BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN
The World Title races got a little more clear on Wednesday night at the Thomas & Mack Center.
In the bareback riding, the see-saw battle between Jess Pope and Kaycee Feild continued. Pope was 88.5 on J Bar J’s All Pink to take the Round 7 win. He and Feild have combined to win six of seven Go-Rounds so far.
Stetson Wright put himself right back in the bull riding Gold Buckle race by riding for 90.5 points on his second re-ride of the night. Wright was one of two cowboys to ride, giving him $46,374 for his Round 7 win.
In saddle bronc riding, 2020 Reserve World Champion Wyatt Casper got his first round win of 2021 by going for 89 points on Broken Camp.
After finishing second in Rounds 5 and 6, Hailey Kinsel broke through with a 13.45-second run to win Round 7 and take control of the barrel racing World Title race.
As for the other timed events, Tyler Waguespack won the steer wrestling, Dustin Egusquiza/Travis Graves split the team roping with Clay Tryan/Jake Long and Haven Meged was the top tie-down roper.
BAREBACK RIDING
With 88.5 points on Wednesday night, Jess Pope not only won the Go-Round but also slightly extended his lead in the Average over Kaycee Feild, who was second with 87.5 points aboard Bridwell Pro Rodeo’s Mary.
Feild currently has about a $12,000 lead on Pope, but because of the Average, Pope is the projected World Champion by a margin of around $2,000.
Pope and Feild have put enough distance between themselves and the rest of the bareback riders that it is hard to see a scenario where one of those two does not win the Gold Buckle.
1. Jess Pope, 88.5, $26,997
2. Kaycee Feild, 87.5, $21,336
3. Richmond Champion, 87, $16,111
T4. Clayton Biglow, 86, $9,144
T4. Caleb Bennett, 86, $9,144
6. Orin Larsen, 85.5, $4,354
POPE’S RIDE
STEER WRESTLING
Tyler Waguespack’s 3.3-second run was the fastest of the NFR so far in the steer wrestling and it also pushed him into No. 2 in the World Standings and No. 1 in the projected final standings.
“I love this atmosphere, I love the pressure the Thomas & Mack puts on you,” he said. “I’m really glad it’s back.”
Jacob Talley was second in Round 7 and he is currently No. 1 in the World Standings and No. 2 in the projected final standings.
1. Tyler Waguespack, 3.3, $26,997
2. Jacob Talley, 3.4, $21,336
3. Dakota Eldridge, 3.8, $13,716
3. Tyler Pearson, 3.8, $13,716
5. Riley Duvall, 3.9, $6,967
6. Will Lummus, 4.2, $4,354
WAGUESPACK’S RUN
TEAM ROPING
Dustin Egusquiza/Travis Graves and Clay Tryan/Jake Long were both 3.7 seconds to win Round 7.
In third in the round was Rhen Richard/Jeremy Buhler and Richard is now the projected World Champion on the head side. Junior Nogueira remains the projected World Champion heeler. Richard and Buhler are now up to No. 2 in the Average behind Buddy Hawkins/Andrew Ward.
EGUSQUIZA/GRAVES
TRYAN/LONG
SADDLE BRONC RIDING
Wyatt Casper broke through with his first round win of 2021 on Wednesday night. After getting bucked off of his first three horses, Casper has placed in three of the last four rounds.
“I’ve been waiting on that all week, my first three rounds sucked,” Casper said. “I feel like I’ve just been gaining momentum.”
Despite Ryder Wright’s lead of about $43,000 on him, Brody Cress is still the projected World Champion because of his place atop the Average. Cress tied for third in Round 7 and Wright was fifth.
1. Wyatt Casper, 89, $26,997
2. Sage Newman, 87, $21,336
T3. Brody Cress, 86.5, $13,716
T3. Spencer Wright, 86.5, $13,716
5. Ryder Wright, 84.5, $6,967
6. Cody DeMoss, 83, $4,354
CASPER’S RIDE
TIE-DOWN ROPING
Haven Meged tied the fastest time of the rodeo with a 7.1-second run on Wednesday night. Meged has placed in the Top 4 in four rounds this NFR, including a second place finish in Round 6.
“It’s what we do, we work our whole lives, so you just gotta have fun and not think about it so much,” he said.
Caleb Smidt is still in control of the Gold Buckle race as he leads both the Average and the World Standings. Shane Hanchey, however, is only about $1,000 behind him and is No. 3 in the Average.
1. Haven Meged, 7.1, $26,997
2. Westyn Hughes, 8.0, $21,336
3. Cory Solomon, 8.1, $16,111
4. Marcos Costa, 8.5, $11,321
5. Ty Harris, 8.7, $6,967
6. Shane Hanchey, 9.0, $4,354
MEGED’S RUN
BARREL RACING
After finishing second in Rounds 5 and 6, Hailey Kinsel broke through on Wednesday with a time of 13.45-second to not only win Round 7, but take control of the Gold Buckle race.
Kinsel has now placed in four straight rounds and is second in the Average behind Jordon Briggs, who is projected to finish second in the final standings. Kinsel is currently the projected World Champion.
“This has been such a tough barrel race,” Kinsel said. “There’s been seven rounds and eight different girls have won them.”
1. Hailey Kinsel, 13.45, $26,997
2. Jordon Briggs, 13.57, $21,336
3. Emily Beisel, 13.59, $16,111
4. Shelley Morgan, 13.61, $11,321
5. Stevi Hillman, 13.65, $6,967
6. Molly Otto, 13.67, $4,354
KINSEL’S RUN
BULL RIDING
It looked like Josh Frost was going to take home all $87,000 for the round with a 52.5-point ride until Stetson Wright got on not one, but two re-ride bulls. He eventually rode Bloomer’s High Rise for 90.5 points to win over $46,000 and get within $20,000 of Sage Kimzey.
Wright is now third in the Average and Kimzey is fifth, meaning Wright is the projected World Champion by about $1,000 through seven rounds.
Frost is now projected to finish third in the world.
1. Stetson Wright, 90.5, $46,374
2. Josh Frost, 52.5, $40,713
WRIGHT’S RIDE
