BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
After winning the NFR Average and a World Championship in 2021, tie-down roper Caleb Smidt has been even better in 2022.
With a 7.2-second run on Friday night, he made it back-to-back round wins to move to No. 2 in the PRCA World Standings and cut Shad Mayfield’s lead to less than $20,000.
“I’m going to do the same thing I did the last two nights,” Smidt said. “As long as I keep having fun and keep my steps simple, it’ll be a lot of fun here.”
Another reigning World Champion had a good Friday night in Vegas as well. With a win in the bull riding, Stetson Wright pushed his career earnings to $2,050,520.
Wright, who has won five World Titles in the last three seasons, was 88 points on Pookie Holler. Thanks to ground money, the ride earned him nearly $50,000.
Other round winners were Leighton Berry in bareback riding, Hunter Cure in steer wrestling, Clay Smith/Jake Long in team roping and Hailey Kinsel in barrel racing.
BAREBACK RIDING
Leighton Berry notched his first career Go-Round win as eight cowboys were all between 83.5 and 86.5 points. Berry’s 86.5 on Top Egyptian of Pickett Pro Rodeo put him a point ahead of Tilden Hooper and Tanner Aus.
1. Leighton Berry, 86.5, $28,914
T2. Tilden Hooper, 85.5, $20,053
T2. Tanner Aus, 85.5, $20,053
4. Jess Pope, 85, $12,125
5. Tim O’Connell, 84, $7,462
T6. Ty Breuer, 83.5, $1,555
T6. Cole Franks, 83.5, $1,555
T6. R.C. Landingham, 83.5, $1,555
STEER WRESTLING
Two-time World Champion Hunter Cure threw one in 3.7 seconds to pick up a Go-Round win at his first NFR since 2019. World No. 1 Stetson Jorgensen was second with a 4.2-second run to make it two straight Top 3 finishes.
1. Hunter Cure, 3.7, $28,914
2. Stetson Jorgensen, 4.2, $22,851
3. Kyle Irwin, 4.3, $17,255
4. Tyler Waguespack, 4.4, $12,125
5. Tristan Martin, 4.6, $7,462
6. Rowdy Parrott
TEAM ROPING
Clay Smith/Jake Long were 4.1 seconds to win a team roping round that had four times of 4.4 seconds or faster. The round win pushed Long to No. 2 in the PRCA Heeling World Standings.
1. Smith/Long, 4.1, $28,914
2. Ward/Hawkins, 4.3, $22,851
T3. Tomlinson/Smith, 4.4, $14,690
T3. Drigger/Nogueira, 4.4, $14,960
5. Orman/Crites, 4.8, $7,462
6. Snow/Thorp, 4.9, $4,864
SADDLE BRONC RIDING
It is likely too early to start looking at the Average but with 86.5 points on Thursday and a round-winning 87 points on Friday, Lefty Holman is currently the man to beat in the saddle bronc riding. Holman is one of three bronc riders to place in each of the first two rounds, the others being Zeke Thurston and Sage Newman.
1. Lefty Holman, 87, $28,914
T2. Logan Hay, 85.5, $17,410
T2. Tanner Butner, 85.5, $17,410
T2. Zeke Thurston, 85.5, $17,410
5. Stetson Wright, 85, $7,462
T6. Wyatt Casper, 82, $1,555
T6. Kolby Wanchuk, 82, $1,555
T6. Sage Newman, 82, $1,555
TIE-DOWN ROPING
After being the only tie-down roper in the 7s last night, Smidt won a Round 2 that saw four cowboys stop the clock at 7.8 seconds or faster. World No. 1 Shad Mayfield was able to keep pace with Smidt with a 7.4 to finish second.
1. Caleb Smidt, 7.2, $28,914
2. Shad Mayfield, 7.4, $22,851
3. Hunter Herrin, 7.7, $17,255
4. Shane Hanchey, 7.8, $12,125
T5. Ty Harris, 8.4, $4,042
T5. Zack Jongbloed, 8.4, $4,042
T5. Haven Meged, 8.4, $4,042
BARREL RACING
Three-time World Champion Hailey Kinsel got back on top of the rodeo world with a 13.61-second run to win Round 2 by just over a tenth of a second.
1. Hailey Kinsel, 13.61, $28,914
2. Margo Crowther, 13.72, $22,851
3. Wenda Johnson, 13.75, $17,255
4. Lisa Lockhart, 13.78, $12,125
5. Sissy Winn, 13.88, $7,462
6. Shelley Morgan, 13.91, $4,664
BULL RIDING
The bulls got their revenge after more than half of the cowboys made the whistle last night as only traveling partners Stetson Wright and Ky Hamilton rode. Each took home more than $40,000.
1. Stetson Wright, 88, $49,666
2. Ky Hamilton, 77.5, $43,604