BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN
Tim O’Connell admitted he wasn’t happy with how he was riding or his body language through the first three rounds of the 2020 Wrangler NFR. He got back on track Sunday night with a Go-Round record-tying 90.5 points on Fettig Pro Rodeo’s Pop A Top.
“It was only Round Four, but this thing could’ve got out of hand pretty quick. There is a handful of us who are in a dirty knife fight for this Gold Buckle and I’m not going down without a fight,” O’Connell said.
O’CONNEL’S RIDE
After Kaycee Feild’s Round Three win, he had gotten within $2,000 of O’Connell. However, O’Connell was able to stretch that out to close to $30,000 after Sunday’s win.
“What a fun horse to get my mojo back rolling,” he said. “I really needed that.”
O’Connell and Feild are now tied for third in the average alongside Jess Pope and Cole Reiner. Richmond Champion i second and NFR Rookie Leighton Berry is first.
Berry was second in the Go-Round for the third straight night. Sunday, he was 88.5 on Calgary’s Arbitrator Joe.
BERRY’S RIDE
NFR Bareback Riding Results
First Round: 1. Richmond Champion, 87.5 points on J Bar J’s Blessed Assurance, $26,231; 2. (tie) Mason Clements and Jess Pope, 87, $18,192 each; 4. (tie) Cole Reiner and Clayton Biglow, 85, $8,885 each; 6. Chad Rutherford, 84.5, $4,231.
Second Round: 1. Tanner Aus, 87 points on Hi Lo Pro Rodeo’s Wilson Sanchez, $26,231; 2. (tie) Leighton Berry, Tim O’Connell and Kaycee Feild, 86.5, $15,795 each; 5. Cole Reiner, 86, $6,769; 6. Winn Ratliff, 84.5, $4,231.
Third Round: 1. Kaycee Feild, 91.5 points on Calgary Stampede’s Xplosive Skies, $26,231; 2. Leighton Berry, 88, $20,731; 3. Richmond Champion, 87.5, $15,654; 4. Jess Pope, 86, $11,000; 5. Cole Reiner, 84.5, $6,769; 6. Mason Clements, 83, $4,231.
Fourth Round: 1. Tim O’Connell, 90.5 points on Fettig Pro Rodeo’s Pop A Top, $26,231; 2. Leighton Berry, 88.5, $20,731; 3. (tie) Clayton Biglow and Tilden Hooper, 86.5, $13,327 each; 5. (tie) Cole Reiner, Jess Pope and Richmond Champion, 85, $3,667 each.
