Monthly Archives: December 2010

LAS VEGAS – Justin McDaniel’s ninth-round paycheck at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo wasn’t worth as much in comparison to what he’d earned the rest of the week, but it was just as important. McDaniels, 24, of Porum, Okla., rode the Smith, Harper & Morgan horse Baby Doe for 81 points, splitting the last piece of the round’s financial pie with Will Lowe of Canyon, Texas, on Friday night at the Thomas & Mack Center. He added $1,412 to his NFR earnings, which moved to $58,279. But the score helped McDaniel stay atop the average standings with a cumulative total of 753 points on nine rides, and if he can maintain that lead through Saturday’s final night of the 10-round fistfight, he will add another $44,910 to his pocketbook by winning the NFR. “You can’t think about that; you think about riding the best you can,” said McDaniel, the 2008 world champion. “If you ride your best, all that other stuff will take care of itself.” Friday also marked the eighth straight round in which the young Oklahoman earned a paycheck in Las Vegas. He entered ProRodeo’s championship eighth in the world standings with $81,850. He’s moved to sixth and has pocketed more than $140,000 in 2010. What’s even bigger is that he did so in just six months – he missed the first half of the season with a back injury that required surgery in February, then months of rehabilitation. Now he’s competing for his second world championship. He trails world standings leader Steven Dent of by less than $30,000, but Dent is eighth in the average race with a cumulative total of 696 points. McDaniel carries a seven-point aggregate lead over Bobby Mote, who is No. 2 in the average and world standings. It all comes down to Saturday night, just like all championships should.

1. Clay Tryan/Travis Graves, 4.2 seconds, $17,512 2. Trevor Brazile/Patrick Smith, 4.3, $13,8403 3. JoJo LeMond/Cory Petska, Turtle Powell/Broc Cresta and Charly Crawford/Russell Cardoza, 4.4, $7,438 6. Travis Tryan/Rich Skelton, 4.6, $2,825

1. Dean Gorsuch and Curtis Cassidy, 3.6 seconds, $15,676 3. Dane Hana, 3.6, $10,451 4. Todd Suhn and Cody Cassidy, 4.5, $5,931 6. Trevor Knowles, 4.5, $2,825

1. Kelly Timberman, 86.5 points on J Bar J’s Bar Bandit, $17,512 2. Kaycee Feild, 85.5 on Beutler & Son’s Free Fall, $13,840 3. Bobby Mote, 85 on Beutler Brothers & Cervi’s Classic Equine Hostage, $10,451 4. Dusty LaValley, 84 on Bar T Rodeo’s Oakey Robin, $7,344 5. Jason Havens, 82.5 on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Outa Sight, $4,519 6. Justin McDaniel on Smith, Harper and Morgan’s Baby Doe and Will Lowe on Three Hills Rodeo’s Peaches & Cream, $1,412

When the annual Benny Binion’s World Famous Wrangler NFR Bucking Horse & Bull Sale figures were tallied, Wayne Vold spent the most money, $54,500. Vold purchased just one animal, Padro, a 5-year-old brown gelding futurity saddle bronc. In comparison, Stace Smith Pro Rodeos spent $47,500, but he purchased four futurity broncs and a pickup horse, while Silverado Rodeos purchased three bulls for $43,750. JS Rodeo’s collected two NFR bulls and a bareback horse for $36,500.

Bareback rider Matt Bright suffered a fracture in his lower back during Thursday’s eighth go-round and will miss the remainder of the NFR. He is the second bareback rider to be knocked out of competition by injury; then-world standings leader Ryan Gray suffered a lacerated liver in the second go-round and will be out for months. Bull rider Chad Denton suffered a broken tibia Thursday night. His status hasn’t been updated.

Sherry Cervi has won the last two rounds of the barrel racing. Here’s the piece from Round 7. http://www.wpra.com/nfr_results_stories07.asp

LAS VEGAS – Millions of people come to the Nevada desert every year in search of Lady Luck. Sometimes she’s a bit fickle. Through the first six rounds the 2010 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo at the Thomas & Mack Center, Lady Luck had turned her back on Tyson Durfey, the Missouri-born tie-down roper who lives in Colbert, Wash. But things look to be changing, starting with Durfey’s 8.5-second run Wednesday night. That was good enough to tie for third place in the seventh go-round, and the son of a tie-down roper earned a check worth $8,897. It was the first time in the 10-day championship Durfey has finished in the money by placing in the top six in a go-round. While consistency is key, each go-round winner earns $17,512. Durfey entered the NFR No. 7 in the world standings after best regular season of his career. There have been high hopes for the four-time qualifier to ProRodeo’s grandest stage, but each contestant will tell you that talent alone can only go so far. Sometimes luck must play into it. Whether it’s a kicking calf or roping issues, Durfey was blanked through the first six nights, including the second round, where his fastest run of the week, an 8.3, didn’t finish in the money. Durfey is a two-time Canadian champion who was born to tie-down roping family near Savannah, Mo. He knows the breaks that come in rodeo, but he was also expecting a lot more from this fourth straight December in Las Vegas. A season ago, he earned more than $85,000 at the NFR; so far, he’s earned about 10 percent of that. The slight tip isn’t sitting well with Durfey, who sits seventh in the average standings with a cumulative time of 83.4 seconds on seven runs, but who has dropped to 13th in the world standings. He realizes the importance of the final three nights of this year’s championship.

Sherry Cervi won the average at the 2009 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, and she’s in great position to do it again. She’s also setting records. http://www.wpra.com/nfr_results_stories08.asp

LAS VEGAS – Nine times in his career, Craig Latham wrapped his saddle on the best horses in the game and nodded his head in the fight for world championships inside the Thomas & Mack Center, home of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. He’s seen just about everything and anything in saddle bronc riding, especially at ProRodeo’s championship. This week Latham is watching the action from the comfort of his home near Goodwell, Okla., where he is the rodeo coach at Oklahoma Panhandle State University. He likes what he sees in all his former students, and he’s really tickled about seeing first-time NFR qualifier Cort Scheer succeed on the biggest stage in the sport. “He’s riding so well out there,” Latham said. “He’s just flawless. It’s neat to see.” On Thursday night, Scheer, of Elsmere, Neb., matched moves with the Flying 5 Rodeo bronc Sundance for 84 points. That earned the 24-year-old cowboy a third-place round check worth $10,451. It also moved his NFR earnings past $34,000 through eight rounds; his season earnings have ballooned to $116,680. “It’s just the way he’s riding,” said Latham, who is watching five other former Panhandle State athletes compete in the championship: bronc riders Taos Muncy and Jeffrey Willert, both past world champions; barrel racer Tana Poppino; and bull riders Seth Glause and Ardie Maier. “As solid as Cort’s riding is right now, it doesn’t matter what he draws. He’s been making some outstanding rides.” Scheer has placed in five go-rounds and is sixth in the average with a cumulative score of 573.5 points on seven qualified rides – he was bucked off in the third go-round, but so have many others; only four bronc riders have ridden all eight horses so far. “When you mark a horse out, you expose yourself to that,” Latham said, referring to the rule that cowboys must start their ride with their feet over the breaks of the horse’s front shoulders; it’s a head-start for the animal, but it also sets up the bronc rider’s spur-riding rhythm. “That kind of stuff is going to happen any time you get on.” Scheer has yet to win a go-round, which not only serves as a great accomplishment but also pays contestants $17,512. The Nebraska cowboy – he was part of rodeo teams at Garden City (Kan.) Community College, Montana State University and Panhandle State – has seen plenty of room for improvement in his riding, although most of the contestants in the field would love to change places. “He’s a perfectionist,” Latham said of Scheer. “If you’re critical about yourself and you expect the best from yourself, then you’re going to do pretty well.”

LAS VEGAS – When Justin McDaniel walked onto the stage at the South Point Hotel & Casino for the Montana Silversmiths Round Buckle Presentation Thursday night, he was sporting new footwear. The walking boot to protect a new broken big toe and a sprained ankle didn’t deter the Porum, Okla., cowboy from celebrating his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo go-round victory in more than a year. McDaniel scored an 86-point ride on the Andrews Rodeo horse Cool Water to split the eighth-round bareback riding victory with three-time world champion Bobby Mote of Culver, Ore. “That was the horse I wanted in this pen,” said McDaniel, 24, who pocketed $15,676 and moved his NFR earnings to $56,867. “I won a go-round on him last year.” That was the last time he earned the top prize at ProRodeo’s grand finale, and it happened during the third round at the 2009 championship. While it’s the first round win of this year’s NFR, it’s actually the seventh straight night he earned a paycheck by placing among the top six bareback riders. “My hand was coming out at about the five-second mark,” he said, noting he held on with his fingertips to make the final three seconds to secure a qualified ride. But problems started when the ride was over. In the process of getting off, Cool Water stepped on McDaniel’s foot to cause the injury. “I felt 100 percent until today,” said McDaniel, who missed much of the 2010 regular season because of a back injury that was surgically repaired in February; he’s also fought through shoulder pain, which is very common among bareback riders, who wedge their hands into a tight rigging that is strapped tightly to a bronc’s back during the ride. “My back feels great, and my shoulder feels good.” Despite the pain caused by the sprain and fracture, McDaniel plans to take the same approach during the final two nights of the 10-round competition that has worked for him the previous eight. He leads the average race with a cumulative total of 672 points; he leads Mote, the No. 2 man, by 10.5 points, but he’s well off the average record of 859 he set two years ago – he would need to score 93.5 points in each of the final to rounds to match that aggregate. The winner of the average title wins an additional $44,910, so there’s plenty of motivation. That could go a long way into crowning the 2010 world champion – McDaniel’s season earnings have grown to $138,717, but he trails world standings leader Steven Dent by $31,773.   “I try to win the go-round every night I go out there,” McDaniel said. “If you do that, everything else will take care of itself.”

1. Tyler Smith, 84.5 on Flying Diamond Rodeo’s Nobody’s Business, $17,512 While the $17,512 will count toward Smith’s place in the standings, he will actually earn the entire round payout, so it’s actually a nice $38,978 bonus.

1. Cody Ohl, 7.2 seconds, $17,512 2. Shane Hanchey, 7.4, $13,840 3. Scott Kormos, 7.7, $10,451 4. Jerome Schneeberger and Clif Cooper, 7.8, $5,931 6. Stran Smith, 8.0, $2,825

1. Cody DeMoss, 86 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Night Moves, $17,512 2. Cody Wright, 84.5 on Harvey Northcott Rodeo’s Get Smart, $13,840 3. Cort Scheer, 84 on Flying 5 Rodeo’s Sundance, $10,451 4. Wade Sundell, 83 on Calgary Stampede’s Meta Fact, $7,344 5. Jesse Wright, 82.5 Sankey Rodeo’s Turtle Dove, $4,519 6. Sam Spreadborough, 81.5 on Burch Rodeo’s Hippy Chick, $2,825

1. Derrick Begay/Cesar de la Cruz, 3.8, $17,512 2. Nick Sartain/Kollin VonAhn, 4.5, $13,840 3. Luke Brown/Martin Lucero, 4.6, $10,451 4. Keven Daniel/Caleb Twisselman, 5.7, $7,344 5. Trevor Brazile/Patrick Smith, 12.9, $4,519 6. Brady Tryan/Jake Long, 13.9, $2,825

1. Jule Hazen, 3.6 seconds, $17,512 2. Cody Cassidy and Luke Branquinho, 3.7, $12,145 4. Matt Reeves, 4.1, $7,344 5. Curtis Cassidy and Dean Gorsuch, 4.3, $3,672

1. Justin McDaniel on Andrews Rodeos’ Cool Water and Bobby Mote on Growney Brothers Rodeo’s Moulin Rouge, 86 points, $15,676 3. Kaycee Feild, 85.5 on Outlawbuckers Rodeo’s Ols Tubs Ross River, $10,451 4. Dusty LaValley, 82 on Mosbrucker Rodeos’ Magic Wars, $7,344 5. Kelly Timberman, 79 on Three Hills Rodeos Mama Mia, $4,519 6. Will Lowe, 75.5 on Beutler Brothers & Cervi’s Grakel Roan, $2,825

LAS VEGAS – The burning down his left shoulder and arm is painful, and D.V. Fennell winces every time he completes a bareback ride at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. “It hurts, there’s no doubt about it,” said Fennell of Neosho, Mo., a two-time qualifier to ProRodeo’s championship. “That horse hit me pretty hard right out of the chute, and he hurt me. It’s one thing to know when you’re about to get punched in the jaw, then you can keep fighting, and that’s what happened in the ride.” Fennell is talking about the Classic Pro Rodeo horse Lady’s Man, an animal that used a strong kick to aggravate a pinch nerve in the bareback rider’s upper back. Still, the Utah-born, Oklahoma-raised cowboy kept “punching” back at the bucking horse with his spur lick, the motion bareback riders use, spurring from the animal’s neck to the rigging that’s strapped to the bronc’s back. “That’s just what you’ve got to do,” Fennell said. “I can’t back down.” The 81-point ride finished in a tie for sixth place in the go-round and was worth $942. It marked just the second time in a week Fennell has earned a paycheck at the NFR – he placed sixth in Saturday’s third go-round and has earned $3,766. With three rounds remaining in this year’s finale, there are plenty of opportunities to add to that total. “There’s no doubt in my mind that we’re going to do something special,” Fennell said. “There’s definitely no quit in me, and this thing’s not going to end without me winning a go-round.” Confidence is a good thing, especially when it’s in the middle of a championship.

LAS VEGAS – From the time he was old enough to walk, Cort Scheer has been an athlete. In ProRodeo, he’s established himself as one of the best saddle bronc riders in the game. This season, he played the game better than most, earning his first qualification to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Once in the Nevada desert, he has faced tremendous challenges. And he’s still proving his talent rather well, including Wednesday’s 82-point ride on the Bar T Rodeo horse Round Robin, which helped the Elsmere, Neb., cowboy finish in a sixth-place tie for the seventh go-round. With that, he added $1,412 to his NFR earnings, which moved to $23,726. That’s not a bad way to play in ProRodeo’s championship event. Scheer, who competed in a variety of sports as a youngster, competed in college rodeo at Garden City (Kan.) Community College, Montana State University and Oklahoma Panhandle State University. He was a regular qualifier to the College National Finals Rodeo. Now he’s playing on the biggest stage in rodeo, earning his spot in Sin City as one of the top 15 saddle bronc riders from the 2010 regular season. In Las Vegas, he has placed in four go-rounds, and his cumulative total of 489.5 points on six rides is sixth best at this stage of the NFR. That plays a role in the race to the NFR title, where the contestant with the best aggregate score will be crowned average champion. And he’s got three more rounds to not only move up in the average standings, but also collect some of the biggest paydays in the game – go-round winners earn a $17,512 check. “It’s dang sure a great opportunity, so we’ll just have to take advantage of it,” Scheer said.

1. Bobby Mote, 85.5 points on Classic Pro Rodeo’s Cimarron, $17,512 2. Clint Cannon, 85 on Carr Pro Rodeo’s River Boat Annie, $13,840 3. Jason Havens, 84.5 on Kesler Championship Rodeo’s Next 2 U, $10,451 4. Dusty LaValley, 83.5 on Growney Brothers Rodeo’s Beaver Feaver, $7,344 5. Justin McDaniel, 82 on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Red Brand Hello Dolly, $4,519 6. D.V. Fennell on Classic Pro Rodeo’s Lady’s Man, Kaycee Feild on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Dusty Dan and Steven Peebles on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s RD Mercer, 81, $942.

LAS VEGAS – Nickel-and-diming at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo is worth thousands of dollars. Just ask Justin McDaniel of Porum, Okla., who has yet to win any of the first seven go-rounds at ProRodeo’s championship. Still, he has earned $41,191 and has placed six straight nights. On Wednesday night, McDaniel, the 2008 world champion bareback rider, rode Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Red Brand Hello Dolly for 82 points, earning a $4,519 check for finishing fifth in the seventh round. “That’s a good horse, but I could’ve ridden better,” said McDaniel, who watched three-time world champion Bobby Mote of Culver, Ore., win the round with an 85.5-point ride. “I haven’t been happy with my riding yet, but I guess I can’t complain.” Most of the top 15 bareback riders in the field would like to be in McDaniel’s spot, atop the average with the best cumulative score of 586 on seven rides – the cowboy with the best aggregate score at the conclusion of the 10-round championship will win the NFR and collect another $44,910. “If you can ride to the best of your ability every time, the average will take care of itself,” McDaniel said. He knows better than most. Two seasons ago, he won the NFR title while setting the record with a cumulative score of 859 points in the process of winning his first gold buckle. And while he leads the race to the average title, the ultimate goal is the season’s world championship. In the field of the elite bareback riders in the game, four cowboys represent eight gold buckles – McDaniel, Kelly Timberman, Will Lowe (3) and Bobby Mote (3). “These guys ride tough every night, so you know you have to be at your best,” McDaniel said. “I’m still trying to get there.”

Brenda Mays and her great horse Jethro swooped in for a round victory on Tuesday night. http://www.wpra.com/nfr_results_stories06.asp

1. J.W. Harris, 94.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Smoke Screen, $17,512 2. Tyler Smith, 89 on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Classic Red, $13,840 3. Bobby Welsh, 86.5 on Andrews Rodeo’s Reeces Pieces, $10,451 4. Shawn Hogg, 84.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Jesse’s Black Powder, $7,344 5. Corey Navarre, 60 on Growny Brothers Rodeo’s Bible Bender, $4,519

1. Sherry Cervi, 13.70 seconds, $17,512 2. Lindsay Sears, 13.73, $13,840 3. Lisa Lockhart, 13.93, $10,451 4. Christina Richman, 13.95, $7,344 5. Brittany Pozzi, 13.96, $4,519 6. Sydni Blanchard, 14.01, $2,825