Monthly Archives: December 2018

Costa, Sid Vicious earn end-of-the-season honors LAS VEGAS – There were many great Spanish fighting bulls featured during the Bullfighters Only 2018 season, but none were better than the now two-time BFO Fighting Bull of the Year, Sid Vicious. Aptly named, the small red bull has the perfect attitude for the battlefield. He’s part of the herd from Manuel Costa, who the bullfighters voted as the 2018 BFO Stock Contractor of the Year. “I think it boiled down to the fact that Manuel has a solid number of bulls you could win on,” said Weston Rutkowski, the reigning three-time world champion from Haskell, Texas. “This year, his were consistently a notch above. They were not only hard to fight, but they were also rewarding to fight. “Sid Vicious is a bull that stands out and is in a league of his own. I was fortunate to fight him twice this year. The first time, he ended up getting the better of me in the end, but I got a few blows in first. I fought him in Vegas, and he just handed it to me.” He may be little, but he has longer horns than most bulls. Sid Vicious also was the BFO Bull of the Year in 2017. “When guys get along with him, they’re normally in the high 80s and 90s,” said Beau Schueth, the reserve world champion from O’Neill, Neb. “He’s got big horns and is fast, and he knows how to wheel around and hook guys. He follows you like a dog; he’s always on your hip for the whole 40 to 60 seconds.” Costa has dozens of high-caliber bulls that are regularly featured at BFO events. Many were part of the Las Vegas Championship, which was the season-ending title bout for the top men in the sport. “Manuel’s got great bulls all around,” Schueth said. “A lot of guys in the bull business go through him a little bit to find bulls. That says a lot about what he means to the sport.” Sid Vicious, though, stands out among Costa’s bulls, which is why he got the unanimous nod from the fighters. “He brings it every single time,” Rutkowski said. “I don’t think there was a guy that had a clean fight with him all year. That speaks for itself, because the talent in the BFO is second to none. To have that many good guys not get a clean fight out of him stands for itself.” Another factor is how many times the bull was fought. “Even with a bunch of outs, he still fights lights out,” Schueth said. “He still takes a fake, but you don’t have too much time to wheel around. He is always right there.”

Nebraska man wins two major titles, finishes as BFO’s reserve champion LAS VEGAS – Beau Schueth has had a fantastic year as a freestyle bullfighter. It all culminated in a terrific finish for him during the Bullfighters Only Las Vegas Championship at the Tropicana Las Vegas. A week and a half ago, he won the Roughy Cup and the Wrangler Bullfight Tour titles. “This is probably the most consistent I’ve been all year and probably my whole career, and I was able to put on five really good bullfights,” said Schueth of O’Neill, Neb. “I just stumbled and got the crap beat out of me on the last one. It’s the best I’ve fought in a long time.” He finished the season as the reserve world champion, finishing second on the final day of the season to three-time titlist Weston Rutkowski of Haskell, Texas. He earned $39,960 in the BFO this season. “Making the short round Saturday with a chance to win the title meant the world, because I’ve been working hard to get to this spot for so long,” he said. “To be in the chase for the world title is amazing.” It came down to the final three fights of 2018 during the Hooey Championship Round on Saturday. Rutkowski won the round with an 85.5-point bout. Schueth finished second, and another veteran, Toby Inman of Davis Junction, Ill., placed third. This year’s Las Vegas Championship format was a bit different. After three Qualifier Rounds, the BFO opted to have two rounds of bullfighting spread out over four days. Six men advanced to Championship Saturday, and the rest went through Friday’s Wild Card Round, where only three advanced. “I liked it, but it sure was a grind. Having to fight five or six bulls in 10 days is tiring on your body,” Schueth said. “There was no day off. They weren’t calves you could have fun with; they damn sure made you work for it.” Even though there were great fights, there were some viewers who thought the judges may have made a few bad decisions. Schueth never saw it that way. “I thought they did a great job,” he said. “Judged sports are so tough, and I thought they handled it good and did a great job. “It’s just like anything: People are going to go after the refs. I know I did when I played basketball, because they called fouls on me all the time.” Maybe that’s when he decided battling Spanish fighting bulls was more his calling. He proved that this year in Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS – Kylie Weast saved the best for last. On the final night of her 2018 ProRodeo season, Weast and her great young mare rounded the cloverleaf pattern inside the Thomas & Mack Center in 13.37 seconds, the fastest of this year’s National Finals Rodeo. “It was fun,” said Weast, a first-timer at ProRodeo’s grand championship from Comanche, Okla. “I knew it was a good run, and I honestly thought I was going to run a (13.40s) or a short (13.50s). I had no idea it was that fast. “I had nothing to lose.” No, she didn’t. She and Hell on the Red – a 6-year-old sorrel mare she calls Reddy – began the NFR hot. They placed in each of the first three rounds. Then things cooled off. She even made a couple of horse changes before giving Reddy another chance. In all, they placed in half the 10 rounds, including the final-round victory worth $26,231. Weast earned $71,769 in Las Vegas and pushed her season total to $173,484. That round title, though, was the perfect way to close her campaign. “I know the kind of mare I have,” she said. “I knew she could do it. (New world champion) Hailey (Kinsel) ran a (13.40) on Sister the night before. I’m glad I was the one to post the fastest round. “The NFR was a little rocky here and there, but I’m glad that we came out with that much money. I’d say it was a successful trip.” It was a new experience for her and her young, red horse. This is a different atmosphere than any other rodeo. There are 17,000 people packed into the stands at night, and the pomp and circumstance that is the NFR features pyrotechnics and laser shows to give fans an incredible experience. Those features aren’t the greatest for the animals. “There will never be another situation like this until next year,” she said. “I don’t know if Reddy will ever act the way she did this week unless she’s put in a situation like this. She was just ready to do her job. You have two alleys back there, and you’re brought down one and put into another one. “It’s a little misleading. The horses think that’s the alley you run through, but it’s not. It’s the anticipation to do her job. It’s a little hard on us. I can’t take her readiness away from her.” No, she can’t, because Reddy is one of the best in the business. While there were tests through the rugged 10 days in the Nevada desert, Weast developed some amazing memories. “Looking back, it went by pretty fast,” she said. “It was fun. I got to do a few cool things with my family. Everyone should be part of the whole NFR experience, whether you’re in the stands or in the alley. In the alley this year was better than ever.”

For years, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association has sought as much media coverage as possible, especially for its marquee event, the National Finals Rodeo. The better the coverage, the better the exposure; growth can easily follow, especially in this digital age. The staff-shortened PRCA media department has always worked above and beyond to provide all it could to as many media outlets as possible. PRCA CEO George Taylor has preached the need to expand exposure of the brand, and there’s no better partner to help with that than the media. While the media staff continues to push for expanded coverage and assisting media outlets as much as possible given limitations, their bosses are doing all they can to cinch their saddles so tight they can’t budge. The NFR is ProRodeo’s Super Bowl, World Series and NBA Finals wrapped up in a 10-day affair with a $10 million purse. This is the greatest in the game for the given year, all battling for those Montana Silvermiths gold buckles. But like a hot knife through butter, Steve Rempelos is doing his very best to push all coverage away from the sport. Is he trying to sabotage Taylor’s message? Rempelos is the chief marketing officer for the PRCA, and he answers to just two entities: Taylor and the PRCA board. That king-of-the-hill type title seems to be wielding great power, though. Under Rempelos’ guidance, there were a record number of denied media credential requests. But the cuts didn’t stop there. For the first time since 1999, the PRCA didn’t present a Media Award for Excellence in Print Journalism. Also for the first time in five years, the PRCA-carded photographers that were named the “official” NFR shooters were not given the appropriate buckles to recognize their accomplishments. Timers, pickup men, secretaries and every other person selected to work this great championship has that 2018 buckle. As far as the limited media members trying to cover the NFR, the facilities inside the UNLV basketball practice room inside the Thomas & Mack Center is much the same. The access, though, was more convoluted and difficult. That began to change through the 10 days of the championship, thanks to the PRCA media department. Media members are paid sparingly for their work. Stringers work anywhere from $50-$150 per story, and the pay for full-time members isn’t much better. The costs of travel, a room and meals in Las Vegas isn’t cheap, and the PRCA media department has understood that for years. That’s why a solid meal with all the food groups was made available for the people here to document the goings-on with ProRodeo’s premier event. But Rempelos has added another cut to the mix. Instead of a meal, the media room features an array of finger foods. Chicken wings and chips are perfect snacks for a Super Bowl party. A lunch meat tray works great for the company picnic. It’s not the biggest issue facing Rempelos and the PRCA, but he’s proving that he could not care any less for the media members who are doing their very best to cover his game. It’s unfortunate, and it needs to change. Here’s hoping the new CEO understands better than one of his chief lieutenants.

LAS VEGAS – Richmond Champion makes his living riding bucking horses, and he’s pretty good at it, too. On Saturday night, he put a cap on his sixth season in ProRodeo by riding Picket Pro Rodeo’s Faded Night for 88.5 points to finish in a tie for second in the final round of this year’s NFR. That was worth more than $18,000. More importantly, he moved up to finish fifth in the all-important average, adding another $22,846. He finished his fourth NFR with $123,526 in earnings and completed the year with $243,345. He placed fifth in the final bareback riding world standings. “For the NFR that it was and the way things went, to be leaving here with that money in front of me is not what I expected at Round 5,” said Champion, who placed in six rounds. “I was sweating in Round 5. Last night, I relaxed a little bit, then today, it was going to be what it is going to be. It was awesome. “You put in a solid year of work, and you come here and want to perform. It was a tough year. My finals emulated my season, which was hit and miss. I was drawing cold. I didn’t draw right. I got on 12 head, and that makes me happy. That makes me the ironman of the bareback riders.” On two nights, he was awarded re-rides. One was because his first horse failed to buck up to snuff; the second was because his horse slipped. He placed just once in the first four rounds, but then he turned on the gas in the second half of the NFR, earning money in five of the last six nights. “It’s always momentum,” said Champion of The Woodlands, Texas. “When your buddies are saying you get better every year, it makes you want to keep getting better every year.” There’s also a comradery that comes with being one of the top bareback riders in the game. The 15 men that advanced to this year’s championship have a tight bond. Though he has yet to win that coveted world championship, the Texan is just as proud of his fellow bareback riders. “It’s a special night,” he said “It is good to see Steven Dent split the average championship. I gave him a hug. To see Tim (O’Connell) cap it off for three (straight world titles) was great. We are all so tight in there. There are tears and all kinds of stuff going on in the locker room. You get them out of the way early so you can celebrate. “It means a lot to every one of us. We’ve been working at it for years.” The work is done with passion. Rodeo is not an easy game, and there are tens of thousands of miles traveled in a regular season with just the hopes of advancing to the City of Lights for ProRodeo’s grand championship. Champion has earned every accolade he receives, and he proved it again over the last 10 nights of the 2018 season.

LAS VEGAS – Tim O’Connell looked beat up. His eyes told the story. His body felt the punches thrown over 10 nights of riding bareback horses at the National Finals Rodeo. “You guys wanted to see me in a 10-round fight, and I feel like I’ve been in a 10-round fight,” said O’Connell, who closed out his third straight world championship on Saturday night. “My hat’s off to the other 14 guys. They made me go to a different level. They made me go to a different zone. I left it all out there tonight.” He was talking about his 10th-round match with J Bar J Rodeo’s All Pink, which he rode for 87 points to finish in a tie for fifth place in another electric round. After the qualifying eight seconds had ended, All Pink got the better of O’Connell, launching him awkwardly to the ground. “When the whistle blew, I didn’t have anything left in the tank,” he said. “I’ve spent it emotionally; I’ve spent it physically. I knew I had enough to do what I needed to do tonight. I was not going to leave here without being the world champion.” This was an atypical NFR for the champ, who placed in just four of 10 rounds. Each of the previous two years, he won eight rounds in Las Vegas. This year he split the NFR average title with Nebraskan Steven Dent; both men rode 10 horses for 849.5 points and pocketed just shy of $61,000 for being consistent through the week. In the end, O’Connell won two go-rounds and finished the championship with $132,551 in earnings, which pushed his year-end total to $319,801. He bested Dent for the world title by more than $65,000. He also didn’t pull any punches on what this Montana Silversmiths gold buckle means. When he won the first title in 2016, many suspected it was because a number of contenders had left the PRCA for an upstart association, Elite Rodeo Athletes. The ERA closed business after that season, and this was the first where some of its stars had made their way back to the NFR. “When those ERA guys left, I started winning world titles,” O’Connell said. “There were plenty of people who came up to me and said, ‘What do you think if Bobby Mote, Kaycee Feild and Will Lowe were there; think you’d still come out the champion?’ “No. 3 just proved it for me. I don’t care what anybody else says; deep down, I have a drive for competition. I love riding bucking horses. I love doing it against the very best guys in the world. No matter how this night would have gone, I knew I was going to walk out of this arena with my head held high because I left everything on the table and God is going to take all the glory. That is all I wanted out of this.” He got much more. In a year that he and his wife, Sami, welcomed their son, Hazen, he closed out the campaign with the biggest prize in the game. “I think Hazen earns this more than anything,” he said. “He has tested me mentally so much. To have him here, to have him sit on that world champion saddle and take a picture with it means more to me than anything in the world. Those things are going to tarnish. My legacy is going to die someday. “But a night with my son – less than a year old on a world champion saddle with a world champion buckle (in) the year he was born – is going to mean absolutely everything to me. That is going to mean more than wearing this on my hip.” It is said that it takes a village to raise a child; it also takes a small army to support a cowboy chasing a world title. He has that, whether it’s from family, friends or former coaches. “My wife has been such a rock for me,” O’Connell said. “When I didn’t want to get out of bed and put in the work, she pushed me. When I was losing faith of all things and wondering – ‘God, what are you doing to me out here? Why am I drawing these horses? Why am I riding like this?’ – she would always bring me back to Earth. “She would keep me grounded. I have so many people that have blessed me with spiritual strength to dig deeper, to dig harder. I had to dig deep tonight.” That faith has been the driving force for O’Connell, and now he has three straight world titles to serve as his testimony.

Bareback riding: 1. Tilden Hooper, 89.5 points on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Scarlett’s Web, $26,231; 2. (tie) Clayton Biglow and Richmond Champion, 88.5, $18,192 each; 4. Shane O’Connell, 87.5, $11,000; 5. (tie) Tim O’Connell and Kaycee Feild, 87, $5,500 each; 7. Mason Clements, 85.5; 8. Steven Dent, 84.5; 9. Orin Larsen, 83.5; 10. Wyatt Denny, 73; 11. (tie) Caleb Bennett, Jake Brown, NS; 13. Ty Breuer, Will Lowe and Bill Tutor, INJ. Average standings: 1. (tie) Tim O’Connell and Steven Dent, 849.5 points on 10 head, $60,923 each; 3. Tilden Hooper, 846.5, $43,154; 4. Kaycee Feild, 844, $31,731; 5. Richmond Champion, 842.5, $22,846; 6. Shane O’Connell, 839.5, $16,500; 7. Clayton Biglow, 772 points on nine head, $11,423; 8. Orin Larsen, 768, $6,346. World standings: 1. Tim O’Connell, $319,801; 2. Steven Dent, $254,733; 3. Tilden Hooper, $245,583; 4. Clayton Biglow, $245,435; 5. Richmond Champion, $243,345; 6. Caleb Bennett, $240,390; 7. Kaycee Feild, $231,445; 8. Orin Larsen, $222,732; 9. Mason Clements, $170,318; 10. Shane O’Connell, $161,451; 11. Bill Tutor, $154,162; 12. Ty Breuer, $127,789; 13. Jake Brown, $119,300; 14. Wyatt Denny, $117,958; 15. Will Lowe, $91,517. Steer wrestling: 1. Nick Guy, 3.7 seconds, $26,231; 2. (tie) Hunter Cure, Bridger Chambers and Ty Erickson, 4.6, $15,795 each; 5. Tyler Pearson, 4.7, $6,769; 6. Jacob Talley, 4.8, $4,231; 7. (tie) Will Lummus and Blake Mindemann, 5; 9. Tyler Waguespack, 5.1; 10. Kyle Irwin, 5.3; 11. Scott Guenthner, 5.4; 12. Blake Knowles, 8.3; 13. Riley Duvall, 10.1; 14. Curtis Cassidy and Tanner Brunner, NT. Average standings: 1. Tyler Waguespack, 44.5 seconds on 10 head, $67,269; 2. Bridger Chambers, 57.2, $54,577; 3. Blake Knowles, 68.2, $43,154; 4. Riley Duvall, 77.1, $31,731; 5. Nick Guy, 85.5, $22,846; 6. Will Lummus, 38 seconds on nine head, $16,500; 7. Scott Guenthner, 38.9, 11,423; 8. Hunter Cure, 40.5, $6,346. World standings: 1.Tyler Waguespack, $260,013; 2. Bridger Chambers, $216,762; 3. Will Lummus, $195,182; 4. Curtis Cassidy, $188,355; 5. Scott Guenthner, $186,727; 6. Tyler Pearson, $172,991; 7. Ty Erickson, $170,880; 8. Hunter Cure, $167,890; 9. Blake Knowles, $162,669; 10. Nick Guy, $152,821; 11. Jacob Talley, $145,717; 12. Kyle Irwin, $139,416; 13. Riley Duvall, $128,258; 14. Blake Mindemann, $127,650; 15. Tanner Brunner, $98,193. Team roping: 1. Tyler Wade/Cole Davison, 3.9 seconds, $26,231 each; 2. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 4.1, $20,731; 3. Clay Smith/Paul Eaves, 4.4, $15,654; 4. (tie) Bubba Buckaloo/Chase Tryan and Cody Snow/Wesley Thorp, 4.9, $8,885; 6. Riley Minor/Brady Minor, 5, $4,231; 7. Clay Tryan/Travis Graves, 5.1; 8. Aaron Tsinigine/Trey Yates, 5.3; 9. Dustin Egusquiza/Kory Koontz, 9.3; 10. (tie) Chad Masters/Joseph Harrison and Derrick Begay/Cory Petska, 10.1; 12. Luke Brown/Jake Long, 13.8; 13. Rhen Richard/Quinn Kesler, Erich Rogers/Clint Summers and Lane Ivy/Buddy Hawkins II, NT. Average standings: 1. Aaron Tsinigine/Trey Yates, 69.6 seconds on 10 head, $67,269 each; 2. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 45.5, $54,577; 3. Clay Smith/Paul Eaves, 34.5 on eight, $43,154; 4. Cody Snow/Wesley Thorp, 58.2, $31,731; 5. Derrick Begay/Cory Petska, 60, $22,846; 6. Rhen Richard/Quinn Kesler, 73.6, $16,500; 7. Erich Rogers/Clint Summers, 50.9 on seven, $11,423; 8. Chad Masters/Joseph Harrison, 80.1, $6,346. World standings (headers): 1. Clay Smith, $289,921; 2. Kaleb Driggers, $272,464; 3. Aaron Tsinigine, $212,506; 4. Cody Snow, $196,773; 5. Bubba Buckaloo, $194,836; 6. Derrick Begay, $193,626; 7. Luke Brown, $154,237; 8. Dustin Egusquiza, $145,518; 9. Riley Minor, $143,592; 10. Chad Masters, $142,304; 11. Tyler Wade, $135,607; 12. Clay Tryan, $122,785; 13. Lane Ivy, $118,919; 14. Erich Rogers, $116,643; 15. Rhen Richard, $113,520. World standings (heelers): 1. Paul Eaves, $289,921; 2. Junior Nogueira, $273,448; 3. Trey Yates, $226,900; 4. Cory Petska, $200,082; 5. Wesley Thorp, $193,084; 6. Chase Tryan, $174,252; 7. Joseph Harrison, $161,477; 8. Jake Long, $154,237; 9. Kory Koontz, $145,518; 10. Brady Minor, $142,400; 11. Cole Davison, $128,713; 12. Clint Summers, $127,755; 13. Travis Graves, $118,928; 14. Buddy Hawkins II, $115,913; 15. Quinn Kesler, $109,637. Saddle bronc riding: 1. CoBurn Bradshaw, 92 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Medicine Woman, $26,231; 2. (tie) Jake Wright and Isaac Diaz, 88.5, $18,192 each; 4. Wade Sundell, 87.5, $11,000; 5. Joey Sonnier III, 86.5, $6,769; 6. Cort Scheer, 86, $4,231; 7. Brody Cress, 85; 7. Sterling Crawley, 85; 9. Jacobs Crawley, 80; 10. Clay Elliott, Rusty Wright, Zeke Thurston, Taos Muncy, Chase Brooks and Ryder Wright, NS. Average standings: 1. CoBurn Bradshaw, 848.5 points on 10 head, $67,269; 2. Wade Sundell, 783.5 points on nine, $54,577; 3. Zeke Thurston, 693.5 on eight, $43,154; 4. Cort Scheer, 688, $31,731; 5. Rusty Wright, 687, $22,846; 6. Jacobs Crawley, 661, $16,500; 7. Clay Elliott, 511.5 on six, $11,423; 8. Isaac Diaz, 508.5, $6,346. World standings: 1. Wade Sundell, $280,636; 2. Rusty Wright, $262,434; 3. Zeke Thurston, $262,041; 4. CoBurn Bradshaw, $256,710; 5. Ryder Wright, $243,194; 6. Cort Scheer, $238,977; 7. Jacobs Crawley, $231,831; 8. Isaac Diaz, $201,163; 9. Chase Brooks, $168,641; 10. Clay Elliott, $148,868; 11. Jake Wright, $146,480; 12. Brody Cress, $121,588; 13. Sterling Crawley, $108,748; 14. Joey Sonnier III, $102,653; 15. Taos Muncy, $90,906. Tie-down roping: 1. Trevor Brazile , 7.2 seconds, $26,231; 2. (tie) Cooper Martin and Jake Pratt, 7.4, $18,192 each; 4. Shane Hanchey, 7.6, $11,000; 5. Matt Shiozawa, 7.7, $6,769; 6. (tie) Caleb Smidt and Ryle Smith, 8.1, $2,115; 6. Caleb Smidt, 8.1, $2,115; 8. Tyson Durfey, 8.8; 9. Rhen Richard, 9.3; 10. Reese Riemer, 9.6; 11. Cory Solomon, 11.7; 12. Marty Yates, 17.3, 13. Sterling Smith, Ryan Jarrett and Tuf Cooper, NT. Average standings: 1. Caleb Smidt, 83.7 seconds on 10 head, $67,269; 2. Rhen Richard, 88.5, $54,577; 3. Matt Shiozawa, 94.4, $43,154; 4. Ryle Smith, 101, $31,731; 5. Reese Riemer, 106.3, $22,846; 6. Cooper Martin, 107.1, $16,500; 7. Trevor Brazile, 114.1, $11,423; 8. Tyson Durfey, 80.3 on nine, $6,346. World standings: 1. Caleb Smidt, $232,817; 2. Tuf Cooper, $205,268; 3. Trevor Brazile, $194,297; 4. Tyson Durfey, $194,056; 5. Matt Shiozawa, $193,576; 6. Ryle Smith, $186,903; 7. Reese Riemer, $182,300; 8. Shane Hanchey, $180,847; 9. Jake Pratt, $179,108; 10. Rhen Richard, $172,629; 11. Ryan Jarrett, $168,077; 12. Marty Yates, $166,502; 13. Cooper Martin, $162,861; 14. Sterling Smith, $158,609; 15. Cory Solomon, $115,502. Barrel racing: 1. Kylie Weast, 13.37  Continue Reading »

Champ battles through rugged Las Vegas Championship to win again LAS VEGAS – As his voice cracked a little, the emotions showed as Weston Rutkowski closed out his third straight Bullfighters Only world championship. “This title means a lot because it was an actual race,” said Rutkowski, who matched moves with Rockin’ B & Magnifica’s Unicorn for 85.5 points to win the Hooey Championship Round and the Bullfighters Only Las Vegas Championship at the Tropicana Las Vegas. “In years past, guys haven’t really had a shot, but this year, there were five guys that had a legitimate shot heading into today. “When we got to the short round, any guy that won would win the world.” It wasn’t without controversy. Rutkowski advanced to the final round after he outscored another BFO pioneer, Ross Hill, 85-84.5. Judge Andy Lott had Hill winning the round, scoring both Hill and the bull 21.5 points for 43 points. Lott scored Rutkowski 21.5 and his bull 21, which provided Hill with a half-point advantage. The other judge, Rowdy Barry, scored Hill’s fight 21.5 on a 21-point bull; he marked Rutkowski’s fight 22 on a 21.5 bull. That was enough to allow the champ to advance. Once he made the short round, Rutkowski went to work. He and Unicorn went toe-to-hoof on the arena dirt, and the bull had the advantage during most of the 60-second match. But all three short-round bulls were brutal. Beau Schueth, who sat No. 2 in the Pendleton Whisky World Standings heading into the final day of the year, scored 84.5 points to finish second while battling Manuel Costa’s Spitfire. “This is the BFO, and we’re nodding for the baddest fighting bulls in the world,” Rutkowski said. “You have to earn it. It will take a toll on anybody.” With the victory, he pocketed $25,000. By winning the world championship, he added $50,000 and ended the year with $113,750 in BFO earnings. It wasn’t without taking a heavy beating. “I am mentally and physically beat,” Rutowski said. “It’s been a long 10 days. I’ve got several hematomas building up, along with my face. “It’s just Vegas … different year, same story. I’m beat up.” A year ago, he faced adversity after the Roughy Cup, suffering a gash on the back of his head that required 16 staples. During this year’s Roughy Cup, he took a shot to the head that resulted in three facial fractures. He competed on his last five bulls wearing a protective face mask. “This title means a lot,” he said. “I’m going to take about a week off, then we’ll get back at it and get ready for next year. “This is a testament to the hard work I put in prior to this event. This is very much a msental battle, but if you can’t brush off those bumps and bruises, you can’t win in this league.” Every bullfighter who faced the challenges over the last 10 days understands that. Rutkowski just stands as a symbol for what happens when preparation meets opportunity.

Bareback riding: 1. Tilden Hooper, 89.5 points on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Scarlett’s Web, $26,231; 2. (tie) Clayton Biglow and Richmond Champion, 88.5, $18,193 each; 4. Shane O’Connell, 87.5, $11,000; 5. (tie) Tim O’Connell and Kaycee Feild, 87, $5,500 each. Steer wrestling: 1. Nick Guy, 3.7 seconds, $26,231; 2. (tie) Bridger Chambers, Ty Erickson and Hunter Cure, 4.6, $15,795 each; 5. Tyler Pearson, 4.7, $6,770; 6. Jacob Talley, 4.8, $4,231. Team roping: 1. Tyler Wade/Cole Davison, 3.9 seconds, $26,231; 2. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 4.1, $20,731; 3. Clay Smith/Paul Eaves, 4.4, $15,654; 4. (tie) Cody Snow/Wesley Thorp and Bubba Buckaloo/Chase Tryan, 4.9, $8,885 each; 6. Riley Minor/Brady Minor, 5.0, $4,231. Saddle bronc riding: 1. CoBurn Bradshaw, 92 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Medicine Woman, $26,231; 2. (tie) Isaac Diaz and Jake Wright, 88.5, $18,193 each; 4. Wade Sundell, 87.5, $11,000; 5. Joey Sonnier III, 86.5, $6,770; 6. Cort Scheer, 86, $4,231. Tie-down roping: 1. Trevor Brazile, 7.2 seconds, $26,231; 2. (tie) Jake Pratt and Cooper Martin, 7.4, $18,193 each; 4. Shane Hanchey, 7.6, $11,000; 5. Matt Shiozawa, 7.7, $6,770; 6. (tie) Ryle Smith and Caleb Smidt, 8.1, $2,116 each. Barrel racing: 1. Kylie Weast, 13.37 seconds, $26,231; 2. Amberleigh Moore, 13.65, $20,731; 3. Carman Pozzobon, 13.68, $15,654; 4. Jessica Routier, 13.73, $11,000; 5. Taci Bettis, 13.74, $6,770; 6. Ivy Conrado, 13.79, $4,231. Bull riding: 1. Sage Kimzey, 93 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Record Rack’s Shootin’ Stars, $33,565; 2. Cole Melancon, 91, $28,065; 3. Chase Dougherty, 82.5, $22,988; no other qualified rides.

Wade Sundell finished with nearly $281,000 to win his first world championship.

1. Nick Guy, 3.7 seconds, $26,231; 2. (tie) Bridger Chambers, Ty Erickson and Hunter Cure, 4.6, $15,795 each; 5. Tyler Pearson, 4.7, $6,770; 6. Jacob Talley, 4.8, $4,231.

1. Tilden Hooper, 89.5 points on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Scarlett’s Web, $26,231; 2. (tie) Clayton Biglow and Richmond Champion, 88.5, $18,193 each; 4. Shane O’Connell, 87.5, $11,000; 5. (tie) Tim O’Connell and Kaycee Feild, 87, $5,500 each.

Ty Breuer said today he will be unable to compete in Saturday’s 10th round of the National Finals Rodeo. He has suffered an elbow injury to his right riding arm. Breuer becomes the third bareback rider to be knocked out of the competition by injury, joining Bill Tutor, who suffered a broken collarbone, and Will Lowe, who has a broken wrist. Breuer, who was set to be matched with two-time Bareback Horse of the Year Virgil on Saturday night, finished his fourth NFR with $36,231.

LAS VEGAS – There isn’t a hotter tie-down roper over the last five rounds of the National Finals Rodeo than Ryan Jarrett. He has placed each of those nights, including at least a share of two round wins, and has pocketed $90,526 heading into Saturday’s final round of the 2018 ProRodeo season. He has increased his season earnings to $168,077 and has moved up to fourth in the world standings. More importantly, he can surpass the $100,000 barrier if he has a strong finish. On Friday night, he roped and tied his calf in 8.7 seconds to finish sixth in the ninth round of this year’s NFR. That’s a fantastic flurry that has proven beneficial to the Comanche, Okla., cowboy, who failed to collect a check on the first four nights of this year’s championship. But a late scramble is nothing new to Jarrett, who was raised on a dairy farm in Summerville, Ga. He earned his spot to compete in Las Vegas by winning the rodeo in Kingman, Ariz., on the final day of the regular season. He entered the NFR No. 15 in the world standings. Having moved up 11 spots is proof of the talent Jarrett possesses, but he had established that early in his career. He won the 2005 all-around title, claiming the most coveted Montana Silversmiths gold buckle in the game by doing well in both steer wrestling and tie-down roping. Since that season, he has focused his attention on roping, and he’s been one of the best in the business ever since. Counting his qualification in bulldogging 13 seasons ago, he has 12 qualifications to ProRodeo’s grand finale. His best finish in tie-down roping came in 2006, when he finished fifth. He has a solid chance to better that this year, and it will come down to Round 10 to decide. Though he’s out of the race for the world title, Jarrett makes his living in the game he loves, and he’s done quite well for himself in a week’s time. That’s a good thing. He and his wife, Shy-Anne, are expecting their first child, a baby girl, in two months. Life is about to change for the Jarretts, but in one of the most positive ways possible. Now, he is riding that wave as he closes out another solid campaign.

LAS VEGAS – Bareback rider Clayton Biglow is feeling fantastic and relaxed heading into the final night of the National Finals Rodeo, and well he should. Biglow, 23, of Clements, Calif., has placed in six go-rounds so far. His most recent came Friday night, when he rode J Bar J Rodeo’s Painted Bunny for 86.5 points to finish in a tie for fourth place in the ninth round. “I honestly wish we had 10 more horses,” said Biglow, who has earned $80,654 through nine nights of ProRodeo’s grand championship, with a chance to add more during Saturday’s final performance of the 2018 season; he is fourth in the world standings with $215,820. “I feel great. I’m not even sore. You get back into riding shape like you are during the summer. “Your body gets used to getting on, and thank God I haven’t had any injuries while I’m here. I’m feeling 100 percent for (Saturday).” Las Vegas is a different type of rodeo animal. Cowboys who make it to the biggest pay for play in the game have to battle the top horses in the world for 10 December nights. They stay in one place and get into a routine of what happens throughout the day. It’s much different than those three months they are on the road, crisscrossing the country in order to make a living on the backs of bucking horses. “You’re not driving all night, and you are eating good,” he said. “The lights of Vegas are good, too. I don’t mind seeing the lights of Las Vegas every day, especially when we’re here. It’s a new site every day, and it is awesome.” So is the opportunity to make good money and showcase skills in front of 17,000 fans every night and millions who watch on national television. Round-winners pocket $26,231 each night. Even finishing in a tie for fourth, like Biglow did Friday, was worth $8,885. He didn’t know much about Painted Bunny, an athletic paint horse that is relatively new to the rodeo world. “I’ve just seen that horse on video,” said Biglow, competing at the NFR for the third time in his young career. “My traveling partner, Kash Wilson, got on him at San Antonio, and he was pretty good. It’s just 6 years old, so he’s a pretty young horse, but he’s still pretty dang good.” He has another night and another opportunity to add to his Vegas collection. Besides the chance to earn some 10th-round money, he is ninth in the average with a cumulative total of 683.5 points on eight of nine rides – he bucked off in the third round. He is just one point from eighth place, which would receive a bonus of $6,346. No matter what he pockets, this will be his most memorable championship so far. He recorded a new NFR arena record Monday night when he rode two-time Bareback Horse of the Year Craig at Midnight for 93 points to win that round. That same pen of horses is out Saturday, and they are the most electric, high-scoring animals in the game. “There will be 90-point rides (Saturday),” Clements said. “I don’t know how many, but I will guarantee it will take 87 or 88 just to win a check.” That might be the perfect ending to a very strong 2018 NFR.

LAS VEGAS – A year ago, Richmond Champion was please with is performance on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Control Freak. He scored 84 points to earn money in the fourth round of the 2017 National Finals Rodeo. He did a bit better Friday night, riding the athletic bay horse for 87.5 points to finish in a tie for second place in the ninth round of this year’s championship. With that, he pocketed $18,192 and pushed his season total to $82,487. More importantly, he surpassed the $200,000 watermark for the 2018 campaign and sits fifth in the world standings with one night remaining in the season. “She is always better the second time here in Vegas,” said Champion, 25, of The Woodlands, Texas. “I was excited about that. I know she stumbled with Will (Lowe) the first time she was out, but that’s a solid horse. “You might not win the round, but you are going to catch a check if you do your job.” He proved that was true. By finishing among the Top 6 in the round, he earned his fifth paycheck of this year’s NFR. Over his four trips to the Nevada desert, Champion has proven why he’s one of the very best to play this game. Even at his young age, he’s won nearly $2 million riding bucking horses. “I had a really good night,” he said. “This was the first night I really got to sit down and have some fun on one. I was excited, and it was fun. This is a good way to be going into Round 10.” On the final night of this year’s NFR, Champion will be matched with Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Faded Night, an athletic and electric bucking horse with outstanding genetics. The fifth and 10th rounds are dubbed the “TV Pen,” because of the high-scoring style the horses present the cowboys. Friday’s, though, were more of the easy-to-ride horses that allow bareback riders to show off a bit. “Those are the kind you want to get on,” Champion said. “I could get on 11 of those all day long.” He won’t need to. Champion sits fifth in the NFR average race, having ridden nine horses to a cumulative score of 754 points. Should he remain in that position, he will add a $22,846 bonus to his season earnings. He’d like to add a go-round check of $26,231 to that, too, but he’ll take what he can get.

LAS VEGAS – Blake Mindemann believes in karma, and it paid off Friday night. “I’ve had some ups and downs a little bit this week,” said Mindemann, a steer wrestler from Blanchard, Okla., competing at the National Finals Rodeo for the first time. “I thought we were rolling, and then we went back down. Last night we went all the way down to the bottom by hit the bucking chutes.” As his horse veered left Thursday night, Mindemann hung onto the right side of Django as the gray gelding raced to the opposite end of the Thomas & Mack Arena. He hit a metal chute with his left shoulder and head. He was OK, though and returned to action on Friday. “I had a good steer tonight, the one I wanted,” he said. “I actually called him. I thought I deserved him after last night.” He took advantage of the steer and wrestled the animal to the ground in 3.7 seconds to finish as the runner-up in the ninth round. That was worth $20,731 and pushed his NFR paycheck to just shy of $50,000. “I need every penny of it,” he said with a laugh. Mindemann has earned $127,650 this season. He has one more night to earn as much cash as possible. “Django was a little bit off last night. He’s been good, but I didn’t break like I needed to, and he just didn’t feel very good. I just stuck with him because he has been good all week, and he worked well tonight and felt good. He fired. I feel like I rode better and got a better start.” The NFR is a tricky place to play the game. The atmosphere is absolutely electric, and the arena is set up in the dimensions of a hockey rink. That’s considerably different than most of the rodeos cowboys go to throughout the regular season. It was just the third payday he has received since he arrived. He earned money in the second and fourth rounds, but also has two no-times. He hasn’t allowed himself to get discouraged, though, because the opportunities are too great. “When there’s $26,000 up every night, that’s all it is I need,” Mindemann said. “You can’t get negative and down, because even if you only win one round, I’ve never won $26,000 in one spot before, or even $20,000 like I did tonight. It’s hard, but you’ve got to stay positive and keep moving forward and do better the next day.” Now the next day is the final day of the 2018 season. He has one thing on his mind, and that’s hoping he draws the best steer in the pen. “No. 41 is the one I want,” he said of Saturday’s herd of steers from which each cowboy will be matched by random draw. “I just need to hit the barrier, ride good and bulldog good. It’ll all pay off. It’ll all work out. “You have to be on your game, because everyone else here is.”

LAS VEGAS – Just like an old motorcycle, Bridwell Rodeo’s Ted needed a little help getting started. The gelding likes to take a bit of a run before he starts bucking, so bareback rider Orin Larsen had to find a way to get the horse in motion as soon as possible. “Caleb (Bennett) had some success on him earlier this year, and he said he was a fun little horse and that you need to kickstart him a little to get him to break,” said Larsen of Inglis, Manitoba. “After that, he said, ‘You’re going to get some points on him.’ ” That’s exactly what happened Friday night during the ninth night of the National Finals Rodeo. Larsen and Ted matched moves across the Thomas & Mack Center dirt for 86.5 points. That helped Larsen to finish in a tie for fourth place. It marked the fifth time at this year’s finale that he has earned a paycheck, adding $8,885 on Friday night. He has pocketed $85,731 in Las Vegas. Most important, he has one more night to add some Nevada cash. “Rodeo and Las Vegas is a funny thing,” said Larsen, who lives in Gering, Neb., with his wife. “You don’t know what is going to happen until the last horse goes. I’m excited to see what the draw is for (Saturday). I’m pretty confident.” He should be. The 10th round of the NFR features the most electric horses in bareback riding. They get high in the air and show off themselves, allowing the cowboys to show off, too. Thursday’s horses were called hoppers, meaning they are the easiest to ride, and they come a night after the “eliminator” pen of horses perform. “You could definitely tell in the locker room, a night-and-day difference,” he said. “(Thursday) it was quiet, and everyone was in their zone. Today everyone lightened up. The dragons are over, so now we can have fun.” It showed. He is third in the world standings with $216,386. “I’m pretty fortunate to make this kind of money doing what I love to do,” Larsen said. “I’m pretty fortunate, pretty blessed to do what I do.” He’s pretty good at it, too.

LAS VEGAS – Two-time reigning world champion bareback rider Tim O’Connell has placed just three times at this year’s National Finals Rodeo, but he made the most of those opportunities. He won Friday’s ninth go-round, making it his second top check of the 10-day championship so far, and returned to the No. 1 position in the world standings. That $26,231 payout provided him with a $13,000 advantage heading into Saturday’s final night of the 2018 ProRodeo season. “I wouldn’t say it’s been a rough week, but it has been a testing week; frustrating to say the least,” said O’Connell, 27, of Zwingle, Iowa. “It has been great. I can’t sit here and say that I’m upset or that my NFR has been horrible, because I’m in the race to win the average again; I’m in the race to win the world again. “It’s just been an atypical NFR.” He’s right. A year ago, he placed seven times and won $169,500 in Las Vegas. He won the Montana Silversmiths gold buckle by more than $100,000. This year, though, he relinquished the lead to the No. 2 man, Utahan Caleb Bennett, before grabbing it again Friday night. He’s $66,128 in nine nights of ProRodeo’s Super Bowl. “Money-wise, this is worse than my first NFR until tonight,” O’Connell said. “We just kept praying, kept positive, keeping negativity out and just keep spurring bucking horses.” Each night things didn’t go well, they just prayed more. “I have this peace about this rodeo; I have this peace about what I have been doing,” he said. “I have everybody in my corner. The people I’m with at home are out here. The people I look to for advice have been calling. We just keep negativity out. I’m not going to lie to you and say it’s been all rainbows around here, that I haven’t been negative, that I haven’t been down in the dumps. “They keep me up. My wife has just been amazing for keeping me positive, for keeping me ready to roll every night. I’m not going to say it’s been so much fun to be out here at the National Finals, but it is. At the end of the day, I love my job, I love this sport, I love everything about it.” On Friday night, he matched moves with Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Vitalix Ain’t No Angel for 90 points and proved why he’s in the hunt for his third straight world title. “I’ve seen that horse a lot, and by a lot, I mean I have watched all eight of his trips this year, and they were all in great big outdoor pens,” O’Connell said. “It’s different when you bring a horse into the lights, into the Thomas & Mack, into an arena that is blowing bombs off. “He did exactly what I wanted him to.” With one more night remaining in the 2018 season, O’Connell is on the verge of another gold buckle. He is second in the average with 762.5 cumulative points on nine rides. Should he stay in that position at the close of the 10th round, he will add a $54,577 bonus to his earnings. That alone might be enough to earn him the title he has fought for though the campaign, but he would prefer to add in another round win to that.

Rutkowski marks big score to advance to Championship Saturday in Las Vegas LAS VEGAS – Weston Rutkowski is a man on a mission, and he took care of business Friday during the Wild Card Round of the Bullfighters Only Las Vegas Championship. Rutkowski set the tone quickly in his match, taking advantage of an aggressive bull from Manuel Costa for 87 points to win his flight in the wild card. Now, the No. 1 man in the Pendleton Whisky World Standings advances to the final day of the BFO’s championship event at the Tropicana Las Vegas on Saturday. “I just did what I could with the bull that I drew,” Rutkowski said. “You are only as good as the bull that you draw.” While he owns the lead heading into the 2 p.m. showdown, there are four other men who can catch him for the world championship: Beau Schueth, Toby Inman, Ross Hill and newcomer Colt Oder, the latter of whom came up through the ranks this year after being part of the BFO Development Camps. Now it’s a battle of the best in the business to see who takes home the title belt. It’s going to come down to the final two bulls of the 2018 season to who wins the $50,000 bonus for claiming the BFO world title, along with the $25,000 Vegas Bonus. Rutkowski is the only world champion in Bullfighters’ Only history, having earned the belt in 2016 and 2017. But in a true battle of man vs. beast, anything can happen. In fact, it has in Las Vegas. Rutkowski suffered three facial fractures during the Roughy Cup on Dec. 6, then battled through two rounds of the Flexfit Preliminary Rounds. Though he didn’t advance directly to Championship Saturday, he made sure to take care of things during the Wild Card Round, where just three men advance to be part of the nine-man field. He’s joined by fellow veteran Toby Inman and young gun Riley McKettrick. They will be in the mix with other newcomers Oder, Chance Moorman, Andres Gonzalez and Tucker Lane McWilliams. In addition to Rutkowski and Inman, two other BFO pioneers, Beau Schueth and Ross Hill, will be part of the most exciting day in freestyle history. Six months ago, Florida’s McKettrick was graduating high school. On Friday, he graduated from the Wild Card Round. It sets up for a fantastic finish to a rough-and-tumble 10 days of freestyle bullfighting in the City of Lights. “It was a pretty meaningful fight for me so that I can move on,” said McKettrick, 18, who scored 85.5 points in the third round of the wild card to advance to Championship Saturday. “I’ve been ready to get back to it. I wasn’t happy with myself earlier in the week, so I wanted to redeem myself today. I’m glad I was able to do it.” His bullfight on Friday has been the perfect way to build on a career he hopes to have in the BFO. “Today’s fight boosted my confidence way back up,” said McKettrick, 18. “It gave me the ability to get my mind back up, too. I’m here for a reason, and I’m here to bring it. “Being in the BFO is a big deal for me. I’ve a lot of people back home tell me I probably wasn’t going to make it this far. To prove them wrong is huge for me. To be up here with the top guys like Ross Hill, Beau Schueth, Toby Inman and Weston Rutkowski, is great. I feel like I have a long future in this sport.” It’s set up like many legendary prize fights that Vegas has seen before, and fans who pack into the BFO tent at the Tropicana will be on hand for some glorious action. “I expect a lot of people trying big moves that they’ve been saving this week,” McKettrick said. “You’re going to see some great bullfighting and some good wrecks. “It’s been cool to watch the BFO all season long. It’s great to be part of that, and it’s going to be really cool to have a front-row seat.”

Bareback riding: 1. Tim O’Connell, 90 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Vitalix Ain’t No Angel, $26,231; 2. (tie) Richmond Champion and Kaycee Feild, 87.5, $18,193 each; 4. Orin Larsen and Clayton Biglow, 86.5, $8,885 each; 6. Wyatt Denny, 85.5, $4,231. Steer wrestling: 1. Ty Erickson, 3.5 seconds, $26,231; 2. Blake Mindemann, 3.7, $20,731; 3. Jacob Talley, 4.0, $15,654; 4. (tie) Scott Guenthner and Tyler Pearson, 4.1, $8,885 each; 6. Nick Guy, 4.2, $4,231. Team roping: 1. Derrick Begay/Cory Petska, 3.8 seconds, $26,231; 2. (tie) Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira and Clay Smith/Paul Eaves, 4.1, $18,193 each; 4. Bubba Buckaloo/Chase Tryan, 4.3, $11,000; 5. Aaron Tsinigine/Trey Yates, 4.9, $6,770; 6. Lane Ivy/Buddy Hawkins III, 9.2, $4,231. Saddle bronc riding: 1.  Zeke Thurston, 90 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Brutus, $26,231; 2. Wade Sundell, 88, $20,731; 3. Isaac Diaz, 85.5, $15,654; 4. Jacobs Crawley, 82.5, $11,000; 5. Rusty Wright, 82, $6,769; 6. CoBurn Bradshaw, 79, $4,231. Tie-down roping: 1. Sterling Smith, 7.4 seconds, $26,231; 2. Matt Shiozawa, 7.7, $20,731; 3. (tie) Tuf Cooper and Jake Pratt, 7.9, $13,327 each; 5. Tyson Durfey, 8.1, $6,770; 6. Ryan Jarrett, 8.7, $4,231. Barrel racing: 1. Hailey Kinsel, 13.40 seconds, $26,231; 2. (tie) Nellie Miller and Taci Bettis, 13.62, $18,193 each; 4. Lisa Lockhart, 13.63, $11,000; 5. Jessica Routier, 13.64, $6,770; 6. Jessie Telford, 13.71, $4,231. Bull riding: 1. Eli Vastbinder, 91.5 points on D&H Cattle’s SweetPro’s Bruiser, $33,565; 2. Chase Dougherty, 87, $28,065; 3. Roscoe Jarboe, 85.5, $22,988; no other qualified rides.

1. Tim O’Connell, 90 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Vitalix Ain’t No Angel, $26,231; 2. (tie) Richmond Champion and Kaycee Feild, 87.5, $18,193 each; 4. Orin Larsen and Clayton Biglow, 86.5, $8,885 each; 6. Wyatt Denny, 85.5, $4,231.

Nebraskan advances to Championship Saturday for a shot at the title belt LAS VEGAS – Beau Schueth is at the top of his game and the right time. A week after winning the Bullfighters Only Roughy Cup and the Wrangler Bullfight Tour championship, Schueth put together his second straight 86-point bout Thursday during the final performance of the Flexflit Preliminary Rounds of the Las Vegas Championship. “Advancing to the final day is huge,” said Schueth, the No. 2 man in the Pendleton Whisky World Standings from O’Neill, Neb. “If, for some reason, I was going to have to go through the Wild Card Round, it wasn’t going to bother me much because I’ve gone through Wild Card Rounds all summer. “But if I didn’t have to fight and could have a day off, that’s what I preferred. Another day of rest means a lot when you’re fighting five or six bulls.” Schueth won his flight with a two-bout cumulative total of 172 points. He moves on to Championship Saturday and will join Chance Moorman of Lytle, Texas, who scored 88.5 points, the highest score so far, and Colt Oder of Moorpark, Calif., who got through a tough bull to slip into the final day of competition. “I saw the bulls, and I actually fought that bull in the first round in Industry, Calif.,” Schueth said. “He was good there, so I knew he would fight good here. I didn’t want to bust him down (with fakes) too much, because I didn’t want to give him a chance to run off. It was a grind the whole time, but luckily it worked out in my favor.” The other three men who advanced Wednesday were Andres Gonzalez, Tucker Lane McWilliams and Ross Hill. The final six to advance to Saturday’s performance will come out of Friday’s Wild Card Round, including reigning two-time world champion Weston Rutkowski. “I’ve had a taste of it, but when you’re reading bulls well and drawing well, there’s no pressure on you,” said Rutkowski of Haskell, Texas. “He’s got a lot of confidence, and he’s going to be one of those guys that’s going to be tough to beat come Saturday. He’s fighting well at the right time of year and drawing the right bull to showcase his abilities.” That’s been the case since Schueth arrived in Sin City last week. He’s been the hottest bullfighter in the game since, and he now trails Rutkowski by only $6,300. “My confidence is pretty high, and I’m feeling good and healthy,” Schueth said. “I’m just having a blast out here. Going from sitting out last year and watching all my friends put on these great bullfights got to me. I’m just tickled to be sitting in this position.” The Nebraskan doesn’t say much, but he has something inside that allows him to excel inside a bullfighting arena. As one of the BFO pioneers, he’s proven why he’s in a position to battle for that coveted title belt. “We’ve been friends for a long time,” Rutkowski said. “He’s one of those guys that you wouldn’t think he’d have the desire to do the sport, because he’s so soft-spoken. “That’s a silent assassin.” Both men hope Rutkowski advances through Friday’s round so the No. 1 and 2 men in the standings can go toe-to-toe for the world championship. “That’s exactly what I want,” Rutkowski said. “I don’t want to go in there and win a world title and not go against the best in the world. In my mind, I’m going against Beau Schueth in the final round for the world title, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.” No matter the sport, all fans want to see the top two in the game meet up to the challenge. “That would be amazing,” Schueth said. “He’s one of my best buds out here. I’d love for him and me to be facing down and let it come down to who has the better fight in the short round to win the world title.”

LAS VEGAS – The pedigree for Frontier Rodeo’s Full Baggage stands by itself. The big bay gelding is a two-time Bareback Horse of the Year and has appeared at the National Finals Rodeo for more than a decade. He’s one of the rankest horses in the sport today. On Thursday night’s eighth round, known as the “eliminator” pen for bareback riders, Full Baggage was half the equation for Mason Clements in their 88.5-point ride. With that, Clements finished second in the round, adding $20,731 to his Cinch jeans. “That was a rematch for me,” said Clements of Springville, Utah. “He got me in Dodge City (Kan.). He’s one of those you just don’t have fun on, but I was bound and determined to have some fun on him. “I felt like I made a pretty good recovery right off the bat, but having to recover is what probably cost me the round win. My start wasn’t as strong, but my finish is what got me an 88.5.” The difference in payout is $5,500, so that’s why he is even discussing it. But any score that high is still great, especially in the eliminator pen. Those style of horses can make bareback riders look bad. Three men failed to earn a qualified ride. But these are the top 15 men in the game, and they have proven over the course of the regular season why they are part of this field. Still, to the lay person, bareback riding looks painful. “It really looks like we’re breaking our necks every time,” said Clements, now a two-time qualifier to the NFR who has earned $70,782 through eight nights of ProRodeo’s grand finale. “It looks like it is ripping our arms off. When you see an animal and they are bucking like crazy, to the average eye, all they see is chaos. They don’t understand a good ride from a bad ride.” The key is having a more controlled spur stroke from the front of the horse’s shoulders back to the riggin’. When done in rhythm with the horse’s bucking motion, it can be poetry – it just doesn’t look that way. “If we are beating our horses, meaning we have our spurs back over their neck on each jump when they hit the ground, then it feels like when you win anything,” he said. “If we have our chin tucked when we set our feet and we are looking down that horse’s mane when he is full extension and hitting the ground, then doing it again each jump, we are having fun. “It’s like hitting a home run.” Clements has pushed his season earnings to $170,318 and has two more nights to add big cash. “I’m looking forward to winning,” Clements said. “I need two go-round wins. It makes me excited. That is what I look forward to and is what keeps me in the game. I want to keep having fun. I want to win.” Winning is fun, and Clements is having a blast in Las Vegas.