BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
High stakes and higher scores defined Round 5 of the 2024 NFR.
The bareback riders delivered three 90+ point rides, led by Jacob Lees and Dean Thompson at 91. Jesse Brown got on the board in the steer wrestling and Wade/Thorp’s blazing team roping run showcased their championship mettle.
Ryder Wright turned up the heat in saddle bronc, while Joel Harris grabbed a milestone tie-down win. Kassie Mowry and Jarvis lit up the barrel racing pattern once again, and Cooper James earned his first bull riding round victory.
Races have narrowed and the Gold Buckle chases have intensified as we are officially halfway home in Las Vegas.
The bareback riding started things off with bang in Round 5. After no 90+ Point Rides in the first four rounds, there were three with the TV pen of horses out on Monday. Jacob Lees and Dean Thompson shared victory with 91 points apiece and Jess Pope added 90 of his own. It took 87.5 points to be in the money.
“That’s all you’re doing is matching his power,” Lees said of Virgil. “He’s the best there ever was and the best there ever will be in my opinion.”
In the steer wrestling, Jesse Brown got his first round win of the 2024 NFR with a 3.6-second run. On another fast night in the bulldogging, you had to be 4.2 or faster to get a check and nine cowboys were 4.4 or better.
Momentum in the team roping race has swung once again, this time back to Wade/Thorp. After no times in Rounds 3 and 4, the reigning World Champions roared back with a blazing 3.6-second run to win Round 5. Meanwhile, Egusquiza/Lord, fresh off back-to-back round wins and closing the gap to within $3,000, were 8.2 because of a penalty.
“You just try to throw the best loop you can and when it went up over his hips it really shut the run down,” Thorp said.
Another race that has flipped over the last two rounds has been the saddle bronc riding. Zeke Thurston looked firmly in control after winning two of the first three rounds, but Ryder Wright, who entered the NFR No. 2, was 90.5 on Sunday and 89.5 on Monday to win Rounds 4 and 5. On Sunday, he split with Round 3 winner Brody Wells.
Through all of the Go-Round wins between Thurston and Wright, the man who set the regular season earnings record, Damian Brennan, is the projected World Champion thanks to checks in three of the last four rounds.
In tie-down roping, it was the other Harris brother getting his first career Go-Round win. Joel Harris was the only one in the 7s while Shad Mayfield took third with an 8.1 and Riley Webb did not cash a check. Mayfield is back within $21,000 of Webb. They are No. 1 and 2 in both the World Standings and the Projected Standings.
For the second straight night, Kassie Mowry and Jarvis clocked in at 13.43 seconds to make it two consecutive Go-Round wins. Mowry also finished second in Rounds 2 and 3, but still trails Hailey Kinsel, who won three straight to kickoff the rodeo, in the World Standings.
Cooper James stayed hot in the bull riding, moving to 4-for-5 in his NFR debut and picking up his first career Go-Round win with 88.5 points aboard Schott in the Dark of Sutton Rodeo.
“Hadn’t really seen this bull in person, knew he favored the left, he’s a big bull, really big bull, but I fit him really good,” he said. “I loved him.”
BAREBACK RIDING
Round 5: 1. (tie) Jacob Lees on Virgil and Dean Thompson on Boot Barn’s Night Crawler, 91 points, $30,155 each; 3. Jess Pope, 90, $20,104; 4. Bradlee Miller, 89, $14,127; 5. (tie) Cole Reiner and Rocker Steiner, 88, $7,063 each; 7. (tie) Leighton Berry and Keenan Hayes, 87.5 each; 9. Richmond Champion, 86; 10. (tie) Taylor Broussard and Weston Timberman, 85.5 each; 12. Cole Franks, 85; 13. Garrett Shadbolt, 83.5; 14. (tie) Cooper Cooke and R.C. Landingham, 83 each.
World Standings: 1. Keenan Hayes, $281,244; 2. Rocker Steiner, $278,636; 3. Dean Thompson, $259,985; 4. Bradlee Miller, $255,490; 5. Jess Pope, $241,363; 6. Weston Timberman, $206,480; 7. Leighton Berry, $206,319; 8. Cole Franks, $204,253; 9. R.C. Landingham, $183,231; 10. Jacob Lees, $178,518; 11. Cooper Cooke, $177,502; 12. Taylor Broussard, $158,335; 13. Cole Reiner, $154,192; 14. Garrett Shadbolt, $147,096; 15. Richmond Champion, $138,965.
STEER WRESTLING
Round 5: 1. Jesse Brown, 3.6 seconds, $33,687; 2. Don Payne, 3.7, $26,624; 3. Scott Guenthner, 3.9, $20,104; 4. (tie) Cash Robb and Tyler Waguespack, 4.0, $11,410 each; 6. Tyler Pearson, 4.1, $5,433; 7. Rowdy Parrott, 4.2; 8. (tie) Will Lummus and J.D. Struxness, 4.4 each; 10. Justin Shaffer, 4.6; 11. (tie) Tucker Allen and Ty Erickson, 4.7 each; 13. Stetson Jorgensen, 5.1; 14. Dalton Massey, 5.5; 15. Dakota Eldridge, NT.
World Standings: 1. Will Lummus, $226,212; 2. J.D. Struxness, $219,388; 3. Dalton Massey, $209,263; 4. Dakota Eldridge, $202,222; 5. Stetson Jorgensen, $193,093; 6. Jesse Brown, $186,017; 7. Rowdy Parrott, $182,725; 8. Cash Robb, $164,024; 9. Don Payne, $159,279; 10. Scott Guenthner, $144,815; 11. Tucker Allen, $144,368; 12. Justin Shaffer, $140,250; 13. Ty Erickson, $138,454; 14. Tyler Pearson, $130,112; 15. Tyler Waguespack, $114,066.
TEAM ROPING
Round 5: 1. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 3.6 seconds, $33,687 each; 2. Cody Snow/Hunter Koch, 3.7, $26,624; 3. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 3.8, $20,104; 4. (tie) Andrew Ward/Kollin VonAhn and J.C. Yeahquo/Buddy Hawkins II, 4.7, $11,410 each; 6. Clay Smith/Coleby Payne, 6.2, $5,433; 7. Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord, 8.2; 8. Derrick Begay/Jonathan Torres, 9.1; 9. Luke Brown/Travis Graves, 10.5; 10. Clint Summers/Jake Long, 10.6; 11. Cyle Denison/Tanner Braden, Brenten Hall/Kaden Profili, Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, Erich Rogers/Paul Eaves and Jake Smith/Douglas Rich, NT.
World Standings (Headers): 1. Tyler Wade, $302,799; 2. Dustin Egusquiza, $264,799; 3. Kaleb Driggers, $237,620; 4. Coleman Proctor, $200,021; 5. Clint Summers, $186,561; 6. J.C. Yeahquo, $182,751; 7. Brenten Hall, $182,391; 8. Cody Snow, $179,938; 9. Andrew Ward, $178,095; 10. Erich Rogers, $165,041; 11. Jake Smith, $144,800; 12. Luke Brown, $134,482; 13. Clay Smith, $133,950; 14. Derrick Begay, $129,195; 15. Cyle Denison, $118,812.
World Standings (Heelers): 1. Wesley Thorp, $302,799; 2. Levi Lord, $264,799; 3. Junior Nogueira, $248,745; 4. Jake Long, $189,999; 5. Logan Medlin, $186,788; 6. Kaden Profili, $183,564; 7. Hunter Koch, $181,949; 8. Buddy Hawkins II, $171,245; 9. Kollin VonAhn, $166,896; 10. Paul Eaves, $165,640; 11. Douglas Rich, $144,800; 12. Coleby Payne, $143,064; 13. Jonathan Torres, $141,832; 14. Tanner Braden, $134,959; 15. Travis Graves, $129,106.
SADDLE BRONC RIDING
Round 5: 1. (tie) Brody Wells on The Black Tie and Ryder Wright on Crossbreed’s Captain Hook, 89.5 points, $30,155 each; 3. Damian Brennan, 89, $20,104; 4. Statler Wright, 88.5, $14,127; 5. (tie) Wyatt Casper and Zachary Dallas, 87.5, $7,063 each; 7. Dawson Hay, 86; 8. Ben Andersen, 85.5; 9. Sage Newman, 85; 10. Brody Cress, 84.5; 11. Zeke Thurston, 84; 12. Lefty Holman, 83.5; 13. Kolby Wanchuk, 83; 14. Kade Bruno, 82; 15. Logan Hay, NS.
World Standings: 1. Ryder Wright, $356,438; 2. Damian Brennan, $332,688; 3. Zeke Thurston, $305,875; 4. Wyatt Casper, $289,189; 5. Brody Cress, $260,030; 6. Kade Bruno, $255,959; 7. Lefty Holman, $237,839; 8. Brody Wells, $223,772; 9. Dawson Hay, $213,279; 10. Sage Newman, $209,712; 11. Statler Wright, $196,951; 12. Kolby Wanchuk, $170,028; 13. Zachary Dallas, $146,220; 14. Ben Andersen, $137,285; 15. Logan Hay, $137,250.
TIE-DOWN ROPING
Round 5: 1. Joel Harris, 7.6 seconds, $33,687; 2. Haven Meged, 8.0, $26,624; 3. Shad Mayfield, 8.1, $20,104; 4. Quade Hiatt, 8.2, $14,127; 5. Ty Harris, 8.4, $8,693; 6. Shane Hanchey, 8.8, $5,433; 7. Riley Mason Webb, 9.0; 8. Kincade Henry, 9.4; 9. Hunter Herrin, 9.8; 10. (tie) Tuf Cooper and Marty Yates, 10.2 each; 12. Dylan Hancock, 10.6; 13. Cole Clemons, 11.0; 14. John Douch, 12.7; 15. Zack Jongbloed, NT.
World Standings: 1. Riley Mason Webb, $354,592; 2. Shad Mayfield, $333,294; 3. Ty Harris, $276,986; 4. Haven Meged, $257,933; 5. Joel Harris, $207,224; 6. Zack Jongbloed, $203,061; 7. Shane Hanchey, $193,110; 8. Dylan Hancock, $179,398; 9. John Douch, $171,237; 10. Marty Yates, $165,868; 11. Tuf Cooper, $165,698; 12. Hunter Herrin, $162,796; 13. Kincade Henry, $150,958; 14. Quade Hiatt, $146,211; 15. Cole Clemons, $122,111.
BARREL RACING
Round 5: 1. Kassie Mowry, 13.43 seconds, $33,687; 2. Carlee Otero, 13.51, $26,624; 3. Emily Beisel, 13.53, $20,104; 4. (tie) Andrea Busby and Lisa Lockhart, 13.57, $11,410 each; 6. Hailey Kinsel, 13.59, $5,433; 7. LaTricia Duke, 13.65; 8. (tie) Ashley Castleberry and Shelley Morgan, 13.66 each; 10. (tie) Halyn Lide, Abby Phillips and Leslie Smalygo, 13.68 each; 13. Dona Rule, 13.70; 14. Wenda Johnson, 13.81; 15. Tiany Schuster, 13.89.
BULL RIDING
Round 5: 1. Cooper James on Schott In The Dark, 88.5 points, $43,105; 2. TJ Gray, 86, $36,042; 3. Josh Frost, 82.5, $29,522; 4. Tyler Bingham, Dustin Boquet, Chase Dougherty, Tristen Hutchings, Trey Kimzey, Jeter Lawrence, Trevor Reiste, Wacey Schalla, Clayton Sellars, Jordan Spears, Jace Trosclair, Hayes Weight and Creek Young, NS.
World Standings: 1. Josh Frost, $326,381; 2. TJ Gray, $290,885; 3. Jace Trosclair, $268,878; 4. Cooper James, $266,438; 5. Clayton Sellars, $252,140; 6. Jeter Lawrence, $250,908; 7. Hayes Weight, $246,023; 8. Tristen Hutchings, $230,008; 9. Wacey Schalla, $204,096; 10. Trey Kimzey, $195,777; 11. Chase Dougherty, $187,510; 12. Tyler Bingham, $178,268; 13. Trevor Reiste, $177,733; 14. Jordan Spears, $139,997; 15. Creek Young, $131,609.
