LAS VEGAS – Steer wrestler J.D. Struxness has a lot of faith in the horse he’s riding at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, and well he should. “He worked good,” Struxness said of Peso, a 14-year-old sorrel gelding he owns. “He remembered being back in the building. I feel like we got a pretty good[...]

LAS VEGAS – Tyler Pearson knew when he arrived in the Nevada desert that he was going to have to go full speed if he intended to catch the No. 1 man in steer wrestling, Montanan Ty Erickson. Pearson entered the National Finals Rodeo No. 3 in the standings, more than $53,000 behind Erickson. During[...]

LAS VEGAS – Tim Bingham likes it when his mind is clear on the back of a bucking bull. It showed Thursday night during the first round of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, where he matched moves with Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Backup for 85.5 points to finish in a tie for third place. He[...]

LAS VEGAS – Garrett Smith knew when he arrived in Las Vegas that he had a little ground to make up if he has any chance to win the bull riding world championship. He started Thursday night by placing in a tie for third place in the opening round of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.[...]

LAS VEGAS – Thursday night was something Mason Clements had been waiting for since he first arrived in Sin City earlier this week. “All day long I’ve been saving my energy, my focus and my adrenaline for that first, opening ride,” said Clements, a bareback rider from Santaquin, Utah, who matched moves with Frontier Rodeo’s[...]

LAS VEGAS – Tim O’Connell knew something about his first-round bareback horse Thursday at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. “I actually won the opening round here in 2015 on that horse, and I haven’t seen him since 2015 either,” O’Connell said of J Bar J’s Dilly Bar, which he rode for 85 points to finish[...]

LAS VEGAS – A year ago, Orin Larsen waited until the sixth go-round before he earned a paycheck at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. That changed dramatically in 2017. On Thursday night, he rode Frontier Rodeo’s Night Fist for 86.5 points to finish second in the opening go-round. He pocketed $20,731 and pushed his season[...]

LAS VEGAS – Ryan Jarrett has won countless go-rounds in his 11 qualifications to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Thursday night marked the first time in his career that Jarrett has won the opening go-round. He roped and tied his calf in 7.5 seconds to win the round. By doing so, he added $26,231 to[...]

LAS VEGAS – On the first night of his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, saddle bronc rider Hardy Braden finished first. Braden matched moves with Cervi Rodeo’s HATitude Alpha Dog for 87.5 points to win the opening go-round and pocket an additional $26,231. It was a great way to kickstart his inaugural run at ProRodeo’s[...]

Barrel racing: 1. Nellie Miller, 13.64 seconds, $26,231; 2. Kassie Mowry, 13.68, $20,731 ; 3. Hailey Kinsel, 13.69, $1,5654 ; 4. Kathy Grimes, 13.85, $11,000; 5. Tillar Murray, 13.89, $6,769; 6. Ivy Conrado, 13.90, $4,231. Bull riding: 1. Trey Benton, 90 points on Big Stone Rodeo’s Mortimer, $26,231; 2. Roscoe Jarboe, 87, $20,731; 3. (tie) Garrett Smith[...]