The Star-Tribune staff | Posted: Friday, December 7, 2007 12:00 am
with wire reports
LAS VEGAS - Wade Sumpter took the world lead in steer wrestling with a victory, and two cowboys with Wyoming ties took second and third in the event Thursday night in the first round of the 10-round Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
In steer wrestling, Sumpter, from Fowler, Colo., won with a time of 3.5 seconds to move from fifth to first in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association standings with $109,677. Luke Branquinho of Los Alamos, Calif., entered the NFR as the leader with $106,464, but he didn't register a time during the first round and fell to third.
"You've always got a shot here," Sumpter said. "They give away so much money and you never know what's going to happen. You can come from a long way behind and win lots of money."
Jason Miller, who is from Lance Creek, finished the first round second with a time of 3.6, while Todd Suhn, a former UW cowboy, placed third at 3.9. Sean Mulligan, another former UW cowboy, placed 12th at 5.7. Mulligan was the last wrestler to register a time. Casey McMillen, a former Casper College cowboy, didn't time.
In saddle bronc, Cody DeMoss moved into the top spot in the standings with a victory. DeMoss, from Heflin, La., took the lead with an 85-point ride on Spring Blues. He moved up from third to first in the standings with $127,474, while previous leader Cody Wright of Milford, Utah, was bucked off of Spring Planting in 4.5 seconds and fell to second with $120,196.
"Usually we just try to struggle through, and today that was just a really good horse," DeMoss said. "I'm just tickled pink. I'm ready to go now."
Rod Hay, a former Sheridan College cowboy, was second in saddle bronc, just half a point behind DeMoss after his 84.5 ride on Round Robin. Chet Johnson, a Wyoming native now living in Gillette, was 11th with 75.5 ride on Sun Devil.
In bareback riding, Jason Jeter of Mansfield, Texas, won with 86.5 points on Coconut Roll. Jeter returns to the NFR after having his five-year streak broken in 2006.
"I've never done it (placed first during the opening round of the NFR) before," Jeter said. "I hope I win the second round, too, because I've never won that before, either. I think that every round I've ever won has been the third round. I've won second in a bunch of rounds, and I think I have won four rounds and it's always been in the third round."
Kelly Timberman, who lives in Mills, was the best finisher with Wyoming ties. He placed 10th with an 81.5 on Scarlett's Topper, while Heath Ford, a former Central Wyoming cowboy, was 11th at 80.5 on Atomic Betty, and Ryan Gray, whose grandparents live in Casper, placed last at 71.5 on Owl Hoot Trail.
In bull riding, J.W. Harris of May, Texas, placed first with a score of 89 on Lights Out. Standings leader and defending champion B.J. Schumacher of Hillsboro, Wis., lasted 7.1 seconds on Savage Shaker and didn't score during the first round. He remained the season leader with $158,752.
Kanin Asay, from Powell, was second in the standing going into the National Finals Rodeo. Asay, and Bobby Welsh of Gillette, both failed to ride eight seconds.
In team roping, Travis Tryan of Billings, Mont., and Michael Jones of Stephenville, Texas, won in 4.3 seconds. Casper native Jhett Johnson and his partner Keven Daniel were seventh with a time of 9.9.
In barrel racing, Jill Moody of Letcher, S.D., placed first in 14.0, with standings leader Brittany Pozzi-Pharr of Victoria, Texas, close behind in second with a time of 14.01. Brandie Halls, a Wyoming native who lives in Carpenter, placed 13th in with a time of 19.15
In tie-down roping, Cody Ohl of Hico, Texas, placed first with a time of 7.6. Trevor Brazile of Decatur, Texas, held the season lead with $132,539, but he didn't place with a time of 13.9 in the opening round. Brazile is trying to become the first competitor since Roy Cooper in 1983 to win four gold buckles. He has already won the steer roping world championship, leads both the tie-down roping and all-around standings and entered the NFR 10th in team roping.
National Finals Rodeo
Thursday
At Thomas & Mack Center
Las Vegas
Payouts: 1. $16,394.23; 2. $12,956.73; 3. $9,783.65; 4. $6,875; 5. $4,230.77; 6. $2,644.23. Competitors split placing earnings in the event of a tie.
Round One
Bareback riding
1. Jason Jeter, Mansfield, Texas, 86.5 points on Calgary Stampede's Coconut Roll. 2. Tom McFarland, Wickenburg, Ariz., 85. 3. Cimmaron Gerke, Brighton, Colo., Scott Montague, Rapid City, S.D., 84.5. 5. Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb., 84.0. 6. Royce Ford, Briggsdale, Colo., 83.5. 7. Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., Will Lowe, Canyon, Texas, 83. 9. Justin McDaniel, Porum, Okla., 82.5. 10. Kelly Timberman, Mills, 81.5. 11. Heath Ford, Greeley, Colo., 80.5. 12. Jess Davis, Payson, Utah, 79.5. 13. Chris Harris, Itasca, Texas, 78. 14. Jason Havens, Prineville, Ore., 75. 15. Ryan Gray, Cheney, Wash., 71.5.
Steer wrestling
1. Wade Sumpter, Fowler, Colo. 3.5. 2. Jason Miller, Lance Creek, 3.6. 3. Todd Suhn, North Platte, Neb., 3.9. 4. Shawn Greenfield, Lakeview, Ore., 4.2. 5. Jule Hazen, Protection, Kan., 4.4. 6. Lee Graves, Calgary, Alberta, 4.5. 7. Stockton Graves, Newkirk, Okla., 4.6. 8. Matt Reeves. Pampa, Texas, 4.8. 9. Joey Bell Jr., Malakoff, Texas, 5.0. 10. Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo., 5.1. 11. Trevor Knowles, Mount Vernon, Ore., 5.3. 12. Sean Mulligan, Coleman, Okla., 5.7. NT-Luke Branquinho, Los Alamos, Calif.. Casey McMillen, Craig, Colo., Jake Rinehart, Highmore, S.D.
Team roping
1. Travis Tryan, Billings, Mont./Michael Jones, Stephenville, Texas, 4.3. 2. Chad Masters, Clarksville, Tenn./Allen Bach, Weatherford, Texas, 4.5. 3. Tee Woolman, Llano, Texas/Cory Petska, Lexington, Okla., 4.6. 4. Jake Barnes, Scottsdale, Ariz./Clay O'Brien Cooper, Morgan Hill, Texas, 5.1. 5. Jake Cooper, Monument, N.M./Jimmie Cooper, Monument, N.M., 5.7. 6. Jimmy Edens, Gatesville, Texas/Ryan Motes, Weatherford, Texas, 6.3. 7. Keven Daniel, Franklin, Tenn./Jhett Johnson, Casper, 9.9. 8. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas/Patrick Smith, Midland, Texas, 11.6. 9. Charly Crawford, Prineville, Ore./Britt Bockius, Claremore, Okla., 11.8. 10. Clay Tryan, Billings, Mont./Walt Woodard, Stockton, Calif., 14.1. 11. Tommy Edens, Gatesville, Texas/Coby Jones, Gatesville, Texas, 17.2. 12. Speed Williams, Deleon, Texas/Dean Tuftin, Prineville, Ore., 18.8. 13. Brandon Beers, Powell Butte, Ore./Mike Beers, Post, Ore., 19.3. NT-David Key, Caldwell, Texas/Kory Koontz, Sudan, Texas; Colter Todd,
Marana, Ariz./Cesar de la Cruz, Tucson, Ariz.
Saddle Bronc Riding
1. Cody DeMoss, Heflin, La., 85 points on Flying 5 Rodeo's Spring Blues; 2. Rod Hay, Wildwood, Alberta, 84.5 on Bar T Rodeo's Round Robin; 3. Jeff Willert, Belvidere, S.D., Billy Etbauer, Edmond, Okla., 84.; 5. Ryan Mapston, Belt, Mont., 83.5; 6. Isaac Diaz, Stephensville, Texas, 83; 7. Rusty Allen, Lehi, Utah, Anthony Bello, Oakley, Utah, and Heith DeMoss, Crowville, La., 81.5; 10. Justin Arnold, 76.5; 11. Chet Johnson, Gillette, 75.5 on Harry Vold Rodeo's Sun Devil; 12. Jesse Bail, Camp Crook, S.D., 71.5; NS-Cody Wright, Milford, Utah; Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M.; Chad Ferley, Oelrichs, S.D.
Tie Down Roping
1. Cody Ohl, Hico, Texas, 7.6 seconds; 2. Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo., 8.8; 3. Matt Shiozawa, Chubbuck, Idaho, 8.9; 4. Jerome Schneeberger, Ponca City, Okla., 9.1; 5. Clint Cooper, Decatur, Texas, 9.4; 6. Jake Hannum, Ogden, Utah, 9.5; 7. Tyson Durfey, Colbert, Wash., 10.0; 8. Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla., 11.4; 9. Houston Hutto, Del Rio, Texas, 11.6; 10. Mike Johnson, Henryetta, Okla, 12.3; 11. Stran Smith, Childress, Texas, 13.3; 12. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 13.9; 13. Blair Burk, Durant, Okla., 18.2; 14. Scott Kormos, Teague, Texas, 22.2; 15. Nate Baldwin, Blackfoot, Idaho, 22.7.
Barrel Racing
1. Jill Moody, Letcher, S.D., 14.0 seconds; 2. Brittany Pozzi-Pharr, Victoria, Texas, 14.01; 3. Vickie Solmonsen, Riverton, Utah, 14.03; 4. Molly Powell, Stephenville, Texas, 14.21; 5. Tana Poppino, Big Cabin, Okla., 14.26; 6. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 14.31; 7. Terra Bynum, Colorado City, Texas, 14.47; 8. Code Baucom, Carthage, N.C., Debbie Renger, Okotoks, Alberta, 14.52; 10. Brittany Hofstetter, Portales, N.M., 14.53; 11. Maegan Reichert, Mt. Pleasant, Texas, 14.57; 13. Brandie Halls, Carpenter, 19.15; 14. Brenda Mays, Terrebonne, Ore, 19.19; 15. Sherrylynn Johnson, Henryetta, Okla., 24.73.
Bull Riding
1. J.W. Harris, May, Texas, 89 points on Growney Brothers' Lights Out; 2. Wesley Silcox, Payson, Utah, 86.5; 3. Ted Bert, Modesto, Calif., 86; 4. Marcus Michaelis, Caldwell, Idaho, 85.5; 5. Chance Smart, Philadelphia, Miss., 84; 6. Jarrod Craig, Hillsboro, Texas, 78; NS-B.J. Schumacher, Hillsboror, Wis; Dave Samsel, Haslet, Texas; Kanin Asay, Powell, on Diamond G's Charmed I'm Sure; Colin McTaggart, Las Vegas; Howdy Clowd, Kountz, Texas; Cody Hancock, Taylor Ariz.; Clint Craig, Mena, Ark.; Bobby Welsh, Gillette, on Stace Smith's Big Rig; Logan Knibbe, Rockdale, Texas.