NFR DAILY ROUNDUP

EVENT RECAP

Josh Peek and Huston Hutto set out to pump some energy into a rather lackadaisical National Finals Rodeo crowd of 17,154 on Tuesday.

All it took was two 7.4-second runs in calf roping, scores that far outdistanced a struggling field in the sixth go-round at the Thomas & Mack Center.

With the fans dormant, Peek had to rely on himself for an adrenaline rush. He had one already stored up from his performance in steer wrestling.

"You kinda thrive off the adrenaline in the arena," said Peek, whose share of Tuesday's purse was $14,675. "But my adrenaline was still pumping from the bulldogging. Even when people are kinda struggling out there, my adrenaline is guiding me and my drive is strong."

Hutto ignored the crowd and the harried field -- though he did admit to a glance at the scores -- to place for the third time in six rounds, moving into first in the world standings ahead of Trevor Brazile.

"I don't pay attention to what other guys do," said Hutto, who is using horses owned by former world champion Fred Whitfield. "Sure, I look what their times are, but it doesn't affect my roping at all."

• BAREBACK RIDING -- For the sixth time in six rounds, every bareback rider lasted eight seconds. And for the second time, Tom McFarland did the most with those eight seconds.

The Wickenburg, Ariz., cowboy won $16,394 with an 88.5-point ride on Scarlet's Web of Classic Pro Rodeo, beating Jess Davis of Payson, Utah, who rode Wild Woman to an 87.5.

• STEER WRESTLING -- Sean Mulligan entered the NFR 14th in the world standings, seemingly miles from the top spot. But with his second go-round win, he has quickly climbed to 10th.

"I'm just going to try to get a good start every time and try to win as much as I can in the rounds," said Mulligan, who has won $36,623 at the NFR.

Matt Reeves, who tied for sixth in the round, was helped off the arena floor with a cut lip and possible concussion. He was taken to University Medical Center for testing.

• SADDLE BRONC RIDING -- Rusty Allen came into the NFR with dreams of gold buckles and world titles, but he didn't make a nickel until placing second in the fifth go-round Monday.

Then on Tuesday, with an 86.5-point ride atop Bar T Rodeo's Round Robin, he gained a check for $16,394 and a fresh outlook.

"The first couple rounds, I may have thought about (winning) a little bit, but then you have a little bit of tough luck, and you just get back to riding broncs and doing your job," he said.

The night took a sad turn when Cody Wright's High Life Gal stumbled out of the chute, continued to tumble, and eventually was removed in an animal ambulance. The horse, owned by Cervi Championship Rodeo, was treated and allowed to regain her feet after showing no further signs of injury, according to a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association spokesman.

• TEAM ROPING -- Two of the NFR's youngest ropers and best friends came out on top in a field including NFR mainstays Speed Williams, Clay O'Brien Cooper and Jake Barnes.

Colter Todd, 23, and Cesar de la Cruz, 22, turfed their steer in 4.4 seconds to raise their NFR earnings to $40,721. They placed for the third consecutive round after a rough start.

"We've known each other since we were little kids," Todd said. "He'd come and stay at our house all summer, and we'd rope everything we could. He was the best man at my wedding -- and I couldn't have had anybody else."

• BARREL RACING -- Brittany Pozzi-Pharr's lead might be too great for anyone to catch her, but Jill Moody's NFR hasn't been too shabby.

Moody won for the second time (along with two seconds) to boost her winnings to an NFR-high $58,702.

Pozzi-Pharr finished fifth, maintaining a $27,000-plus lead in the world standings.

• BULL RIDING -- Ted Bert, a recent Cal Poly graduate, won his first gold buckle with an 87-point ride aboard Four Star Rodeo's Shake Down.

Bert admits he's not the smoothest rider.

"I'm a big guy," the 6-foot-1-inch cowboy said. "I don't make bulls look pretty, but I get the job done."

JON GOLD/REVIEW-JOURNAL