LAS VEGAS — On a night when the Wrangler NFR steer wrestlers struggled, back-to-back Canadian Champion, Scott Guenthner of Provost, Alberta split second with Stetson Jorgensen and JD Struxness, all with 4.3 second runs – good for a $15,794 payday each.
Friday night’s run moves Guenthner back into third place overall and back into contention for a World title as he sits $28,000 behind season leader Ty Erickson. Two time and defending World Steer Wrestling Champion Tyler Waguespack (Gonzales, Louisiana) dogged his steer in 3.6 seconds to win the first place $26,230 cheque.
In the bareback riding, Winnemucca, Nevada cowboy Trenten Montero earned his first ever round win with a 90.5 point ride on Sankey Pro Rodeo and Phenom Genetics Prairie Rose. Cadogan bareback rider, Clint Laye, was 87.5 for the second night in a row, this time for a 4/5 split. Canadian Champion Orin Larsen finished out of the money with a 76.5 point ride. Kesler Rodeo’s Uptown Flash carried reigning World Champion Tim O’Connell to a 89.5 score – good for second place in the round.
In the team roping, Clay Smith and Jade Corkill won the night with a 4.4 second run.
It was a tough performance in the saddle bronc riding with cowboys against the eliminators and only four qualified rides. Milford, Utah’s Jesse Wright topped the field with an 89.5 point ride on United Pro Rodeo’s Awesome Sauce to win the round two buckle. All three Canadians, Zeke Thurston, Dawson Hay and Jake Watson were victims of the eliminator pen. Four Canadian horses got into the spirit of the night and bucked off their riders. Northcott-Macza’s World and Canadian Champion, Get Smart, dispatched JJ Elshere; Wayne Vold Rodeo’s One More Reason tossed Bradley Harter while the Calgary Stampede’s Tiger Warrior bucked off Chase Brooks. Another Calgary Stampede bronc, Yesterday’s Delivery, won the head-to-head battle with Canadian Dawson Hay.
Marty Yates from Stephenville, texas won the 11th go-round of his career with a 7.3 sec run – the fastest at this year’s Finals so far. The 21 year old rookie, Haven Meged from Miles City, Montana – who finished second overall in Canada and won the World Collegiate title in 2019 – split 3/4 with an 8.6 sec run for $13,326 to extend his lead atop the World Standings.
Rookie barrel racer, 61 year old Dona Kaye Rule, earned her first WNFR round win with a 13.69 second run while four time Canadian Champion, Lisa Lockhart, picked up a sixth place cheque in the round with her 13.85 and hangs onto the lead in the World standings.
Only three bull riders managed qualified rides in tonight’s second go-round at the Thomas and Mack Arena. The best of those was 2017 Canadian Champion Garrett Smith from Rexburg, ID who posted a 91.5 point ride on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Black Gold. 2019 CFR qualifier and five time World Champion, Sage Kimzey, continues to hold a commanding lead – helped tonight by a second place 84.5 point ride. Ponoka, AB cowboy, Jordan Hansen, was bucked off of Rafter H Rodeo Livestock’s Last Shot. Canada’s Bull of the Year, Outlaw Buckers’ Blackstone After Party put Clayton Sellars on the ground well before the eight second klaxon.
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