Steer wrestling world standings leader Dean Gorsuch won his first NFR go-round Monday by turfing his steer in 3.9 seconds and widened his lead over Luke Branquinho of Los Alamos, Calif., who did not receive a time.
Advertisement
Gorsuch, of Gering, Neb., has put down each of his five steers and leads the NFR aggregate standings, while the no-time by Branquinho dropped him to 10th in that category.
"I want to throw every steer as good as I can," Gorsuch said. "I'm not looking at anything else."
• ALL-AROUND -- Trevor Brazile inched closer to his fourth all-around world title and could set a record today for most money won in a PRCA season.
Brazile, who is battling a sports hernia, won $6,718 when he teamed with Rich Skelton of Llano, Texas, to place fourth. Brazile was out of the money in calf roping.
Brazile has won $40,570 in the NFR for a season total of $306,666, about $14,000 less than the record set by bull rider Matt Austin a year ago.
• BAREBACK RIDING -- Carr Rodeo owns both horses that shared first.
Will Lowe of Canyon, Texas, scored 87 on River Boat Annie to tie Jess Davis of Payton, Utah, who scored the same on Real Deal.
Lowe had won the two previous rounds and with the $14,341 for splitting first place, he moved his season total to $214,331. He has won $62,406 at the NFR, the most by any of the 118 contestants in the rodeo.
Davis is far behind in NFR money despite winning two rounds.
"I've been trying to catch him, but I've been trying to catch him all year long," Davis said of Lowe.
• TEAM ROPING -- In their first NFR, Nick Sartain and Shannon Frascht of Alva, Okla., got their first piece of first place by tying Speed Williams of De Leon, Texas, and Clay O'Brien Cooper of Morgan Mill, Texas, with times of 4.0 seconds.
"I got a good start at the barrier, and at this rodeo, that is the key," said Sartain, the header.
Said Frascht: "We really didn't quite know exactly what to expect (at the NFR). I think we got it figured out."
Logandale ropers Jason and Randon Adams did not record a time a night after winning the go-round.
• SADDLE BRONC RIDING -- Chad Ferley of Oelrichs, S.D., won his second straight go-round by tying Canadian Rod Hay, who won the third night, with scores of 87. Ferley, this year's money leader, rode Bar T Rodeo's Millers Wheel and Hay was on Stace Smith Pro Rodeos' Big Jet.
"Just getting on good horses really does it," Ferley said. "I'm just glad to be staying on."
Veteran Billy Etbauer of Edmond, Okla., placed third after getting bucked off in the three previous rounds.
• CALF ROPING -- Scott Kormos of Teague, Texas, tied his calf in 8.5 seconds for the victory, earning his third straight check.
Las Vegas resident Matt Shiozawa's time was 12.8 seconds and he was 10th.
• BARREL RACING -- Kelly Maben of Spur, Texas, began the NFR ranked fifth and has climbed to third by winning her third round in four nights. Her time of 13.77 seconds gave her four straight runs of less than 14 seconds.
Money leader Brittany Pozzi of Victoria, Texas, placed out of the money in seventh, while Mary Burger of Pauls Valley, Calif., placed fourth and trimmed Pozzi's lead to $2,500. Maben is $6,000 out of first.
• BULL RIDING -- J.C. Bean of Goldendale, Wash., and Jarrod Craig of Hillsboro, Texas, each scored 86 points to tie for first.
Bean rode Russell Rodeo's Rough-N-Ready to win the round after placing second Sunday, while Craig covered Spin Dippin' out of Rumford Rodeo/Circle A Ranch.
Timing was perfect for Craig, who turned 21 on Monday, and is competing in his first NFR.
"This is my best birthday ever," he said.
Five of the 13 riders completed their eight-second rides.
B.J. Schumacher of Hillsboro, Neb., finished fourth to move within $900 of money leader Matt Austin, who has been out of the NFR with injuries since the second round.
