Adam Gray won his first outright Go-Round in six years on Sunday in Round 4. Gray had the quickest hands, stopping the clock at 7.8 seconds to win Round 4. Last year Gray split round 10 with Shane Hanchey.
Gray says a change in the way he approaches each round is to credit for his big payday.
“I try to go at them, and I’ve been guilty in the past of being too conservative, so as I get further in my career and realize there’s less and less of that I need to be more aggressive,” Gray said. “There are 10 rounds, and you never know what’s going to happen. There are so many variables so you really try and win as much as you can before the end, don’t just play the average game. I’d like to win a check from every round from here on out.”
Gray moved into the top-5 in the World Standings after the win. Everyone continues to chase Shad Mayfield who has struggled in the last three rounds of the NFR. Mayfield has not placed in a round since the first and is almost certainly out of the average barring a big turn of events.
NFR TIE-DOWN ROPING RESULTS
First round: 1. Marty Yates, 7.1 seconds, $26,231; 2. Shad Mayfield, 7.5, $20,731; 3. Ty Harris, 7.8, $15,654; 4. Caddo Lewallen, 8.1, $11,000; 5. (tie) Westyn Hughes and Cory Solomon, 8.3, $5,500 each.
Second round: 1. Marty Yates, 7.2 seconds, $26,231; 2. Timber Moore, 7.7, $20,731; 3. Tyson Durfey, 8.0, $15,654; 4. (tie) Shane Hanchey and Westyn Hughes, 8.1, $8,885 each; 6. Tyler Milligan, 8.2, $4,231.
Third round: 1. Cory Solomon, 7.0 seconds, $26,231; 2. (tie) Hunter Herrin and Tyson Durfey, 7.3, $18,192 each; 4. Shane Hanchey, 7.4, $11,000; 5. Adam Gray, 7.8, $6,769; 6. Westyn Hughes, 8.1, $4,231.
Fourth round: 1. Adam Gray, 7.8 seconds, $26,231; 2. Westyn Hughes, 7.9, $20,731; 3. Tyson Durfey, 8.0, $15,654; 4. Tuf Cooper, 8.2, $11,000; 5. (tie) Haven Meged and Ryan Jarrett, 8.4, $5,500 each.
