Saddle Bronc Riders Scher, Thurston Set Round Record
LAS VEGAS – Cort Scheer and Zeke Thurston have been cashing in for plenty of money during the 60th Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
They each added another $23,481 to their world standings when they split Round 6 and set the round record with rides of 89.5 points at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Tuesday, Dec. 11.
Scheer did his on Mo Betta Rodeo’s Sue City Sue, while Thurston was aboard Powder River Rodeo’s Miss Chestnut.
“The horses are so awesome now and everyone rides so good that you can’t count on the rest of the field to make mistakes,” said Thurston, the 2016 Saddle Bronc Riding World Champion. “You have to just worry about what you have control of.”
Scheer has been in control plenty. He won two rounds outright before adding the split in Round 6.
“I had drawn a great horse and had a good spur out, and she got better and better,” he said. “I was 90 at Houston on her earlier this year.”
Scheer has won $92,712 at the Finals through six rounds (averaging $15,452 in winnings per night). He’s also third in the 2018 PRCA | RAM World Standings with $194,554. Reigning world champion Ryder Wright continues to lead the standings with $243,194.
Thurston and Scheer were excited to share the record and the win.
“It’s a lot of fun, and with the best 15 guys and the best 15 horses, you have to do something to set yourself apart,” Thurston said. “And Cort has won like all the rounds so far, so I had to at least be co-winner.”
Scheer jumped in and joked: “I don’t want to be greedy – oh wait, yes, I do.”
“I think it’s awesome to win a round and split it with your buddy,” Scheer continued. “Zeke is a world champion, so it’s fun to win it with him.”
Scheer, of Elsmere, Neb., knows he must continue pressing if he wants to climb to the top of the chart.
“The goal is to win the round and keep your momentum going,” he said. “Don’t think about the past or future, just lift your rein and spur out and go at them.”
Cassidy notches second go-round win of 2018 Finals
Since dipping out of the pole position in the steer wrestling world standings following Round 2, Curtis Cassidy has looked determined to capture his first world title.
Cassidy won Round 6, his second go-round victory of these 2018 Finals.
“This feels awesome,” said Cassidy, 40. “I had a good steer. It was the one (Scott Guenthner) won Round 3 on. He’s a great steer, and I was happy to get a good start and make a good run. They let me win first.”
Since reigning world champion Tyler Pearson moved into first place following the second round, Cassidy, who then dropped to fourth, has won two rounds and added a third-place finish. He’s climbed back into first with $184,125 and extended his lead to $27,654.
But Cassidy isn’t banking on anything yet. With four rounds left and him sitting 13th in the average, Cassidy knows he’s a long way from a title.
“I know I’m not in the average,” said Cassidy, who has two no-times out of six goes. “My goal is to have $60,000 more won than the next-place guy going into Round 10 because I’m not in the average.”
Cassidy has made it a family affair in the arena, using his younger brother, Cody, as his hazer.
“He has hazed for me the whole time here,” Curtis Cassidy said. “It is awesome to have him here. He’s good support to have in my corner. He watches the cattle and knows them good, and he has been doing a good job hazing.”
Kinsel captures second win of 2018 Finals
Hailey Kinsel continued to show why she’s the season leader in barrel racing.
Kinsel stopped the clock in 13.63 seconds to notch her second win of the Wrangler NFR and again extend her lead in the world standings.
Kinsel has $286,815 in the standings, putting her $93,342 ahead of second-place Amberleigh Moore.
“This win is sure good for my confidence,” Kinsel said. “I still have four more runs to make, so that won’t change anything for the next few days, but (I’ll) just go at it every night and try to do my best.”
Kinsel was aboard Sissy Hayday, “Sister,” the 2018 PRCA | AQHA Horse of the Year for barrel racing. They continue to work and progress throughout the Finals.
“You learn something new every night here,” Kinsel said. “But, Lisa (Lockhart) can tell you that this is still a new rodeo each and every day. You apply what you learn, but you still change as it goes.”
Unlike when she’s on the road throughout the rodeo season, Kinsel has plenty of family with her in Las Vegas, and it’s helping the Cotulla, Texas, cowgirl.
“Having my family here with me makes a big difference,” Kinsel said. “Most of the year I have one person with me at best, and when you come somewhere like this where it’s a big deal and your whole family gets to come, it just puts you in a good comfort zone. It’s fun.”
Boquet on the hunt after first go-round win
Not every cowboy at the Wrangler NFR knows how he’s going to spend his winnings.
But Dustin Boquet isn’t every cowboy.
The Bourg, La., bull rider, in his first trip to the Finals, notched his first round win, riding Hi Lo ProRodeo Company’s Divinity for 91 points in Round 6.
“It’s just been great lately,” Boquet said. “The NFR didn’t start out the way I wanted, but it’s like football, and you need to have time and start somewhere.”
Boquet hadn’t been on Divinity before, but his fellow Louisianan Koby Radley had.
“I had seen my buddy Koby ride him, and I knew I would get some points,” said Boquet, 24. “I’d seen him (the bull) a few times before that and he does the same thing all the time.”
Boquet upped his Finals earnings to $51,885, which increased his season earnings to $166,472. He’s in seventh place in the world standings and eighth in the average race.
“After tonight, I’m feeling really good,” Boquet said. “I don’t have much of a plan, just take it a bull at a time and let the good Lord put me where I need to be.”
While there are still four more rounds of the 60th edition, Boquet has his first win and is looking forward to spending some of that cash.
“It means everything,” he said of the win. “I had some goals to get some round wins and I hope to get a couple more. It’s awesome to come in and win a round. … I’ll do a bunch of duck hunting after this with the money I won.”
Wade/Davison cash in with 3.9-second run
Team roping header Tyler Wade and his partner, heeler Cole Davison, were one spot out of the money in Rounds 1 and 5.
The three rounds in between also were fruitless.
But Tuesday night, the duo clocked a 3.9-second run to win the round and take home $26,231 apiece.
“Awesome,” Wade said. “Glad to get the ball rolling finally.”
Wade, 26, is in his second trip to Las Vegas for the $10 million rodeo.
Davison, 29, now has his first go-round win in his first trip to the Finals. Despite the drought before Round 6, Davison was feeling pressure. But he did say he needed to relax, and that worked.
“I’m not a very pressure-filled person,” Davison said. “I finally quit trying so hard tonight and just let it happen.”
Nine team roping pairs missed in the round. Wade and Davison didn’t worry about that, they were focused on their steer.
“We stay in our own lane and do our own deal,” Wade said. “We’ve been playing tag a little bit – he’s missed one, I’ve missed one. But we’re on the same page and glad to be here. We’re just going to keep roping and hopefully it will pay out.”
Team roping heading leader Clay Smith and heeling leader Paul Eaves did not miss. They added $15,654 to their bank accounts when they placed third in Round 6. Each of them has $197,127 won on the year. They each have nearly $30,000 leads on their next closest competitors.
Wade and Davison have been keeping busy with their families on the trip with them.
“Yeah, I’ve got two little girls, my wife, her parents and my parents are here,” said Davison, of Stephenville, Texas. “Everybody is out here.”
Wade has his family in town, too.
“Oh, yeah, I’ve got a kid,” said Wade, of Terrell, Texas. “We went to the dolphin habitat about nine times. We’ve also been busy signing autographs. It kind of fills up the whole day.”
Cooper Martin stops clock in 7.6 seconds.
In his second trip to the Wrangler NFR, tie-down roper Cooper Martin nailed down his second career round victory.
Martin stopped the clock in 7.6 seconds, the same time he clocked in Round 4 of the 2017 Finals.
It was the first money he’s won through the first six rounds.
“It has been a rough week and a round win always helps,” Martin said. “I was just looking for any kind of check and to get things turned around.”
Martin has been riding Cade Swor’s horse, Shooter, who helped him get the job done.
“My good horse, Waterboy, got injured in October,” said Martin, 21. “I called Cade up and this horse, Shooter, is the one I have been riding all week. I rode (Shooter) about eight times and won eight checks on him before I came here. This is a great start to the second half (of the Wrangler NFR).”
The Alma, Kan., cowboy knew what to expect from his calf, and he wasn’t disappointed. He was focused on making a good run.
“These calves were the bigger set, and they have been pretty good all week,” he said. “Sometimes stuff doesn’t go right and the guys make mistakes. I’ve made mistakes all week, so I don’t have anything to talk about. It is hard to put runs together out here in this building.”
Shane Hanchey continued to hold on to first place in the world standings for tie-down roping. Hanchey has $164,347 this season. Marty Yates is close behind, trailing by $2,076.
Breuer stays focused to win Round 6
Through the first five rounds, bareback rider Ty Breuer had yet to place. Not finishing in the top six was starting to get to him.
But the 28-year-old, North Dakota cowboy put those rounds behind him and rode Calgary Stampede’s Tootsie Roll for 88 points and the Round 6 win.
“Oh, that was big time for me,” Breuer said. “You know, when you go the first five rounds and you don’t win a check you start wondering if you don’t belong here. But tonight, it felt good, really good.”
Breuer knew he had a good chance when he drew Tootsie Roll. The two knew each other and had won a round at the Pendleton (Ore.) Round-Up.
“Really excited, especially because usually the second time they buck her she’s even better,” Breuer said. “She was out the first round, so this round I knew she was going to be good. I just had to do my part.”
After leaving the arena $26,231 richer, Breuer climbed the bareback riding world standings to 11th with $127,789.
Breuer knew not to lose faith in his skills.
“You’ve just got to believe,” said Breuer, who won Round 4 at the Finals last year. “You have to believe, trust the Lord and keep spurring.”
Two-time defending world champion Tim O’Connell continues to lead the race to the coveted gold buckle. O’Connell has won $227,147. He’s leading Caleb Bennett by $7,488.
Brazile extends lead in all-around race
Trevor Brazile continued his pace toward winning the all-around world title and his PRCA-record 24th world championship.
Brazile placed fifth in the tie-down roping in Round 6 with an 8.3-second run, earning $6,769.
Brazile is up to $298,026 in all-around money. He holds a $34,842 lead over his brother-in-law, Tuf Cooper.
Rhen Richard is third in the all-around race with $192,647. While Cooper and Brazile are competing in tie-down roping at the Finals, Richard is in tie-down roping and team roping.
Kinsel gains ground in Top Gun chase
Barrel racer Hailey Kinsel closed the gap on fellow barrel racer Amberleigh Moore in the race for the Top Gun Award, given to the Wrangler NFR competitor who wins the most money during the Finals.
Moore leads the way with $104,346. Kinsel, after winning the barrel racing Tuesday, is $10,365 behind.
Saddle bronc rider Cort Scheer, who split the Round 6 win with Zeke Thurston, is $11,634 behind Moore.
Courtesy of PRCA