BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN
Clay Smith and Jade Corkill are right in the mix for a pair of Gold Buckles after winning the Go-Round in record-tying fashion with a time of 3.6 seconds Monday night.
SMITH/CORKILL’S WINNING RUN
Both men are now No. 3 in the world as partners Dustin Egusquiza/Travis Graves and partners Luke Brown/Joseph Harrison, however, both those teams didn’t get a qualified time in Round 5, which leaves the door open for the three-time World Champion Corkill and two-time World Champion Smith.
“We were wanting to win the round, and you’re always trying to win the round it seems like, but we felt like tonight was the time to try to make a move,” Smith said. “And we’re not done yet.”
Smith knows there’s still work to do and so does Corkill, who took full responsibility for the team not being where they wanted to be at this point in the Wrangler NFR.
“My partner’s done a good job, but I haven’t done a very good job,” he said. “We went and practiced today, and hopefully we have it lined up for the next five (rounds).”
Corkill said “relief” was the word that came to mind after the round win.
Round One winners Erich Rogers/Paden Bray lead the average as the only ones with five qualified times.
NFR TEAM ROPING RESULTS
First Round: 1. Erich Rogers/Paden Bray, 4.8 seconds, $26,231 each; 2. (tie) Luke Brown/Joseph Harrison and Dustin Egusquiza/Travis Graves, 4.9, $18,192 each; 4. Clay Smith/Jade Corkill, 5.1, $11,000; 5. Brenten Hall/Chase Tryan, 5.2, $6,769; 6. Cody Snow/Junior Nogueira, 5.7, $4,231.
Second Round: 1. Dustin Egusquiza/Travis Graves, 3.8 seconds, $26,231 each; 2. Colby Lovell/Paul Eaves, 4.4, $20,731; 3. Nelson Wyatt/Levi Lord, 4.5, $15,654; 4. Chad Masters/Wesley Thorp, 4.7, $11,000; 5. Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins II, 4.9, $6,769; 6. Charly Crawford/Logan Medlin, 5.0, $4,231.
Third Round: 1. Dustin Egusquiza/Travis Graves, 4.2 seconds, $26,231 each; 2. Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins II, 4.3, $20,731; 3. Levi Simpson/Shay Dixon Carroll, 4.4, $15,654; 4. Luke Brown/Joseph Harrison, 4.5, $11,000; 5. Chad Masters/Wesley Thorp, 5.0, $6,769; 6. Jeff Flenniken/Tyler Worley, 5.5, $4,231.
Fourth Round: 1. Brenten Hall/Chase Tryan, 4.2 seconds, $26,231 each; 2. (tie) Nelson Wyatt/Levi Lord, Clay Tryan/Jake Long and Luke Brown/Joseph Harrison, 4.8, $15,795 each; 5. (tie) Chad Masters/Wesley Thorp and Levi Simpson/Shay Dixon Carroll, 4.9, $5,500 each.
Fifth Round: 1. Clay Smith/Jade Corkill, 3.6 seconds, $26,231 each; 2. Clay Tryan/Jake Long, 3.7, $20,731; 3. Cody Snow/Junior Nogueira, 4.0, $15,654; 4. Andrew Ward/Buddy Hawkins II, 4.1, $11,000; 5. Levi Simpson/Shay Dixon Carroll, 4.7, $6,769; 6. Erich Rogers/Paden Bray, 5.0, $4,231.
