Round 1 of the 2021 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo went off with a bang. There were multiple ties, big scores and fast times in all events.
Jess Pope had the ride of a lifetime for his firs trip in the Thomas and Mack. The 90.5-point ride on Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Night Crawler earned Pope $26,996 and moved him into the No. 5 position. Tilden Hooper’s reride on Colorado Bulldog of Fettig Pro Rodeo was 85.5 and enough to keep him the No. 1 cowboy.
1. Jess Pope, 90.5 points $26,997
2. Cole Reiner, 88.5, $21,336
3. (tie) R.C. Landingham and Cole Franks, 87, $13,716 each
5. Kaycee Feild, 86, $6,967
6. Tilden Hooper, 85.5, $4,354
JESS POPE 90.5 ROUND 1 BAREBACK
In the steer wrestling, a time of 3.7 seconds got two cowboys the Round 1 win. Riley Duvall and Dirk Tavenner set the pace early on in the round. Both Duvall and Tavenner earned $24,166. It was a big night for NFR first timer, Tristan Martin. He was third in the round with a 3.8 to start his NFR off right.
1. (tie) Dirk Tavenner and Riley Duvall, 3.7 seconds, $24,167 each
3. Tristan Martin, 3.8, $16,111
4. Tyler Pearson, 4.4, $11,321
5. (tie) Jesse Brown and Tyler Waguespack, 4.5, $5,661 each
RILEY DUVALL 3.7 ROUND 1 STEER WRESTLING
Tyler Wade and Trey Yates stopped the clock at 4.0 to win Round 1 in the team roping. It was the first round win for Yates and it got the team $36,996 each. Coming in second in the round was Erich Rogers and Paden Bray with a 4.4 and they are both sitting second in the standings.
1. Tyler Wade/Trey Yates, 4.0, $26,996 each
2. Erich Rogers/Paden Bray, 4.4, $21,336 each
3. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 4.6, $16,111 each
4. Quinn Kesler/Joseph Harrison, 4.8, $11,321 each
5. (tie) Clay Smith/Jade Corkill and Derrick Begay/Brady Minor, 4.9, $5,660 each
TYLER WADE AND TREY YATES 4.0 ROUND 1 TEAM ROPING
The second tie of the night came in the saddle bronc riding. Chase Brooks and Zeke Thurston both topped the leaderboard with 88.5 points. Brooks got the momentum going on Sankey Pro Rodeo and Phenom Genetics Pendleton Whisky’s Marquee and Thurston kept it going with Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Vitalix Wyatt Earp.
1. (tie) Zeke Thurston and Chase Brooks, 88.5 points, $24,167 each
3. Brody Cress, 87.5, $16,111
4. Ryder Wright, 87, $11,321
5. (tie) Spencer Wright and Tegan Smith, 84.5, $5,661 each
CHASE BROOKS 88.5 ROUND 1 SADDLE BRONC
It was an emotional Round 1 win for Shane Hanchey. Hanchey stopped the clock at 7.4 on Peso. Last night made 10 days since Hanchey lost TJ, the horse owned by Logan Bird that was going to be Hanchey’s No. 1 horse. Hanchey put his trust in Bird but had his doubts about Peso since Peso had never been to the NFR. However, it all paid off and Hanchey earned $26,996 to stay in that No. 1 spot.
1. Shane Hanchey, 7.4 seconds, $26,997
2. Ty Harris, 7.7, $21,336
3. Ryan Jarrett, 8.3, $16,111
4. (tie) Caleb Smidt and Taylor Santos, 8.6, $9,144 each
6. Cory Solomon, 9.1, $4,354
SHANE HANCHEY 7.4 ROUND 1 TIE DOWN ROPING
The third tie of Round 1 was Amanda Welsh and Cheyenne Wimberley in the barrel racing. Veteran Cheyenne Wimberely and her horse Rocko came to play in Las Vegas and Amanda Welsh made her first trip down the alley with her horse Firefly. Both ladies showed what they could do. Wimberely and Welsh stopped the clock at 13.77 seconds. Hailey Kinsel came in third by 1 hundredth of a second. Kinsel and Sister got a time of 13.78 seconds.
1. (tie) Cheyenne Wimberley and Amanda Welsh, 13.77 seconds, $24,167 each
3. Hailey Kinsel, 13.78, $16,111
4. Emily Beisel, 13.81, $11,321
5. Jordon Briggs, 13.89, $6,967
6. Stevi Hillman, 13.95, $4,354
AMANDA WELSH 13.77 ROUND 1 BARREL RACING
We got another tie for the Round 1 win in the bull riding. Ky Hamilton and JB Mauney got the win with 87.5 points. Hamilton is at his second NFR and he started things right with his Round 1 ride on Husrt & TNT Pro Rodeo’s Rip. Mauney is a veteran bull rider but an NFR rookie and he did what we all knew he could do on Painted Pony Championship Rodeo’s Cocktail Diarrhea.
1. (tie) JB Mauney and Ky Hamilton, 87.5 points, $24,167 each
3. Sage Kimzey, 87, $16,111
4. (tie) Trey Benton III and Ruger Piva, 86.5, $9,144 each
6. Boudreaux Campbell, 86, $4,354
JB MAUNEY 87.5 ROUND 1 BULL RIDING
