BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN
It took just three rounds for a record to fall at the 2021 Wrangler NFR.
With 91 points aboard Calgary Stampede’s Yesterday’s Delivery, Tegan Smith, an NFR rookie set a new Round 3 saddle bronc riding record. The previous mark was 90.5 set by Allen Boore on the same horse just one year ago.
Both other roughstock winners went 90 as well with Kaycee Feild doing so on Frontier Rodeo’s Full Baggage in the bareback riding and Creek Young with 92 points on a re-ride on Stace Smith’s Evil Intentions.
The timed event winners included Caleb Smidt in the tie-down roping, Rhen Richard/Jeremy Buhler in the team roping, Tristan Martin in steer wrestling and Stevi Hillman in barrel racing.
BAREBACK RIDING
Five-time World Champion Kaycee Feild put a sixth Gold Buckle well within reach Saturday night after his 90-point ride on Full Baggage. Feild is now up to No. 2 in the PRCA World Standings and projected final standings. He is just $12,000 behind Jess Pope, who overtook Tilden Hooper as world No. 1 and is the current projected World Champion.
Pope was third in Round 3 with 88 points atop San Angelo Sam, giving him over $70,000 in NFR earnings already. Richmond Champion was second in the Go-Round with 88.5 points on Mr. Harry.
1. Kaycee Feild, 90, $26,997
2. Richmond Champion, 88.5, $21,336
3. Jess Pope, 88, $16,111
4. R.C. Landingham, 86, $11,321
5. Tim O’Connell, 85.5, $6,967
6. Cole Franks, 85, $4,354
FEILD’S 90-POINT RIDE
STEER WRESTLING
The first-timers continued their winning ways in the steer wrestling at the 2021 NFR with Tristan Martin claiming his first Go-Round win in just his third performance in the Thomas & Mack Center. Martin was 3.7 seconds to edge out Tyler Waguespack and Rowdy Parrott by one-tenth of a second.
Martin is now No. 1 in the Average with an aggregate of 11.8 seconds on three head. Riley Duvall sits in second and Jacob Talley, who entered the NFR No. 1 in the world, is third. Talley still holds the No. 1 world ranking.
1. Tristan Martin, 3.7, $26,997
T2. Tyler Waguespack, 3.8, $18,724
T2. Rowdy Parrott, 3.8, $18,724
4. Dakota Eldridge, 3.9, $11,321
T5. Scott Guenthner, 4.3, $5,661
T5. Jacob Talley, 4.3, $5,661
MARTIN’S RUN
TEAM ROPING
Rhen Richard/Jeremy Buhler claimed the top spot in the team roping with a run of 3.9 seconds. Clay Smith/Jade Corkill, who lead the Average, were second in Round 3. Smith and Corkill are now the projected World Champions.
1. Rhen Richard / Jeremy Buhler, 4.2, $26,997
2. Clay Smith / Jade Corkill, 4.3, $21,336
3. Andrew Ward / Buddy Hawkins, 4.6, $16,111
4. Douglas Rich / Coy Rahlmann, 4.8, $11,321
5. Kaleb Driggers / Junior Nogueira, 4.9, $6,967
6. Coleman Proctor / Logan Medlin, 8.8, $4,354
RICHARD/BUHLER’S RUN
SADDLE BRONC RIDING
It was the eliminator pen in saddle bronc riding and six cowboys left without scores. One who did, though, was Tegan Smith, who’s 91-point ride broke the Round 3 record.
Stetson Wright was second in the round with 89.5 on Andrews Rodeo’s Brutus and Chase Brooks was 86.5 on United Pro Rodeo’s Awesome Sauce for third.
There has been quite the shuffle in the bronc riding already with Brody Cress sitting as the projected World Champion. Cress and Brooks, who is third in the projected final standings, are tied for the lead in the Average with 260.5 points on three head. Stetson Wright is second and Ryder Wright is fourth in the projected standings.
1. Tegan Smith, 91, $26,997
2. Stetson Wright, 89.5, $21,336
3. Chase Brooks, 86.5, $16,111
4. Brody Cress, 85.5, $11,321
5. Layton Green, 85, $6,967
6. Spencer Wright, 84, $4,354
SMITH’S RIDE
TIE-DOWN ROPING
Two-time World Champion Caleb Smidt was the top cowboy in a fast calf roping on Saturday night. Smidt stopped the clock at 7.1 seconds in a Go-Round that saw times of 7.2, 7.3 and 7.4 seconds.
With Saturday night’s win Smidt tied for first in the Average with 2019 World Champion Haven Meged and up to second in the projected world standings.
Shane Hanchey, who is fourth in the Average and won Round 1, is still first in the projected final standings.
1. Caleb Smidt, 7.1, $26,997
2. Westyn Hughes, 7.2, $21,336
3. John Douch, 7.3, $16,111
4. Haven Meged, 7.4, $11,321
5. Tuf Cooper, 7.7, $6,967
6. Marcos Costa, 8.3, $4,354
SMIDT’S RUN
BARREL RACING
Stevi Hillman’s 5-year-old mare Lemon Drop has been unfazed by the bright lights of the Thomas & Mack Center as she raced to a time of 13.70 second to claim her second Go-Round win in her last four NFR rounds dating back to 2020.
“You never know in this kind of a setup and this kind of a crowd, but I’ve just been blown away by her mind and how she’s handled all of this,” Hillman said of her mount.
Hillman is one of two barrel racers to have placed in all three rounds and she sits atop the Average. Jordon Briggs has also placed three consecutive nights. Hillman is currently first in the projected final standings and Briggs is second.
1. Stevi Hillman, 13.70, $26,997
2. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 13.72, $21,336
3. Ivy Saebens, 13.73, $16,111
4. Wenda Johnson, 13.77, $11,321
5. Dona Kay Rule, 13.78, $6,967
6. Jordon Briggs, 13.83, $4,354
HILLMAN’S RUN
BULL RIDING
In a gambling town, Creek Young rolled the dice on Saturday night. He already had a check in his pocket with a 74-point ride, but instead took his re-ride and cashed in a Go-Round with a 92-point ride.
“After bucking off two, I needed something that was going to help me in the Average,” he said afterward.
Round 2 winner Parker Breding covered Soy El Fuego for 88 points on Saturday, making him the only cowboy to ride all three of his bulls.
1. Creek Young, 92, $29,827
2. Boudreaux Campbell, 89.5, $24,167
3. Parker Breding, 88, $18,941
4. Josh Frost, 85, $14,152
YOUNG’S RIDE
