Go Round Win for Canada’s Orin Larsen
2019 Canadian Champion, Orin Larsen, from Inglis, Manitoba broke the ice in round 6 in style. The seven time NFR qualifier bested Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Night Gazer to the tune of 91 points to equal the highest marked bareback ride of this year’s Finals for the round win and his first trip to the pay window.
“That horse definitely out performed the rest of the field, and I was happy for the opportunity to get on him,” Larsen commented. “It’s hard to win here. These are the best guys in the World getting on the best horses in the World. It’s awesome being with this field of guys. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
Larsen, who has ridden all of his stock to date, moves to sixth in the aggregate and is eleventh overall. 2020 aggregate winner Jess Pope and five time World Champion Kaycee Field continue their head-to-head battle at the top of the standings. They are one-two in both the aggregate and World standings with Pope leading the aggregate and Feild first in the World.
Day six saw the fastest round of team roping so far at this year’s NFR with three teams posting times under four seconds and 4.2 holding down sixth spot. First place went to Coy Rahlmann and Douglas Rich with a 3.6 second run ($26,997 each). The Canada-Utah duo – Jeremy Buhler and Rhen Richard – made another impressive showing with their second consecutive 4.0 second run to place fourth and net each roper $11,321. Buhler and Richard move up a spot to third in the aggregate and continue to hold down fifth in the World standings. Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira sit second in the aggregate and first in the World despite finishing out of the money in round 6.
It was definitely the Wright mix in the saddle bronc event as champion brothers, Ryder and Stetson Wright along with their uncle, Spencer Wright, placed 1-2-3 in round six. Ryder earned his second consecutive round win with 89.5 points on Hi Lo ProRodeo’s Border Town. Canadians Kolby Wanchuk and Layton Green posted 85.5, earning a share of fifth place with $5,661 each. Two time World and Canadian Champion, Zeke Thurston, has climbed to second in the aggregate and fourth overall, but sits well behind the Wright brothers, Ryder and Stetson, who are flying high in the race for the gold buckle.
For the third time in six rounds, WNFR first time competitor Dirk Tavenner took the victory lap around the Thomas and Mack Centre in the steer wrestling event. The Rigby, Idaho hand, who dogged his steer in 3.4 seconds, moved two spots up to fifth in the aggregate and remains second overall. Will Lumus, Tyler Waguespack, Tristan Martin, along with Tavenner, are the ones to watch in the World title race as they close in on season leader Jacob Talley. Both Canadians, Scott Guenthner and Curtis Cassidy, struggled in round six and were out of the money.
For eight time WNFR tie-down roping qualifier Cory Solomon, night six was golden as the Texan was a smokin’ 7.1 for his first round win of this Finals. Solomon is now second in the aggregate
and sixth overall. Two time World Champion Caleb Smidt, the picture of consistency, picked up a fifth place cheque with a 7.7 second run, moving the Bellville, Texas cowboy to first in the World and keeping him first in the aggregate. Despite a horse change for season leader Shane Hanchey, the 2013 World Champion slipped to second overall and fourth in the aggregate.
Top money in the barrel racing went to Colorado cowgirl Ivy Saebens and her 12 year old palomino mare, JLo. In the World race, three time Champion Hailey Kinsel climbed three spots in the aggregate and stays first overall while challenger Jordan Briggs is first in the aggregate and just one spot back of Kinsel in the World race.
On a night they celebrated the Rookies of the Year, one of those celebrants, Creek Young, took home top honours in the bull riding. The Missouri cowboy matched up against Macza Rodeo’s Ugly Wish and there was nothing ugly about the ride. Young posted a sensational 90.5 for the round win. Montana’s Parker Breding leads the aggregate, having ridden five of his six bulls with six time World Champion Sage Kimzey third in the aggregate and still holding a comfortable lead in the World standings.
Included in the celebration of top event rookies were Canadians Beau Cooper (Stettler, AB) in the tie-down roping and K’s Thomson (Lundbreck, AB) in the saddle bronc riding.
Canadian breakaway roper, Shelby Boisjoli, came up just short in her bid for a World title – finishing up third overall. 19-year-old Sawyer Gilbert from South Dakota claimed her first world championship. Gilbert earned $19,532 after placing in five rounds during the Finals; she won $71,654 at pro rodeos in 2021.