BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
The arena lost power, a rookie got his first NFR round win and a World Champion tied an arena record are all headlines that prevailed from an interesting Round 6 in the Thomas & Mack Center on Tuesday night.
Before a delay of about 15 minutes in the middle of the steer wrestling, Rocker Steiner rode Top Notch for 88.5 points to record his first win in Las Vegas.
"(My family) was saying that my time is coming,” Steiner said. “I just had to trust them and listen to my friend Lefty Holman, who’s been kicking ass here all week, they just kept telling me my time was coming, just wait, just wait.”
In tie-down roping, Shad Mayfield got back into Gold Buckle contention with a 6.5-second run, which matches Cody Ohl and Trevor Brazile for the fastest all time inside the Thomas & Mack.
“That’s pretty special to watch those guys be 6.5 and have my name be right there beside them,” he said.
Making Mayfield’s run even more impressive was the fact that John Douch was 6.6 right before him, leading him to channel one of his fellow recordholders with his celebration.
“That’s something I’ve always dreamed of, throwing my hat like Cody Ohl used to,” Mayfield said.
Other Round 6 winners were Tristan Martin in steer wrestling, Chad Masters/Joseph Harrison in team roping, Logan Hay in saddle bronc riding, Emily Beisel and Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi in barrel racing and Tristen Hutchings in bull riding.
BAREBACK RIDING
Steiner’s first career Go-Round win moved him to No. 7 in the PRCA World Standings and No. 6 in the NFR Average. Jess Pope still leads both the World Standings and the Average.
1. Rocker Steiner, 88.5 $28,914
2. Tanner Aus, 88, $22,851
3. Leighton Berry, 87.5, $17,255
4. Cole Franks, 87, $12,125
T5. Kaycee Feild, 86.5, $6,063
STEER WRESTLING
Tristan Martin now has a round win in each of his first two NFRs as he tied for the second fastest time of the rodeo with a 3.5-second run.
Stetson Jorgensen leads the PRCA World Standings by about $28,000 over Will Lummus and Kyle Irwin leads the NFR Average.
1. Tristan Martin, 3.5, $28,914
2. Will Lummus, 3.8, $22,851
T3. Nick Guy, 3.9, $14,690
T3. Tanner Brunner, 3.9, $14,690
5. J.D. Struxness, 4.0, $7,462
T6. Timmy Sparing, 4.1 $2,332
T6. Dakota Eldridge, 4.1, $2,332
TEAM ROPING
Chad Masters/Joseph Harrison won the round and Tanner Tomlinson/Patrick Smith applied a little pressure to Kaleb Driggers/Junior Noguiera after placing for the fifth consecutive round.
Tomlinson/Smith are still more than $75,000 behind Driggers/Nogueira, however, they lead the Average, which comes with a payday of $74,150.
1. Chad Masters/Joseph Harrison, 4.0, $28,914
2. Lightning Aguilera/Jonathan Torres, 4.1, $22,851
3. Tanner Tomlinson/Patrick Smith, 4.3, $17,255
4. Jr. Dees/Levi Lord, 4.7, $12,125
5. Tyler Wade/Trey Yates, 8.6, $7,462
6. Dustin Egusquiza/Travis Graves, 8.9, $4,664
SADDLE BRONC RIDING
Logan Hay won his second consecutive round as he continues to make the most out of his first NFR. He is up now up to No. 4 in the World Standings and No. 3 in the NFR Average.
Sage Newman is still No. 1 in the world, however, Stetson Wright, who is No. 2 in the World Standings and the NFR Average, is the current projected World Champion.
1. Logan Hay, 87.5, $28,914
2. Stetson Wright, 87, $22,851
3. Zeke Thurston, 86, $17,255
4. Layton Green, 85.5, $12,125
5. Wyatt Casper, 85, $7,462
6. Kolby Wanchuk, 84.5, $4,664
TIE-DOWN ROPING
Shad Mayfield was 6.5 and John Douch was 6.6 in a terrific tie-down roping round that required an 8 flat or faster to cash. Caleb Smidt remains No. 1 in the World Standings and the NFR Average.
1. Shad Mayfield, 6.5, $28,914
2. John Douch, 6.6, $22,851
3. Caleb Smidt, 7.5, $17,255
4. Riley Webb, 7.7, $12,125
5. Macon Murphy, 7.8, $7,462
6. Cory Solomon, 8.0, $4,664
BARREL RACING
Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi got her first round win since 2011 and Emily Beisel got her second this NFR as there was a tie in the barrel race for the second consecutive night.
1. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 13.57, $25,882
T1. Emily Beisel, 13.57, $25,882
3. Bayleigh Choate, 13.63, $17,255
4. Lisa Lockhart, 13.64, $12,125
5. Jessica Routier, 13.65, $7,462
6. Shelley Morgan, 13.70, $4,664
BULL RIDING
Tristen Hutchings won his third round in just six career NFR performances and Stetson Wright and Josh Frost both covered their bulls again and both are 5-for-6. They sit No. 1 and 2 in the World Standings and the NFR Average. Eight cowboys rode for the second time this NFR in Round 6.
1. Tristen Hutchings, 88, $28,914
2. Stetson Wright, 86.5, $22,851
T3. Trevor Kastner, 85.5, $14,690
T3. Josh Frost, 85.5, $14,960
5. Garrett Smith, 84, $7,462
T6. Creek Young, 82.5, $2,332
T6. Ky Hamilton, 82.5, $2,332