Wrangler NFR Round 10 News and Notes
by Amy Fast | Dec 10, 2016
Gold Night will serve as the opening act and the national anthem will be performed by Andy Griggs. Wrangler is the performance sponsor and tonight also is Wrangler National Patriot Night.
WRANGLER NFR LIVE ON TELEVISION, RADIO AND INTERNET
Tonight’s Wrangler NFR presented by Polaris RANGER will be televised live and in HD on CBS Sports Net (DISH Network channel 158 and DirecTV channel 221) from 7-10 p.m. (PT) with Jeff Medders and Butch Knowles announcing, Joe Beaver and Don Gay providing commentary, Suzanne Alexander hosting the pre-show and Kadee Coffman as the sideline reporter. All 10 performances of the 2016 Wrangler NFR will be available live with a video-on-demand option via pay-per-view through FloRodeo.com exclusively in Canada, Brazil, Mexico and Australia. ProRodeo Live is airing coverage on a network of radio stations, including Rural Radio, and online at www.prorodeolive.com with Steve Kenyon as the lead announcer.
POTENTIAL TO BREAK SINGLE-SEASON EARNINGS RECORDS
Several cowboys could break season earnings records tonight; this list shows some of the likely candidates and how much they’d need to earn tonight:
| BB | Tim O’Connell | $21,869 | Needs to place first or second in the round, fifth or better in the average |
| SW | Tyler Waguespack | $19,625 | Needs to place first or second in the round, fifth or better in the average |
| TR | Luke Brown Jake Long |
$15,737 $23,010 |
Needs to place first/second in round or sixth or better in average Needs to win round or place fourth or better in average |
| SB | Jacobs Crawley | $35,224 | Currently second in average; must place third or better in average or place high in both round and average |
| TD | (none) | ||
| BR | Sage Kimzey | $74,534 | Needs to place in both the average and the round |
ALL-AROUND RACE UP FOR GRABS
Mixed in tonight with all the drama is the all-around race. The prestigious title is definitely up for grabs in Round 10. Team roping header Dustin Bird leads the standings with $214,181. Steer wrestler Clayton Hass ($211,608) is in second place followed by team roping heeler Russell Cardoza ($204,720). Cardoza can’t overtake Bird because they are team roping partners. Team roping heeler Junior Nogueira ($195,767) and team roping header Clay Smith ($161,347) round out the Top 5.
Where each of these cowboys end up in their respective events after Round 10 is crucial, but more importantly for these cowboys – in terms of the all-around championship – is where each one of these contestants finishes in the average. The average winner earns $67,269, second place receives ($54,577), third ($43,154), fourth ($31,731), fifth ($22,846), sixth ($16,500), seventh ($11,423) and eighth ($6,346). Since 2002, there have only been two all-around champs – Trevor Brazile and Ryan Jarrett – Jarrett’s title came in 2005.
ROOKIE RACE
Prior to the 2016 WNFR, all the rookie of the year races were decided, except in bull riding. Roscoe Jarboe and Garrett Tribble both are competing in the WNFR and the top finisher between them will capture the PRCA/Resistol Bull Riding Rookie of the Year title. The winner will be decided in Round 10. Jarboe is sixth in the world standings with $149,765 and Tribble is 10th with $129,118. Jarboe is tied for ninth in the average with 171.5 points on two head and Tribble is 11th in the average with 171 points on two head.
NEWS & NOTES
Bareback rider Tim O’Connell is on the verge of winning his first career gold buckle. He has a $84,966 lead over second-place Tanner Aus, and O’Connell is first in the average with 757 points on nine head. O’Connell will try and sweep the world championship and average when he faces Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Painted River. Jake Brown had an 88-point ride on Painted River to place second in Round 5. Speaking of Brown, he doctor released out for Rounds 8 and 9 of the WNFR because of a concussion, but he is scheduled to ride in Round 10 and draws Summit Pro Rodeo’s Revolving Door. Brown suffered the injury during his Round 7 ride on Rosser Rodeo’s Gold Coast Jackie. He recorded no score on the ride. Reigning saddle bronc riding World Champion Jacobs Crawley is in prime position to win his second gold buckle in a row, and he faces Flying 5 Rodeo’s Spring Planting, the saddle bronc horse of the year in 2009 and co-horse of the year in 2013. Spring Planting bucked off Ryder Wright in Round 5. Ryder Wright draws Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Cool Runnings. Wright shared the win at the Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo in May with an 83.5-point ride. If Wright wins Round 10, he will set a record for most saddle bronc riding round wins at a WNFR with six. He presently shares the record at five with ProRodeo Hall of Famers Billy Etbauer (1992, 1999, 2005) and Dan Mortensen (1998). Bull rider Sage Kimzey is trying to win his third world championship in a row, and he’s in a title battle with Brennon Eldred and Shane Proctor to win the title. Kimzey draws Lancaster & Jones Pro Rodeo’s Total Bulls Battle Born. Joe Frost split sixth place in Round 6 with an 81-point ride on that bull. Eldred gets on Rocky Mountain Rodeo’s Bomb Pop. Garrett Smith was bucked off Bomb Pop in Round 5. Proctor meets up with Big Stone Rodeo’s Cowboy Up. Cowboy Up will be competing for the first time at the WNFR in Round 10.
Record times and scores for the 10th round of the WNFR:
BB: 91.5 points, Will Lowe, 2007 (equals arena record)
SW: 3.3 seconds, Sid Steiner, 2002; Gabe LeDoux, 2012
TR: 3.6 seconds, Chad Masters/Jade Corkill, 2011; Spencer Mitchell/Broc Cresta, 2011
SB: 93 points, Billy Etbauer, 2004 (equals arena record)
TD: 6.5 seconds, Cody Ohl, 2003 (equals arena record)
GB: 13.55 seconds, Sherry Cervi, 2015
BR: 96 points, Cody Hancock, 2001 (also arena record)
Courtesy of PRCA