Joy arrives in bundles for Harris

J.W. Harris' smartest move over the past two weeks was to drive his pickup truck to Las Vegas for the National Finals Rodeo.

He'll need the extra storage for his return trip to Mullin, Texas, because he'll be packing more than a third bull riding world championship buckle and bundles of cash.

A few days after Harris, 24, and his wife, Jackie, arrived in Las Vegas, she delivered their daughter, Aubrey Lee. That was 10 days ago.

"I think we'll throw the buckle in the (pickup) bed and let her ride up front with us," he joked.

Harris was in jovial spirits Friday, and not just because he's a new father. His second-place ride in the penultimate go-round of the NFR gave him a third consecutive world title in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.

It was the second straight year Harris clinched in the ninth go-round, doing so before a crowd of 17,796 at the Thomas & Mack Center.

"Now I can breathe a little bit and relax," he said. "It's been an awesome run here. I came out and did what I was supposed to do: stay on bulls."

Harris became the first bull rider to win three consecutive world titles since legendary rider Don Gay did it from 1979 to 1981.

"It's an honor just have your name in the same sentence with Don Gay," Harris said. "He's the greatest bull rider there ever has been. It's an honor, but it still doesn't feel right."

In addition to Harris, Arizona's Sherry Cervi on Friday clinched her third barrel racing world title -- and first since 1999 -- in the Professional Women's Rodeo Association.

Trevor Brazile locked up his fifth straight and eighth overall all-around world title after the second go-round.

That makes three world championships decided so far, leaving six more to be determined during the last of 10 performances in the $5.87 million rodeo, which begins at 5:45 p.m. today.

Brazile, from Decatur, Texas, can earn his second triple crown in four years after breaking his own single-season earnings record by reaching $426,574. He leads in calf roping and is second in team roping with partner Patrick Smith.

But Harris might be the first ever to leave the NFR with a gold buckle, money records and a new baby.

He began the event ranked eighth but quickly gained ground by tying for second in the second go-round and winning the third. He had won three straight rounds before Friday, when his 89.5-point ride aboard Insaniac was second to Wesley Silcox's 90-point performance.

Harris' NFR winnings of $106,484 have boosted his season total to $194,287. By completing seven of nine rides, he locked up the event aggregate title, worth a bonus of $44,910, beating B.J. Schumacher's record for bull riding winnings in a single NFR, set in 2006.

Harris can also earn up to $17,512 more if he wins tonight. With his daughter in the audience for the first time, you have to figure destiny will be on his side.

"You know, those diapers are expensive. I need all the money I can get," Harris said.

Contact reporter Jeff Wolf at jwolf@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0247.