Clayton Biglow Wins Third Consecutive Round
LAS VEGAS – Bareback rider Clayton Biglow couldn’t have picked a better time to be riding his best.
The Clements, Calif., cowboy won his third round in a row at the 2019 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo when he captured the Round 7 title with a 91.5-point ride on Rafter G Rodeo’s Ankle Biter before 16,786 spectators at the Thomas & Mack Center.
Biglow’s score tied the Wrangler NFR bareback riding Round 7 record set by Bobby Mote on Big Bend Rodeo’s Spring Fling in 2008.
“That was the best bull ride I ever made,” Biglow, 23, said with a laugh. “When she turned back, I was just trying to keep my feet up in her neck and stay with her, and she was really whipping it around there.”
Ankle Biter also was voted top bareback horse of Round 7.
Biglow is having an amazing Wrangler NFR. He won Round 5 with a 92.5-point ride on Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Scarlett Belle and shared Round 6’s top honor with Caleb Bennett and Tilden Hooper, as all three riders had 88.5-point rides.
Biglow’s ride in Round 6 came on Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Freckled Frog. Biglow came into the Wrangler NFR as the leader in the PRCA | RAM World Standings, and he remains there with $292,786.
Biglow has earned $110,834 at the Wrangler NFR and leads the average with 615 points on seven head.
“I’ve been drawing really good and I feel good, and I want to keep the ball rolling,” Biglow said. “I’ve been very blessed that’s for sure. I’ve just been trying to keep my confidence in my head and forget about what’s going on. You don’t want to have your highs too high and your lows too low.
“You only get on one horse at a time, so I don’t want to get too ahead of myself. I’m taking it jump for jump and night by night, and I’m coming at it every night like it is a one-header. I’m giving it all I have when I nod my head.”
Biglow is a four-time qualifier for the Wrangler NFR – 2016-19. His career-best finish was fourth in the world standings last year.
Sage Kimzey wins his first round at this year’s Wrangler NFR
Sage Kimzey, the reigning five-time PRCA world champion bull rider, has had a stout performance at the 2019 Wrangler NFR, and it got even better on Wednesday night.
The Strong City, Okla., cowboy won his first round of this Wrangler NFR with a 90-point ride on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Smoke Wagon.
“I wasn’t really paying attention, all I had to do was my job,” Kimzey said. “My mantra is ‘No noise,’ and I just climb on and take care of business.”
Smoke Wagon is making his Wrangler NFR debut, but Kimzey had some history with him before Round 7.
“He threw me off at Houston a couple of years ago, and it feels good to get him ridden for sure,” Kimzey said. “He’s been a bucker for a long time and was good tonight.”
By winning the round, Kimzey earned $33,564 counting ground money. He leads the world standings with $363,816. He has a $113,378 lead over second-place Boudreaux Campbell.
“That’s good – it all helps, and it all spends the same,” Kimzey said. “I am just trying to stay on nine bulls now since I was bucked off one. The rank bulls are out (Thursday night) and that’s all I’m worried about. I feel really good. I feel strong and healthy and all good.”
Saddle bronc rider Zeke Thurston wins with round record
Zeke Thurston, the 2016 saddle bronc riding world champion, matched up with Northcott Macza’s Get Smart, the 2019 saddle bronc Pendleton Whisky “Let ’er Buck” Stock of the Year, in Round 7, and the results were historic.
Thurston set the Wrangler Round 7 record with a 92.5-point ride. The previous Round 7 record of 90 points was shared by Billy Etbauer (2009), Chase Brooks (2018) and Wade Sundell (2018).
“Yeah, that horse I’ve been on probably seven or eight times, and it’s gone good every time,” said Thurston, who was pumping his fist moments after his eight-second performance. “It’s one of those horses that, when you draw him, it could be his day or your day. It’s easy to underestimate him, because he’s not very big but bucks big and has a big heart. I’ve won a lot of money on that horse. He’s pretty special.
“For him to win the world (saddle bronc horse of the year) this year and to be able to draw him at the Finals and ride him is pretty fun.”
Thurston leads the saddle bronc riding world standings with $277,953. He also won Round 1 win an 88-point ride on Mo Betta Rodeo’s Sue City Sue.
“It’s just about getting things going,” Thurston said. “I started off good (winning Round 1) and placed here and there. I had a couple nights of bad luck too, but you just look past it and keep rolling on. You just stick to the basics, and they’ll tell you who wins at the end.”
Thurston, of Big Valley, Alberta, is happy to be part of a strong showing of Canadian saddle bronc riders. Jake Watson, of Hudson’s Hope, British Columbia, and Dawson Hay, of Wildwood, Alberta, won rounds 5 and 6, respectively.
“Jake (Watson), Dawson (Hay) and I traveled together this year, and we had a blast,” Thurston said. “We had a lot of fun rodeoing, all had good years, won lots and made the Finals, which was really special. It’s Jake’s second time and Dawson’s first, and for us three to come here and do well just makes it all the better. Rodeo is a huge family, and having guys like that you get to be around all the time is pretty cool.”
Team ropers Cody Smith/Wesley Thorp win round with record-tying run
Team ropers Cody Snow and Wesley Thorp claimed their first round win of the 2019 Finals in record fashion.
Snow and Thorp stopped the clock in 3.6 seconds to capture top honors in Round 7. That tied the Round 7 Wrangler NFR record shared by Derrick Begay/Cesar de la Cruz (2009); Clay Tryan/Travis Graves (2012); and Trevor Brazile/Patrick Smith (2015).
“I try to do the same thing every time and ride hard across the line and put it on the steer’s head before I think about being fast,” Snow said. “It means a lot for this time in the NFR. We have placed along the way, and it’s good to get a win like that, but there are still some (rounds) left to build momentum.”
Thorp was happy with how things unfolded.
“That was the best steer we’d drawn, and I was in a better position to go faster,” he said.
The $26,231 payday also was welcomed with open arms by Thorp. Snow and Thorp have each earned $62,885 at this year’s Wrangler NFR. They are first in the average with a 28.7-second time on six head.
“We just need to keep the momentum going,” Snow said.
Thorp is upbeat about the remainder of the Wrangler NFR.
“I feel good,” Thorp said. “We haven’t changed from Round 1, and it just shaped up quicker tonight. It’s relieving to know we won’t need to change anything, just make the same run.”
Team roping header Clay Smith ($234,551) and his heeling partner, Jade Corkill, ($192,676) are leading their respective world standings.
Steer wrestler Stetson Jorgensen wins first career Wrangler NFR round
Steer wrestler Stetson Jorgensen will never forget his first appearance at the Wrangler NFR.
Now, the Blackfoot, Idaho, cowboy has even more reason to remember the experience after capturing his first career round win with a 3.4-second time in Round 7, the fastest of the rodeo through seven rounds.
“It did feel good,” Jorgensen said. “Knowing I had a good steer like that and with my horse working good, I knew I had a good shot tonight. That (victory lap) was pretty awesome. Watching the NFR when I was 10 or 12, I always wanted to be here, and making that victory lap was an accomplishment and a dream come true. I’m just so grateful to be here doing what I love.”
Jorgensen kept his head despite not getting a check in rounds 3 through 6.
“I broke out last night, but I finally got the start down and knew I had to just not back off,” Jorgensen said. “I’m kind of out of the average, and the go-rounds are going to pay more than the average, so that’s what I’m going for. I’m feeling dangerous.”
Jorgensen also was quick to praise his horsepower.
“It’s a horse called Mable, who’s owned by Garrett Henry from Wyoming,” he said. “This is actually her first year going, and she’s working really good, so far. My expectations for her are way up there.”
Ty Erickson is atop the steer wrestling world standings with $185,414.
Tyler Milligan scores Round 7 win in tie-down roping
Tie-down roper Tyler Milligan’s Wrangler NFR debut got better Wednesday night.
The Pawhuska, Okla., cowboy clocked a 7.5-second run to win Round 7, the first of his career.
“It was awesome, I don’t how else to explain it,” Milligan said. “It’s my first time here and this win is really humbling.
“I knew she was pretty good, but she had a couple bad outs, the first guys that ran her didn’t do well with her. But she turned out good tonight.”
Milligan had a witty answer to why his fortune changed in Round 7.
“I got my boots shined, I think that might have something to do with it,” he said.
Milligan was quick to credit his horse, Big Time, the 2019 Purina Tie-down Roping Horse of the Year presented by AQHA.
“He’s doing really good,” Milligan said. “I’ve been the only person at fault for not winning as much as we should be, but he’s been really good.”
Shane Hanchey is leading the tie-down roping world standings with $209,928.
Hailey Kinsel gets her first round win of 2019 Wrangler NFR
Barrel racer Hailey Kinsel is finding her groove at the right time.
The Cotulla, Texas, cowgirl recorded a 13.60-second run to win Round 7, her first of the 2019 Wrangler NFR.
“Oh, it feels really good,” Kinsel said. “It’s nice to move up the dirt again. I kind of used my mulligan earlier when I had my first good ground draw, so I was glad to move back up and have a really good shot at it tonight. My horse has been trying hard, so I was glad to give her a good shot at it.”
Kinsel has earned checks in four consecutive rounds and took over the world standings lead with $236,713 while aboard her horse, Sister.
“Yeah, she’s loving it,” Kinsel said. “I wanted her to peak around this time of the week instead of early on and then have her get to where she wasn’t feeling good later on. She feels really strong, and she’s feeling better and better every night. That works for me.”
The Round 7 victory was a big boost for Kinsel at the right time as she aims to win back-to-back world championships.
“Oh, it’s really exciting,” Kinsel said. “Every little bit helps, and more than anything, she worked really honest and tried really hard. She was really firing, and that makes me excited to make three more runs.”
Stetson Wright leads tight all-around world standings race
Rookie Stetson Wright still leads the all-around race in the 2019 PRCA | RAM World Standings with $247,576. He has a slim lead over reigning world champion team roping header Clay Smith ($245,402). Tuf Cooper, the 2017 all-around champ, is third in the standings with $222,640. Wright, who is third in the bull riding world standings, is trying to become the first roughstock rider to win the all-around crown since ProRodeo Hall of Famer Ty Murray did it in 1998. Smith cut into Wright’s lead after he and his partner – heeler Jade Corkill – took second in Round 6 with a 4.2-second run and earned $20,731.
Barrel racer Amberleigh Moore leads RAM Top Gun Award standings
Barrel racer Amberleigh Moore has earned the most money of any contestant at the 2019 Wrangler NFR – not counting ground money – with $114,923, putting her in the driver seat to win the RAM Top Gun Award.
Bareback rider Clayton Biglow ($110,833) and bull rider Boudreaux Campbell ($109,000) are second and third, respectively.
Another element of excitement at the Finals is the RAM Top Gun Award, which goes to the contestant who wins the most money in any single event at the Wrangler NFR.
Day 7 Wrangler NFR Media Packet
Courtesy of PRCA