Ryan Jarrett hasn’t lived in Oklahoma all that long, but he realizes the significance of the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo taking place in his home state.

Jarrett, the 2005 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association all-around world champion, roped and tied his calf in 8.3 seconds for the fastest time in tie-down roping Friday night at Jim Norick Arena. That was good enough for second place in the opening go-round, a tenth of a second behind round winner Brett Fleming of Warden, Mont.

“It always feels good to win something close to the house,” said Jarrett of Comanche, Okla. “Being this rodeo is a national championship, it’s kind of like double-dipping.”

It’s a pretty nice double dip. Originally from Summerville, Ga., Jarrett earned $3,428 for his runner-up finish – Fleming, who competed Thursday night, won $4,525. More importantly, he’s in a good position heading into the second go-round, set for performances at 1 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

“Tomorrow afternoon I’ll just try to be close to the barrier and don’t take a bad throw,” he said, explaining the string barrier that allows the timed-event livestock a head start. “I need to be in there for a good position in the average. It’s about Sunday from here on out.”

The DNCFR features 24 contestants in each of the standard rodeo events – each cowboy and cowgirl will compete in two go-rounds. The top eight in the two-run aggregate qualify for the semifinals set to begin at 1 p.m. Sunday, where they slate will be cleaned and no times carried over. The top four times or scores qualify for the final round, where the slate is cleaned again. The fastest time or highest score will be crowned national champion Sunday afternoon.

It’s a title each of the contestants wants when the weekend concludes, and it’s what’s driving them through the rugged test of competition. For Jarrett, he’s taking this test on Buddy, a horse owned by Ronnie Austin of Ringling, Okla.

“I won fourth on him at Fort Worth (Texas),” said Jarrett, a three-time DNCFR qualifier. “I just take him to these deals that are close to the house. Ronnie’s been real good about me taking him and using him whenever. He likes to see someone doing good on his horse.”

The best scores and times from Friday’s second performance included bareback rider Kelly Timberman of Mills, Wyo., 77 points on Painted Pony’s Shasta; steer wrestler Seth Murphy of South Heart, N.D., 4.2 seconds; saddle bronc rider Townsend Prince of Livermore, Colo., 82 points on Kesler Rodeo’s Starburst; team ropers Garrett Tonozzi, Fruita, Colo./Jhett Johnson, Casper, Wyo., 5.8; barrel racer Tana Renick of Kingston, Okla., 15.26 seconds; and bull rider Seth Glause of Rock Springs, Wyo., 88 points on Burns Rodeo’s Kid Twist.

Bareback Riding
1.         Kaycee Feild, Payson, Utah, 84 points on J Bar J’s Freckled Doll, $4,525
2.         (tie) Dave Worsfold, Queensland, AU, 80, $2,948
Brian Bain, Culver, Ore., 80, $2,948
4.         Kelly Timberman, Mills, Wyo., 77, $1,645
5.         (tie) Wes Stevenson, Lubbock, Texas, 76, $329
Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., 76, $329
Justin Miller, Billings, Mont., 76, $329
Tanner Aus, Granite Falls, Minn., 76, $329
Wyatt Hancock, Taylor, Ariz., 76, $329
Steer Wrestling
1.         Stockton Graves, Newkirk, Okla., 3.3 seconds, $4,525
2.         Ty Erickson, Helena, Mont., 3.9, $3,428
3.         John Franzen, Riverton, Wyo., 4.1, $2,468
4.         Seth Murphy, South Heart, N.D., 4.2, $1,645
5.         (tie) Adam Strahan, Kankakee, Ill., 4.3, $823
Wade Sumpter, Fowler, Colo., 4.3, $823
Tie-Down Roping
1.         Brett Fleming, Worden, Mont., 8.2 seconds, $4,525
2.         Ryan Jarrett, Summerville, Ga., 8.3, $3,428
3.         (tie) Tyson Durfey, Colbert, Wash., 9.1, $2,057
Seth Murphy, South Heart, N.D., 9.1, $2,057
5.         Grady Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 9.5, $960
6.         Blake Hirdes, Turlock, Calif., 9.6, $686
Saddle Bronc Riding
1.         JJ Elshere, Quinn, S.D., 85 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Firelane, $4,525
2.         Townsend Prince, Livermore, Colo., 82, $3,428
3.         (tie) Jesse Kruse, Great Falls, Mont., 81, $2,057
Heith DeMoss, Heflin, La., 81, $2,057
5.         (tie) Jesse Wright, Milford, Utah, 80, $548
Scott Miller, Hillsboro, Texas, 80, $548
Jake Costello, Newell, S.D., 80, $548
Team Roping
1.         Charly Crawford, Prineville, Ore./Russell Cardoza, Terrebonne, Ore., 5.5 seconds, $4,525
2.         Luke Brown, Stephenville, Texas/Martin Lucero, Stephenville, Texas, 5.7, $3,428
3.         Garrett Tonozzi, Fruita, Colo./Jhett Johnson, Casper, Wyo., 5.8, $2,468
4.         Jason Handy, Stobey, Mont./Kory Mytty, Lolo, Mont., 6.0, $1,645
5.         Brett Price, Faith, S.D./Paul Griemsman, Piedmont, S.D., 6.4, $960
6.         Tom Richards, Humboldt, Ariz./Tyler Getzwiller, Scottsdale, Ariz., 6.8, $686
Barrel Racing
1.         Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 15.24 seconds, $4,525
2.         Tana Renick, Kingston, Okla., 15.26, $3,428
3.         Michelle West, Henryetta, Okla., 15.44, $2,468
4.         Linda Vick, Hesperia, Calif., 15.50, $1,645
5.         Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., 15.51, $960
6.         (tie) Jessi Eagleberger, Stringtown, Okla., 15.52, $343
Lindsay Karp, Missoula, Mont., 15.52, $343
Bull Riding
1.         Seth Glause, Rock Springs, Wyo., 88 points on Burns Rodeo’s Kid Twist, $4,525
2.         Ryan Shanklin, Rocksprings, Texas, 86, $3,428
3.         Shawn Proctor, Tooele, Utah, 85, $2,468
4.         Jacob O’Mara, Prairieville, La., 83, $1,645
No other qualified scores