake Long, 4.1, $2,717 each; 8. Jake Smith/Douglas Rich, 4.2; 9. Luke Brown/Travis Graves, 4.6; 10. Brenten Hall/Kaden Profili, 9.1; 11. Clay Smith/Coleby Payne, 9.6; 12. Derrick Begay/Jonathan Torres, 13.6; 13. Cyle Denison/Tanner Braden, Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin and Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, NT.
World Standings (Headers): 1. Tyler Wade, $269,112; 2. Dustin Egusquiza, $241,163; 3. Kaleb Driggers, $217,516; 4. Coleman Proctor, $200,021; 5. Brenten Hall, $182,391; 6. Andrew Ward, $166,685; 7. Clint Summers, $162,926; 8. Erich Rogers, $156,347; 9. J.C. Yeahquo, $147,706; 10. Jake Smith, $139,366; 11. Luke Brown, $134,482; 12. Cody Snow, $129,679; 13. Derrick Begay, $129,195; 14. Clay Smith, $128,516; 15. Cyle Denison, $118,812.
World Standings (Heelers): 1. Wesley Thorp, $269,112; 2. Levi Lord, $241,163; 3. Junior Nogueira, $228,642; 4. Logan Medlin, $186,788; 5. Kaden Profili, $183,564; 6. Jake Long, $166,364; 7. Paul Eaves, $156,946; 8. Kollin VonAhn, $155,486; 9. Jonathan Torres, $141,832; 10. Douglas Rich, $139,366; 11. Coleby Payne, $137,630; 12. Buddy Hawkins II, $136,199; 13. Tanner Braden, $134,959; 14. Hunter Koch, $131,690; 15. Travis Graves, $129,106.
Round 3: 1. Zeke Thurston on Miss Valley, 88 points, $33,687; 2. (tie) Wyatt Casper, Brody Cress and Kolby Wanchuk, 86, $20,285 each; 5. (tie) Kade Bruno, Sage Newman and Ryder Wright, 85, $4,709 each; 8. Statler Wright, 84.5; 9. Damian Brennan, 84; 10. (tie) Ben Andersen and Dawson Hay, 83.5 each; 12. Lefty Holman, 83; 13. Zachary Dallas, 81; 14. Logan Hay and Brody Wells, NS.
World Standings: 1. Damian Brennan, $307,151; 2. Zeke Thurston, $305,875; 3. Ryder Wright, $292,595; 4. Brody Cress, $260,030; 5. Kade Bruno, $255,959; 6. Wyatt Casper, $255,502; 7. Lefty Holman, $217,735; 8. Sage Newman, $209,712; 9. Dawson Hay, $204,586; 10. Statler Wright, $182,824; 11. Brody Wells, $179,490; 12. Kolby Wanchuk, $170,028; 13. Zachary Dallas, $139,157; 14. Ben Andersen, $137,285; 15. Logan Hay, $137,250.
TIE-DOWN ROPING
Round 3: 1. Ty Harris, 6.9 seconds, $33,687; 2. Riley Mason Webb, 7.1, $26,624; 3. Joel Harris, 7.3, $20,104; 4. Tuf Cooper, 7.4, $14,127; 5. Dylan Hancock, 7.5, $8,693; 6. (tie) Shane Hanchey and Shad Mayfield, 7.7, $2,717 each; 8. Marty Yates, 7.9; 9. Kincade Henry, 8.2; 10. John Douch, 8.6; 11. Quade Hiatt, 9.2; 12. Zack Jongbloed, 9.6; 13. Haven Meged, 9.9; 14. Cole Clemons, 18.0; 15. Hunter Herrin, 20.2.
World Standings: 1. Riley Mason Webb, $320,905; 2. Shad Mayfield, $313,190; 3. Ty Harris, $262,860; 4. Haven Meged, $231,309; 5. Zack Jongbloed, $176,438; 6. Joel Harris, $173,537; 7. John Douch, $171,237; 8. Shane Hanchey, $170,561; 9. Marty Yates, $165,868; 10. Tuf Cooper, $165,698; 11. Hunter Herrin, $162,796; 12. Dylan Hancock, $162,283; 13. Kincade Henry, $150,958; 14. Quade Hiatt, $132,084; 15. Cole Clemons, $113,417.
BARREL RACING
Round 3: 1. Hailey Kinsel, 13.48 seconds, $33,687; 2. Kassie Mowry, 13.58, $26,624; 3. (tie) Andrea Busby and Tiany Schuster, 13.65, $17,115 each; 5. LaTricia Duke, 13.67, $8,693; 6. Leslie Smalygo, 13.84, $5,433; 7. Ashley Castleberry, 13.89; 8. Abby Phillips, 13.98; 9. Halyn Lide, 14.34; 10. Emily Beisel, 18.55; 11. Lisa Lockhart, 18.70; 12. Wenda Johnson, 18.72; 13. Shelley Morgan, 18.82; 14. Carlee Otero, 18.86; 15. Dona Rule, 19.00.
BULL RIDING
Round 3: 1. Clayton Sellars on Hard Rock, 87.5 points, $34,774; 2. Tristen Hutchings, 86.5, $27,710; 3. Cooper James, 86, $21,190; 4. (tie) Tyler Bingham and Chase Dougherty, 82.5, $12,497 each; 6. Dustin Boquet, Josh Frost, TJ Gray, Trey Kimzey, Jeter Lawrence, Trevor Reiste, Wacey Schalla, Jordan Spears, Jace Trosclair, Hayes Weight and Creek Young, NS.
World Standings: 1. Josh Frost, $259,641; 2. TJ Gray, $254,844; 3. Clayton Sellars, $252,140; 4. Jace Trosclair, $251,219; 5. Jeter Lawrence, $250,908; 6. Hayes Weight, $246,023; 7. Tristen Hutchings, $230,008; 8. Cooper James, $223,332; 9. Wacey Schalla, $204,096; 10. Chase Dougherty, $187,510; 11. Trevor Reiste, $177,733; 12. Trey Kimzey, $172,142; 13. Tyler Bingham, $148,112; 14. Jordan Spears, $139,997; 15. Creek Young, $131,609.
