Round 3 – Dec. 4, 2021
Country singer David Lee Murphy is the opening act, and the national anthem will be performed by country music band Little Big Town. Hesston by Massey Ferguson is the performance sponsor.
WRANGLER NFR LIVE ON TELEVISION AND INTERNET
The 2021 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo® presented by Teton Ridge airs nightly Dec. 2-11 at 5:45 p.m. PST/8:45 p.m. EST. The Cowboy Channel is the official network partner of PRORODEO® and the exclusive broadcast and streaming partner of the NFR. Live coverage of the NFR can be found on The Cowboy Channel and RFD-TV through its cable and satellite partners, and online at cowboychannelplus.com.
BAREBACK RIDER JESS POPE MAKES IT TWO ROUND WINS IN A ROW
Jess Pope has found a liking for rodeo’s biggest stage. The Waverly, Kan., cowboy keeps on winning as he claimed his second round victory in a row with his 89.5-point ride on Big Stone Rodeo Inc.’s Fired Up at the 2021 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Teton Ridge. Pope was thrilled with his ride before 16,860 fans at the Thomas & Mack Center Friday night. “This feels awesome,” Pope said. “The NFR is starting the way I want it to. I had only seen that horse (Fired Up) once. I saw Caleb Bennett get on that horse in Walla Walla (Wash.) and I thought boy that horse bucks. I was happy to get on him.” For 16 seconds of work in Round 1 and Round 2, Pope has earned $53,994. That cash grab has moved Pope up to second in the PRCA | RAM World Standings with $174,018.”That’s awesome. This is how I put food on the table. This is what I live for right here. I will go buy some cows when I get home. This is just a matter of doing my job. I know if I show up here and do my job every day and continue to try and win and perfect everything I do, then the cards are going to lay where they lay. God has a plan and I’m just living it.”
BULL RIDER J.B. MAUNEY CLEARED TO RIDE FOR ROUND 3
Veteran star bull rider J.B. Mauney had a scary wreck in Round 2 when he was hung up and bucked off Rafter G Rodeo’s Johnny Thunder.
Mauney sustained multiple facial lacerations that required stitches. He was treated by the Justin Sportsmedicine team onsite at the Thomas & Mack Center. Mauney was evaluated Saturday morning by Justin Sportsmedicine personnel and passed concussion protocol.
“They always told me every day all the way through school to use your head and I used it,” said Mauney, 34.
Mauney, who is making his Wrangler NFR debut, is scheduled to ride Four Star Rodeo’s Shark Bait in Round 3.
Mauney split the Round 1 win with an 87.5-point ride on Painted Pony Championship Rodeo’s Cocktail Diarrhea.
Mauney is fifth in the world standings with $146,466.
NEWS & NOTES
In bareback riding, NFR rookie Garrett Shadbolt aims to string together another strong performance on Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Top Notch. The horse enters Las Vegas with an impressive track record in 2021, recording an average stock score of 45.92 points paired with an average score of 86.75 points. Shadbolt finished second in Round 2 on Friday night. Defending PRCA World Champion Kaycee Feild hopes to make another visit to the pay window, matching up with Frontier Rodeo’s Full Baggage. Feild has earned himself $26,111 thus far with a fifth place and fourth place finish in Rounds 1 and 2, respectively…In saddle bronc riding, Dawson Hay goes head-to-head with Frontier Rodeo’s Miss Ellie on Saturday night. In seven outs this season, the average ride score has been 84 points. Wyatt Casper covered the eight seconds for 89.5 points on the horse at the Arcadia All-Florida Championship Rodeo, March 11. Wrangler NFR rookie Tegan Smith matches up with the Calgary Stampede’s Yesterday’s Delivery in Round 3. The horse has been selected for three straight NFRs. Two-time PRCA World Champion Zeke Thurston had an 88.5-point ride on him at the Calgary Stampede in July…. In bull riding Randlett, Utah cowboy, Josh Frost has drawn Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Vitalix Milburn Special. The bull has bucked off 60 percent of riders this season. Reigning bull riding world champion Stetson Wright had a 91.5-point ride on him at the Central Wyoming Fair & PRCA Rodeo in Casper, July 13. Another matchup to keep your eyes on is Trey Benton III matching up with Macza Pro Rodeo’s OLS Tubs Sunny. No one has ridden the bull this season, bucking off three Wrangler NFR qualifiers along the way. The last qualified ride on the bull was a 90-point trip by Brady Portenier in Round 10 of the 2020 Wrangler NFR Finals at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
Record times and scores for the third round of the Wrangler NFR:
Bareback riding: 91.5 points, Justin McDaniel, 2007; Tim O’Connell, 2017;
Kaycee Field, 2020
Steer wrestling: 3.1 seconds, Ricky Huddleston, 1985
Team roping: 3.7 seconds, Tyler Wade and Cole Davison, 2019
Saddle bronc riding: 90.5 points, Allen Boore, 2020
Tie-down roping: 6.6 seconds, Cody Ohl, 2014
Barrel racing: 13.11 seconds, Hailey Kinsel, 2017
Bull riding: 94 points, Colby Yates, 2002