Gold buckles on the line in final night of NFR
Before the National Finals Rodeo kicked off at the Thomas & Mack Center, PRCA commissioner Karl Stressman predicted a wide-open contest.
True to his word, this year’s NFR has seen its fair share of lead changes, and as the competition heads into its 10th and final day, almost every event is still up for grabs. That’s especially true because of the substantial aggregate money on the line starting at 6:45 p.m. Saturday.
Here’s what’s at stake:
BAREBACK
■ World leader:Tim O’Connell, $298,117.69
■ NFR aggregate leader: O’Connell, 757.0/9
O’Connell had a chance to seal the gold buckle both Thursday and Friday. He didn’t place Friday, but still holds a sizable lead and should easily seal the world title.
Tanner Aus, who is second in the world standings and won Friday’s go-round, is $84,965.28 behind O’Connell and needs lots of help to claim the gold buckle.
STEER WRESTLING
■ World leader: Tyler Waguespack, $231,406.35
■ NFR aggregate leader: Waguespack, 37.50/9
Like O’Connell, Waguespack has a healthy lead. He added another $20,730.77 in prize money Friday, placing second in the ninth go-round. Waguespack is $34,795.27 ahead of Clayton Hass, who is second in the world standings but sixth in the NFR aggregate standings.
TEAM ROPING
■ World leaders: Luke Brown (header) $211,935.76 and Jake Long (heeler) $208,591.16
■ NFR aggregate leaders: Clay Smith (header) and Luke Brown (heeler), 48.30/8
Team roping will go into the final go-round with a bit less certainty than other events. Multiple competitors are within striking distance, and strong performances Saturday could alter the final outlook.
Dustin Bird is second among headers, $11,833.49 behind Brown. Kaleb Driggers is $17,613.33 off the lead.
Among heelers, Long has a $14,268.73 lead over Junior Nogueira and a $15,149.81 lead over Russell Cardoza.
SADDLE BRONC RIDING
■ World leader: Jacobs Crawley, $242,944.99
■ NFR aggregate leader: Jake Watson, 663.0/8
Youngster Ryder Wright has seemingly dominated the competition at the NFR, winning five go-rounds. But he’s only scored on those five broncs, meaning he’s 12th in the aggregate.
Wright is $31,186.98 behind Crawley, who will be tough to catch because he is second in the aggregate.
TIE-DOWN ROPING
■ World leader: Marcos Costa, $195,600.03
■ NFR aggregate leader:Riley Pruitt, 76.30/9
Costa could become the first Brazilian to win a gold buckle, but he’ll have to fend off Marty Yates, who is only $1,387.55 behind him.
Neither is in the top eight of the aggregate, though Costa is ninth and would pad his lead if he can climb to eighth.
However, both could be challenged by Hunter Herrin and Cade Swor.
BARREL RACING
■ World leader: Mary Burger, $271,207.36
■ NFR aggregate leader: Lisa Lockhart, 124.31/9
Burger has a sizable lead in the world standings on Amberleigh Moore, who chipped into the lead again with a first-place finish Friday.
The lead is $59,024.01, but Moore could make up serious money with another strong go-round, as she is second in the aggregate.
BULL RIDING
■ World leader: Sage Kimzey, $252,643.57
■ NFR aggregate leader: Shane Proctor, 590.0/7
Kimzey is seeking his third world championship in three years, but the bull riding standings are tight.
Kimzey has a $40,460.22 lead over Brennon Eldred and a $47,548.22 lead over Shane Proctor, but Proctor is first in the aggregate, Eldred second and Kimzey third, meaning a lot of money and the world title are on the line for all three.
■ All-Around:Dustin Bird, $214,181.04
For the first time in years, the All-Around is a wide-open race going into the last day.
Roping header Bird is first, with Clayton Hass, Russell Cardoza and Junior Nogueira close behind.
All but Cardoza — who is Bird’s roping partner and therefore cannot catch him — are within striking distance.
Contact Betsy Helfand at bhelfand@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BetsyHelfand on Twitter.
