National Finals Rodeo

LAS VEGAS – Trevor Brazile won his record eighth all-around gold buckle Friday night during the second round of the National Finals Rodeo, breaking a tie for the mark with Ty Murray.

Brazile, the Decatur, Texas, cowboy who has 12 world titles — in steer roping, team roping, tie-down roping and all-around — overall, finished second in team roping and sixth in tie-down roping Friday night to wrap up the all-around title earlier than he ever has. With season earnings of $323,526, he has a $186,065 lead over second-place Curtis Cassidy of Donalda, Alberta.

“It’s pretty amazing (to clinch in the second round),” Brazile said. “They told me I had a chance to clinch tonight, but Ryan (Jarrett in tie-down roping) had made a good run right in front of me. I was out back getting my horse situated, and I heard everybody talking about it and I thought, ‘No way.’…..(read more)

It wasn’t the way a prospective world champion wanted to start the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

Canadian champion Curtis Cassidy, leading the world standings coming into Thursday night’s opening performance, lost his steer and took a no time.

The Donalda veteran was one of only two bulldoggers to take no time in the first round of professional rodeo’s richest showdown.

Cassidy, who switched off compatriot Lee Graves’ black horse Jesse in favour of his grey mount Casper, had trouble from the outset.

The horse refused to settle down in the box, reared, jumped out and broke the barrier before Cassidy even nodded his head. It took him another couple of minutes to get Casper back in the corner standing quietly.

Once the chase began, the horse appeared to veer to the left as Cassidy was reaching for the steer. He wound up behind the critter, managed to get a hand on one horn, but eventually lost what little grip he had and the steer escaped.

Younger brother Cody, making his NFR debut, had a better night.

Riding the family’s aging superstar Willie, Cody got to his steer quick enough but didn’t get a snappy fall. He stopped the clock in a respectable, but 10th-best, 4.6 seconds.

All around, it was a tough night for Alberta’s five qualifiers.

Barrel racer Lindsay Sears tipped a barrel while bucking horse riders Dusty LaValley and Dustin Flundra couldn’t crack 80 points.

Sears posted the second-best time of the night, a 13.89, but took a five-second penalty for tipping the first barrel.

World standings leader Sherry Cervi was unable to take advantage of Sears’ misfortune; she could only turn in a 10th-best time of 14.30.

In the bareback riding, Canadian champion LaValley also had a disappointing opener.

His 12th-best 79 came on a Louisiana horse called Size Matters.

“Everybody was pretty excited about that horse, saying he was the one to have,” said LaValley, “but he didn’t have his day. They said he usually has a bunch of big moves right in front of the chute, turns back and bucks all the way through it. He didn’t do that today.

“He’s a younger horse and this was his first time here, so you don’t real­ly know what to expect. I’d never seen him and didn’t know anything about him. (read more)

– Bareback riding –

1. Joe Gunderson, Agar, S.D., 88 points on Brookman Rodeo’s Good Times, $17,512. 2. Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., 86.5, $13,840. 3. (tie) Wes Stevenson, Lubbock, Texas, and Kaycee Feild, Payson, Utah, 84.5, $8,897 each. 5. (tie) Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb., and Will Lowe, Canyon, Texas, 82, $3,672 each. 7. Jason Havens, Prineville, Ore., 81. 8. (tie) Kelly Timberman, Mills, Wyo., and Justin McDaniel, Porum, Okla., 80.5. 10. Clint Cannon, Waller, Texas, 79.5. 11. Dusty LaValley, Bezanson, Alberta, 79. 12. D.V. Fennell, Neosho, Mo., 77.5. 13. Ryan Gray, Cheney, Wash., 76.5. 14. Steven Peebles, Redmond, Ore., 74.5. 15. Matt Bright, Azle, Texas, NS.<

– Steer wrestling –

1. Billy Bugenig, Ferndale, Calif., 3.4 seconds, $17,512. 2. Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore., 3.6, $13,840. 3. (tie) Dean Gorsuch, Gering, Neb., and Kyle Hughes, Olney Springs, Colo., 4.1, $8,897 each. 5. Jule Hazen, Ashland, Kan., 4.2, $4,519. 6. Ethen Thouvenell, Napa, Calif., 4.3, $2,825. 7. (tie) Luke Branquinho, Los Alamos, Calif., and Wade Sumpter, Fowler, Colo., 4.5. 9. Cody Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta, 4.6. 10. (tie) Todd Suhn, Hermosa, S.D.. Matt Reeves, Cross Plains, Texas, and Nick Guy, Sparta, Wis., 4.9. 13. Dane Hanna, Berthold, N.D., 6.0. 14. (tie) Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta, and Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo., NT.

– Team roping –

1. Colby Lovell, Madisonville, Texas/Kory Koontz, Sudan, Texas, 4.1 seconds, $17,512 each. 2. Charly Crawford, Prineville, Ore./Russell Cardoza, Terrebonne, Ore., 4.6, $13,840. 3. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas/Patrick Smith, Midland, Texas, 4.8, $10,451. 4. Turtle Powell, Stephenville, Texas/Broc Cresta, Santa Rosa, Calif., 5.0, $7,344. 5. Derrick Begay, Seba Dalkai, Ariz./Cesar de la Cruz, Tucson, Ariz., 5.2, $4,519. 6. Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont./Travis Graves, Jay, Okla., 5.3, $2,825. 7. Brady Tryan, Huntley, Mont./Jake Long, Coffeyville, Kan., 9.1. 8. Luke Brown, Rock Hill, S.C./Martin Lucero, Stephenville, Texas, 9.3. 9. JoJo LeMond, Andrews, Texas/Cory Petska, Marana, Ariz., 9.4. 10. Keven Daniel, Franklin, Tenn./Caleb Twisselman, Santa Margarita, Calif., 9.6. 11. Chad Masters, Clarksville, Tenn./Jade Corkill, Fallon, Nev., 9.8. 12. Britt Williams, Hammond, Mont./Bobby Harris, Gillette, Wyo., 10.3. 13. Ty Blasingame, Ramah, Colo./Cody Hintz, Spring Creek, Nev., 14.7. 14. (tie) Travis Tryan, Billings, Mont./Rich Skelton, Llano, Texas, and Nick Sartain, Yukon, Okla./Kollin VonAhn, Durant, Okla., NT.<

– Saddle bronc riding –

1. Jesse Kruse, Great Falls, Mont., 87 points on D&H Cattle’s Lipstick & Whiskey, $17,512. 2. Wade Sundell, Boxholm, Iowa, 86.5, $13,840. 3. Shaun Stroh, Dickinson, N.D., 86, $10,451. 4. Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M., 84.5, $7,344. 5. (tie) Cody Wright, Milford, Utah, and Heith DeMoss, Heflin, La., 81.5, $3,672 each. 7. (tie) Cort Scheer, Elsmere, Neb., and Cody DeMoss, Heflin, La., 81. 9. (tie) Jeff Willert, Belvidere, S.D.. Dustin Flundra, Pincher Creek, Alberta, and Sam Spreadborough, Snyder, Texas, 79. 12. J.J. Elshere, Quinn, S.D., 76. 13. Bradley Harter, Weatherford, Texas, 75. 14. Scott Miller, Boise, Idaho, 74. 15. (tie) Rod Hay, Wildwood, Alberta, and Jesse Wright, Millford, Utah, NS.

– Tie-down roping –

1. Clif Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 7.9 seconds, $17,512. 2. Trent Creager, Stillwater, Okla., 8.9, $13,840. 3. Fred Whitfield, Hockley, Texas, 9.1, $10,451. 4. Tuf Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 9.5, $7,344. 5. Ryan Jarrett, Summerville, Ga., 9.8, $4,519. 6. Jerome Schneeberger, Ponca City, Okla., 10.0, $2,825. 7. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 10.1. 8. Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, La., 10.7. 9. Tyson Durfey, Colbert, Wash., 11.6. 10. Scott Kormos, Teague, Texas, 15.6. 11. Clint Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 17.8. 12. Cody Ohl, Hico, Texas, 18.0. 13. Joseph Parsons, Marana, Ariz., 18.2. 14. Stran Smith, Childress, Texas, 19.8. 15. Jerrad Hofstetter, Portales, N.M., NT.

– Barrel racing –

1. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 13.84 seconds, $17,512. 2.Nellie Williams, Cottonwood, Calif., 13.92, $13,840. 3. Sydni Blanchard, Albuquerque, N.M., 14.00, $10,451. 4. Jill Moody, Letcher, S.D., 14.03, $7,344. 5. Tana Poppino, Big Cabin, Okla., 14.05, $4,519. 6. Brenda Mays, Terrebonne, Ore., 14.09, $2,825. 7. Brittany Pozzi, Victoria, Texas, 14.21. 8. Christina Richman, Glendora, Calif., 14.23. 9. Benette Barrington, Lubbock, Texas, 14.25. 10. Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 14.30. 11. Angie Meadors, Blanchard, Okla., 18.86. 12. Lindsay Sears, Nanton, Alberta, 18.89. 13. SherryLynn Johnson, Henryetta, Okla., 19.22. 14. Kelli Tolbert, Hooper, Utah, 23.94. 15. Jeanne Anderson, White City, Kan., 24.19.<

– Bull riding –

1. D.J. Domangue, Houma, La., 88.5 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Black Cat, $17,512. 2. (tie) Chad Denton, Berry Creek, Calif., and J.W. Harris, Mullin, Texas, 87.5, $12,145 each. 4. Steve Woolsey, Payson, Utah, 86, $7,344. 5. (tie) Clayton Williams, Carthage, Texas, and Corey Navarre, Weatherford, Okla., 85.5, $3,672 each. 7. Kanin Asay, Powell, Wyo., 81.5. 8. Tyler Smith, Fruita, Colo., 80.5. 9. Ardie Maier, Timber Lake, S.D., 80. 10. Dustin Elliott, North Platte, Neb., 73. 11. Cody Whitney, Asher, Okla., 68.5. 12. (tie) Wesley Silcox, Santaquin, Utah. Shawn Hogg, Odessa, Texas, Seth Glause, Rock Springs, Wyo., and Bobby Welsh, Gillette, Wyo., NS.

STAY TUNED…………..Today we are going to be talking to TWO of the top  Bull Riders in the World. Check back to hear about how they are preparing for the first round of the NFR tonight and what they had to overcome to get there!

(Photo Credit)

The dream for almost every youngster growing up on a ranch and competing in rodeo is to one day qualify for the National Finals Rodeo.

Getting to the “Super Bowl of pro rodeo” was a goal for Nellie Williams, but she frequently wondered how realistic it truly was for a girl growing up in Cottonwood.

While the north state is more rodeo-oriented than many other parts of California, it still isn’t Texas or Oklahoma, where rodeo is a way of life.

Turns out reaching the NFR wasn’t just a dream for Williams, a 2006 West Valley High School graduate, it is now a reality.

This season, her third as a pro, Williams finished seventh in the world rodeo standings in barrel racing and qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. The top 15 qualify for the 10-day event in Las Vegas, which starts Thursday.

“It feels good to make it,” Williams said. “That’s what everybody dreams about doing growing up on a ranch.”

Williams qualified for the NFR one year after another Cottonwood native, Justin Davis, qualified for the event in team roping…(read more)

If  this doesnt give you chills…..there is something wrong with you…

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