NFR 2003 Round 1

LAS VEGAS — Cody De Mers and Ira Slagowski fulfilled their dreams of finally getting a chance to ride in their first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Both didn't disappoint.

De Mers, a bareback rider from Boulder, Mont., and Slagowski, a saddle bronc rider from Carlin, Nev., each took home $14,335 after their first-place rides in front of a capacity crowd of 17,560 at the Thomas & Mack Center.

They were two of the big winners on the first night of the 10-round Wrangler NFR, the world's premier rodeo. Only the top 15 contestants in each of rodeo's events qualified for the event, which will crown world champions at its conclusion on Dec. 14.

De Mers, a former college all-around champion, scored 87 points on Sankey Rodeo's Firecracker. He moved up four places to fourth place in the Jack Daniel's World Standings.

"There were quite a few jitters," De Mers said. "It didn't really hit me until today. It was just kind of a dream, and I don't know if I have woken up yet."

Slagowski, who hails from a small town about 350 miles northeast of Las Vegas, became the first Nevadan since Dan Filippini in 1979 to ride saddle broncs at the Wrangler NFR. Slagowski rode Korkow Rodeo's Dirty Girl for 85 points and the round victory.

"I've always thought I ought to make it here," Slagowski said. "It really makes it worth while being here in Nevada. I'm using up all the tickets each day with my friends and family close."

On the other end of the arena, a pair of nine-time Wrangler NFR veterans in Blair Burk of Durant, Okla., and steer wrestler Birch Negaard of Buffalo, S.D., claimed first-place checks in the opening round.

Burk proved to the world that he's back to 100 percent after undergoing an emergency appendectomy on Oct. 30. Burk roped and tied his calf in 8.1 seconds, topping reigning world champion Fred Whitfield of Hockley, Texas, by just one tenth of a second.

Negaard moved into first place in the world standings after his 3.6-second run, which was one tenth of a second better than Cash Myers of Athens, Texas; Teddy Johnson of Checotah, Okla., and Rod Lyman of Victor, Mont.

Jesse Bail of Camp Crook, S.D., made up ground in the all-around race by winning the first round of bull riding. He scored 90 points on Flying U's Dirty Water after earlier tying for third in saddle bronc riding.

Six-time and reigning world champion team ropers Speed Williams of Amarillo, Texas, and Rich Skelton of Llano, Texas, moved one night closer to tying the all-time record for event world titles. The pair, maybe known as much for their slow starts and fast finishes at the Wrangler NFR, started out with a 4.7-second run, sharing the round title with Travis Tryan of Billings, Mont., and Matt Zancanella of Aurora, S.D.

Barrel racer Kelly Kaminski reclaimed the world standings lead Friday after a round-winning time of 14.05 seconds. Kaminski, who led the standings for most of the season, lost that advantage on the final weekend of the season to Brittany Pozzi of Victoria, Texas.

NFR 2003 Round 2

LAS VEGAS — One night after a couple of newcomers to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo stole the spotlight, world champions and longtime veterans took center stage in second-round action Saturday in front of a packed house of 17,626 in the Thomas & Mack Center.

Four world champions took the victory lap Saturday, highlighted by six-time and reigning world titlist tie-down roper Fred Whitfield of Hockley, Texas. Whitfield, who tied for second place on Friday, recorded a round-winning time of 7.7 seconds Saturday, extending his lead atop the world standings to more than $22,000 as he seeks his fourth world tie-down roping title in the last five years.

"It is a long ways from over," Whitfield said. "I like my position now. They don't give gold buckles away until the 14th. If I continue to rope the way I did in the first two rounds, things should play out the way I want them to."

The Wrangler NFR, offering a purse of $5 million, is professional rodeo's premier rodeo. World champions will be crowned at the end of the 10-round event on Dec. 14.

Action continues Sunday with Round 3 at 7 p.m. (PST).

Bareback rider Clint Corey of Powell Butte, Ore., made his triumphant return to Las Vegas after having his 17-year Wrangler NFR streak broken in 2002. On Saturday, the 42-year old and 1991 world champion wowed the crowd with an 86.5-point ride on Calgary Stampede's French Wake.

"It feels wonderful (to be back)," Corey said. "It was such a disappointment last year after not making it. It made me try a little harder this year and go to a few more rodeos. I'm glad it worked out, and I'm glad I'm back."

Not long after Corey's ride, five-time world saddle bronc riding champion Dan Mortensen of Billings, Mont., scored 90 points on Harry Vold's Smokeless Big Valley. Mortensen, trying to tie the immortal Casey Tibbs for the most event world titles, made up some ground Saturday but still remains $23,000 behind reigning saddle bronc champion Glen O'Neill of Didsbury, Alberta.

Bull rider Terry Don West of Henryetta, Okla., hasn't been quite the same since a frightening accident left him unconscious and with an injured shoulder on Sept. 27 at the Pace Picante ProRodeo Challenge in Omaha, Neb. On Saturday, he made his first qualified ride since, a thrilling 95-point ride on O'Malley's Snake Eater. In the process, he was able to keep challenger Mike Moore at bay. With eight rounds remaining, West leads Moore by $37,000.

The night wasn't just reserved for world champions.

Rod Lyman of Victor, Mont., in his 16th Wrangler NFR, certainly knows his craft. The likeable cowboy has won just about everything in rodeo except claim a gold buckle. After placing on Friday, he went a step further by winning the round with a time of 3.7 seconds. In two days, he has pocketed an event-best $22,967 and has climbed eight spots to sixth place in the world standings.

For the second night in a row, a pair of team ropers tied for the round victory. On Saturday, Wrangler NFR veterans Daniel Green of Oakdale, Calif., and Kory Koontz of Sudan, Texas, started the round with a 4.4-second run, then Shain Sproul of Arlee, Mont., and Wrangler National Finals Rodeo rookie Boogie Ray of Mabank, Texas, matched it later.

Two-time Wrangler NFR barrel racer Jolee Lauteret of Kingman, Ariz., claimed the second-round victory in 13.78 seconds, the fastest round of the rodeo.

NFR 2003 Round 3

LAS VEGAS — It's been nearly two years, but Cody Ohl finally was able to hear the cheers deserving of a champion Sunday night at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Ohl, the 2001 world champion in the all-around and tie-down roping, reminded a sold-out crowd of 17,327 at Thomas & Mack Center how he won those championships, tying his calf in 7 seconds flat to win the third go-round and put himself back in the thick of the race for the world championship.

The first-place check of $14,335 vaulted Ohl (Stephenville, Texas) into second place in the world standings, about $18,000 behind leader and defending world champion Fred Whitfield (Hockley, Texas).

It gives the 30-year-Ohl the chance for his fourth world championship in tie-down roping. The win also allowed Ohl the opportunity to show he is all the way back from the knee injury he suffered in the ninth round of the 2001 NFR that forced him to miss the 10th round and virtually all of the 2002 season.

After being gone a year I was just excited to be able to get back in the box," he said.

"Having people remember what you went through, it makes you feel good. I made a decent run on my first calf and last night I had a flashback of how I got hurt, I had to two-loop one. That's just part of it, I got in too big of a hurry. I just came back tonight and refocused and everything went right."

Riding his new horse, which he named Casino, Ohl decided to do a little gambling.

"I changed my approach a little bit and took a little more gamble at the start," he said. "It was pretty much a flawless run. I was tickled with it. It was the best run I've made in the last couple of months. Hopefully it will get me on a roll the next week."

Also tickled, to be sure, was the team roping duo of Daniel Green (Oakdale, Calif.) and Kory Koontz (Sudan, Texas) who tied the arena record of 3.8 seconds in winning the go-round.

"I liked that run," Green said. "I really liked that run. That was fun." Veteran Rod Lyman (Victor, Mont.) continued his hot start in the steer wrestling.

The 42-year-old Lyman turfed his steer in 3.5 seconds and the $14,335 first-place check helped him jump to third place in the world standings, only $4,000 behind leader Birch Negaard (Buffalo, S.D.).

Lyman said he's just approaching things one round at a time and holding nothing back.

"There's absolutely zero room for any error," said Lyman, who has won $37,302 in the first three rounds. "To be off the barrier and go make a safe run in this building is not really possible."

The roughstock events featured the eliminator pens Monday night — the broncs and bulls most likely to buck riders off.

Coming out on top in bareback was Australian-turned Texan Darren Clarke, who rode Bar T Rodeo Company's Smokeless Red Lady for 88.5 points.

"I'd never seen him before, but I talked to Kelly Wardell, the bareback riding director, and he told me that he was a handful. He wasn't wrong, because he sure did buck when he got out there."

In saddle bronc, Cody Wright (Milford, Utah) rode Bar T's Robinhood Snuff for 88 points to win the go-round.

"I've never had this horse before," he said. "I've seen guys that have had him. Cody DeMers [Wright's traveling partner] had him in Spanish Forks [Utah] and they've won quite a few rodeos on him. He bucks a lot of guys off, but I was just lucky enough to stay on."

A lot of riders weren't so lucky, including Ira Slagowski, who was leading the average in saddle bronc heading into the third round. Slagowski was bucked off Powder River Rodeo's Show Me the Cards Dip.

Only two bull riders made the whistle Sunday night.

Myron Duarte (Auburn, Wash.) topped Bad Company Rodeo's Satan's Own for 92 points. Louisiana cowboy Cory Melton was second with an 84.5-point ride on Monster Mash of Rafter H Rodeo Company.

Duarte, riding with his broken left arm (his free arm) in a cast, said he likes the way he is riding this week and his chances for overtaking Terry Don West in the world standings. West (Henryetta, Okla.) was bucked off Big Bend Rodeo Company's world champion bull Smokeless Unforgiven. "There's still seven rounds to go and anything can happen," Duarte said. Jackie Dube (Giddings, Texas) had the fast time of the night in the barrel racing, smoking the course in 13.67, more than 2 100ths of a second faster than second-place Janae Ward (Addington, Okla.).

NFR 2003 Round 4

LAS VEGAS — Since the day in 1998 when Dan Mortensen (Billings, Mont.) won his fifth world saddle bronc riding title, he has heard all the talk about being just one more crown away from tying the legendary Casey Tibbs for the most all time.

He has been close — twice — losing leads on the final day of the 1999 and 2002 seasons. Mortensen put himself in position for No. 6 on Monday by winning the fourth round at the 45th Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in front of 17,208 at the Thomas & Mack Center. Mortensen, who earlier won Round 2 on Saturday, scored 89.5 points on Beutler Brothers & Cervi's Justin Brown Bomber to pull within $8,716 of reigning world champion Glen O'Neill.

"That horse was hard to ride," said Mortensen, who was one of just seven of the 15 cowboys to last the required eight seconds. "She's thrown a lot of guys off at this rodeo the past few years. I was looking forward to giving her a shot."

Mortensen earlier this year became the PRCA's first roughstock cowboy to surpass the $2 million mark in career earnings.

The world's top cowboys and cowgirls have assembled at the Wrangler NFR, where world champions are crowned every year.

Mortensen was one of four world champions to take a victory lap on Monday.

Reigning world all-around champion Trevor Brazile, who qualified for the Wrangler NFR in two events, claimed the round title in tie-down roping — his signature event. Brazile (Decatur, Texas) roped and tied his calf in 7.2 seconds. He continues to hold a dominating lead in the all-around race with an $80,000 bulge over Jesse Bail, the event's only other two-event cowboy.

Reigning world bareback riding champion Bobby Mote shared the Round 4 win with Jason Jeter (Mansfield, Texas), the 2002 Wrangler NFR aggregate champion. Mote scored 88.5 points on Bar T Rodeo's Calamity Jane, while Jeter rode Powder River Rodeo's Spotted Bird for the same score.

Mickey Gee, who came from nowhere to snatch the 1999 world steer wrestling title, took top honors in his event with a 4.0-second run in Round 4. It was his first round victory since his dramatic 10th-round victory that gave him the gold buckle.

Team ropers Shain Sproul (Arlee, Mont.) and Boogie Ray (Mabank, Texas) won for the second time in four days. The new combination stopped the clock in 4.0 seconds on Monday, while six-time and reigning champions Speed Williams (Amarillo, Texas) and Rich Skelton (Llano, Texas) finished second and further extended their leads in the heading and heeling standings, respectively, to more than $50,000.

Bull riders Mike Moore (Kankakee, Ill.) and B.J. Schumacher (Hillsboro, Wis.) shared the round victory with 90.5-point rides. Moore, currently second in the world standings, closed the gap to $24,000 on leader Terry Don West (Henryetta, Okla.).

Moore posted his score on Cervi Championship Rodeo's Johnny Walker Red, while Schumacher took his ride on Burns Rodeo's Blender Head Snuff.

Barrel racer Kelly Kaminski (Bellville, Texas) extended her lead atop the Jack Daniel's World Standings with a Round 4 victory Monday. She completed the cloverleaf patter in 13.91 seconds — good for $14,335. She has a $26,000 lead over Brittany Pozzi (Victoria, Texas) with five rounds remaining.

NFR 2003 Round 5

LAS VEGAS — Billy Etbauer probably won't win a gold buckle this weekend, but the four-time world champion still found a way to make his mark on the 45th Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

Etbauer (Edmond, Okla.), on Tuesday reclaimed the Wrangler NFR arena record by scoring 93 points on Cervi Championship's Cool Alley Dip. The mark eclipsed the 92 points put up by five-time world saddle bronc riding champion Dan Mortensen in Round 9 of the 2002 Wrangler NFR.

That ride broke the previous best in the Thomas & Mack Center of 90, set by Etbauer aboard Cervi Championship Rodeo's Rio Bravo in Round 10 of the 1999 NFR.

"Chances are, it will be broken again tomorrow," Etbauer said. "I'm just glad that everything came together."

Etbauer, 40, is riding in his 15th consecutive Wrangler NFR, a mark bettered by just two other cowboys — Mel Coleman and Tom Reeves. He claimed world titles in 1992, 1996, 1999 and 2000.

"It's great to be back," Etbauer said. "This is just where a guy wants to be. Hopefully, I will just stay healthy and try to keep riding better."

Only the top 15 contestants in each of rodeo's events qualified for the Wrangler NFR, which is doling out an event-record purse of $5 million. At the conclusion of the 10-day rodeo, world champions will be declared based on 2003 earnings in the Jack Daniel's World Standings.

On Tuesday, a sellout crowd 17,124 packed into the Thomas & Mack Center as the Wrangler NFR hit its halfway point. Round 6 gets under way at 7 p.m. (PST) Wednesday.

Steer wrestler Birch Negaard (Buffalo, S.D.) is making his ninth Wrangler NFR appearance and moved back into first place in the world standings by sharing the round title with Luke Branquinho (Los Alamos, Calif.).

Both turfed their Round 5 steers in 3.6 seconds

Negaard has an advantage of nearly $2,000 over regular-season earnings leader Shawn Greenfield (Lakeview, Ore.) with five rounds remaining.

Negaard also stopped the clock in 3.6 seconds in winning the first round on Friday.

"I'm excited to have another win under my belt," Negaard said. "I broke the barrier (in the third round) and it cost me a ton. I just have to go at 'em every night and see what happens."

Bareback rider Cody De Mers (Boulder, Mont.) also won his second round of the Wrangler NFR by riding Kesler Rodeo's Skyreach Dip for 90.5 points. He, like Negaard, took his first victory lap on Friday.

Tie-down roper Johnny Emmons (Grandview, Texas) did his best to erase bad memories from his fifth Wrangler NFR. After recording just one time in four rounds, Emmons had a change for the better when he won Round 5 by roping and tying his calf in 7.7 seconds.

Bull rider Ryan Brown made his first qualified ride count by scoring 91.5 points on Sutton Rodeo's Smokeless Little Yellow Whale for his first Wrangler NFR round victory.

Team ropers Wade Wheatley (Hughson, Calif.) and Britt Bockius (Claremore, Calif.) claimed the round victory with a time of 4.6 seconds, while two-time barrel racing champion Sherry Cervi of Marana, Ariz., covered the cloverleaf pattern in 13.98 seconds to claim her first round buckle of the Wrangler NFR.

NFR 2003 Round 6

LAS VEGAS — With 37 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo appearances and 10 world titles between them, it was only a matter of time before Jake Barnes (Scottsdale, Ariz.) and Allen Bach (Weatherford, Texas) found their way to the top.

The veteran tandem stopped the clock in 3.9 seconds Wednesday to claim the Round 6 victory in front of 17,124 fans in the Thomas & Mack Center, and both moved into second place in the world heading and heeling standings, respectively.

Barnes, who won a record seven team roping titles with Clay O'Brien Cooper, is trying to catch standings leader and six-time world champion Speed Williams (Amarillo, Texas) and keep him from tying the record. But Barnes has some work to do with limited time to do it; he trails Williams by more than $42,000 with just four rounds remaining.

"What's really cool is the fact that Speed and Rich [Skelton] right now are trying to tie Jake and Clay's record," Bach said. "It seems ironic that, here's Jake, he's the guy that has got the best shot to stop them from getting it done. It's like one of those matches made in heaven."

Bach this year tied the Wrangler NFR event record with 19 team roping qualifications. He's competing in the sold-out Thomas & Mack Center with the 117 other cowboys and cowgirls who during the regular season were among the top money winners in rodeo's seven events. World champions, based on total annual earnings, will be crowned at the end of the 10-day rodeo, which has a purse of $5 million.

Round 7 gets under way at 7 p.m. (PST) Thursday.

The Barnes/Bach victory was one of several featuring contestants who have made up ground on the world standings leaders and are within striking distance of catching them before the Wrangler NFR ends on Sunday.

Four-time world champion Cody Ohl (Stephenville, Texas) won his second round of the Wrangler NFR in tie-down roping, recording a time of in 7.1 seconds. He remained in second place and moved to within $11,412 of reigning and seven-time world champion Fred Whitfield (Hockley, Texas).

"Fred was getting farther and farther away from me, and it was time to go for the smash," Ohl said. "It was time to speed things up a little bit and things worked out."

Two-time world champion barrel racer Sherry Cervi (Marana, Ariz.) won her second round in a row, covering the pattern in 13.96 seconds. Cervi jumped into second place in the world standings and trails leader Kelly Kaminski (Bellville, Texas) by $33,000.

Steer wrestler Teddy Johnston (Checotah, Okla.), the world runner-up in 2000, moved into third place after winning Round 6 with a 3.3-second run — the fastest of this year's Wrangler NFR. Johnson is just $300 out of second place and $4,886 shy of leader Birch Negaard (Buffalo, S.D.).

Bull rider B.J. Schumacher (Hillsboro, Wis.) claimed the Round 6 victory with an 87.5-point ride on Stace Smith's Dirty White Bull and moved into third place in the standings, still $29,000 out of the lead held by Terry Don West (Henryetta, Okla.).

Elsewhere, Royce Ford (Kersey, Colo.), son of five-time world bareback riding champion and ProRodeo Hall of Famer Bruce Ford, claimed the round title with a 90-point ride on Cervi Championship's Ernie's Pet, while saddle bronc rider Mike Outhier (Utopia, Texas) took the victory lap after scoring 87.5 points on Korkow's Dirty Girl.

NFR 2003 Round 7

LAS VEGAS — Cody Ohl and Teddy Johnson missed performing at last year's Wrangler National Finals Rodeo so much they're both making up for lost time in 2003.

Ohl (Stephenville, Texas) and Johnson (Checotah, Okla.) each won his second consecutive round Thursday in tie-down roping and steer wrestling, respectively. The victories highlighted Round 7 action from the 45th Wrangler NFR in front of 17,350 fans in the Thomas & Mack Center.

Besides winning the round, each moved into first place in his respective event in the Jack Daniel's World Standings. The $5 million Wrangler NFR ends Sunday with the crowning of each event's world champions based on annual earnings in the world standings.

Ohl, who suffered a severe knee injury during the 2001 Wrangler NFR and spent much of 2002 recovering, won Round 7 with a time of 7.0 seconds.

"I didn't know what to expect coming back," Ohl said. "I knew my chances were good coming in, and I feel like they are really good now. I knew I was $12,000 behind coming in tonight, and it was time to put some pressure on and everything worked out."

Johnson, the 2000 world champion runner-up who finished seventh in 2001 before dropping down to 21st last year, downed his steer in 3.6 seconds for the round victory.

"I've been there [first place] before, and I am just going to go one steer at a time and see what they give me each night," Johnson said. "I'm pretty pumped about winning again."

The eighth round gets under way at 7 p.m. (PST) Friday.

Reigning world saddle bronc riding champion Glen O'Neill (Didsbury, Alberta) strengthened his hold on the lead by sharing the Round 7 victory with four-time world champion Billy Etbauer (Edmond, Okla.) and Wrangler NFR rookie Cody Wright (Milford, Utah). O'Neill scored 85.5 points on Andrews' Copy Cat Snuff.

O'Neill extended his lead over five-time world saddle bronc riding champion Dan Mortensen (Billings, Mont.) to $24,000.

Team roping also had a three-way share of the Round 7 title. Reigning world all-around champion Trevor Brazile (Decatur, Texas) further extended his stranglehold on another all-around title, joining forces with Wayne Folmer (El Paso, Texas) to stop the clock in 4.1 seconds. Daniel Green (Oakdale, Calif.)/Kory Koontz (Sudan, Texas) and Shain Sproul (Arlee, Mont.)/Boogie Ray (Mabank, Texas) also had 4.1-second runs.

Brazile has a lead of $91,080 in the world all-around standings as he seeks to become the first cowboy since Joe Beaver in 1995-96 to win consecutive titles

Bareback rider Cody Jessee (Prineville, Ore.) claimed his first round victory of this year's Wrangler NFR by scoring 88 points on Brookman's Sports News Snuff.

Jason McClain, a bull rider from Lewis, Colo., also took his first victory lap of the rodeo after scoring 89 points on Andrews Rodeo's Locomotion.

Barrel racer Jackie Dube (Giddings, Texas) won her second round of the Wrangler NFR, completing the pattern in 13.97 seconds.

NFR 2003 Round 8

LAS VEGAS — A tie-down roping showdown featuring its past two world champions in Fred Whitfield and Cody Ohl has stolen the show at the 45th Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

On Friday, it was Whitfield's turn to take his second victory lap and another step toward defending his world title and claiming his seventh overall.

Whitfield (Hockley, Texas) roped and tied his calf in 6.9 seconds — just one tenth of a second shy of the arena record — to win Round 8 of the Wrangler NFR in front of 17,986 fans in the Thomas & Mack Center.

More importantly, he reclaimed the top spot in the Jack Daniel's World Standings with just two days remaining in the world's premier rodeo. After the 10th round Sunday, world champions will be crowned based on annual earnings.

Whitfield leads Ohl, who didn't place Friday, by $11,211.

While Whitfield put himself in position to claim the gold buckle on Sunday, bareback rider Will Lowe clinched his first world title. The 20-year old and second-year cowboy can't be caught with his lead of $65,936 with just two rounds and the aggregate payout remaining. Three-time Canadian bareback riding champion Davey Shields won the round with an 87-point score on Beutler & Son's Smokeless Commotion — the three-time PRCA Bareback Horse of the Year.

While Lowe put the bareback riding race out of reach, others got one night closer to world titles.

Six-time and reigning world team roping champions Speed Williams (Amarillo, Texas) and Rich Skelton (Llano, Texas) tied for third place in Round 8 and further extended their leads in the heading and heeling standings. Williams holds a $52,000 advantage in heading, while Skelton has a lead of $48,000 in heeling.

The teams of Tee Woolman (Llano, Texas)/Kyle Lockett (Ivanhoe, Calif.) and Daniel Green (Oakdale, Calif.)/Kory Koontz (Sudan, Texas) shared the go-round title with 4.0-second runs.

Bull rider and 1996 World Champion Terry Don West (Henryetta, Okla.) maintained his lead of $42,000 in the world standings. No one in the top six had a qualified ride in Round 8. Fred Boettcher (Tomah, Wis.) took the victory lap by riding Stace Smith's Dippin' Rampage for 87 points.

Reigning world saddle bronc riding champion Glen O'Neill (Didsbury, Alberta) had his lead reduced to $16,000 over Dan Mortensen, a five-time champ. Both placed in Round 8, but Cody DeMoss took the title with 87 points on Powder River's Show Me the Cards Dip.

Rod Lyman (Victor, Mont.), a 16-time Wrangler NFR qualifier, took the world standings lead following a second-place showing in Round 8. Lyman holds a slim $3,000 lead over Teddy Johnson (Checotah, Okla.). Cash Myers (Athens, Texas) claimed his first go-round victory, downing his steer in 3.9 seconds.

Barrel racer Kelly Kaminski (Bellville, Texas), who didn't place, saw her lead trimmed to $21,000. Third-generation Wrangler NFR qualifier Janae Ward (Addington, Okla.) took second place in the round.

NFR 2003 Round 9

LAS VEGAS — A record crowd of 18,104 witnessed Round 9 of the 45th Wrangler National Finals Rodeo on Saturday, but they'll all have to come back Sunday to see who emerges as world champions in several events that are still too close to call.

Five-time world saddle bronc riding champion Dan Mortensen (Billings, Mont.) shared the Round 9 victory with Billy Etbauer (Edmond, Okla.) as each scored 86.5 points. Mortensen, needing one more world title to tie the late Casey Tibbs for most saddle bronc riding titles in PRCA history, moved closer to reigning world champion Glen O'Neill (Didsbury, Alberta). The difference is just $3,922 with the final round and all-important aggregate payout remaining.

Neither reigning world tie-down roping champion Fred Whitfield (Hockley, Texas) nor Cody Ohl, a two-time champ from Stephenville, Texas, placed in Round 9. Whitfield maintained his $11,411 advantage going into the final round.

Steer wrestler Rod Lyman continues to lead the world standings but only by $485 over Birch Negaard (Buffalo, S.D.) and $2,788 over Teddy Johnson (Checotah, Okla.), both seeking their first world titles. Former world champions Rope Myers (Van, Texas), Frank Thompson (Cheyenne, Wyo.) and Mickey Gee (Wichita Falls, Texas) also remain mathematically alive in the hunt for gold buckles.

Six-time and reigning world team roping champions Speed Williams (Amarillo, Texas) and Rich Skelton (Llano, Texas) essentially wrapped up another title by sharing fourth place in Round 9. Their leads of $43,000 and $38,000, respectively, haven't mathematically clinched the title, but it will take a lot for runners-up Jake Barnes (Scottsdale, Ariz.) and Allen Bach (Weatherford, Texas) to pass them Sunday.

Reigning world all-around champion Trevor Brazile (Decatur, Texas) wrapped up his second straight crown in Round 9, and he should become the first cowboy in PRCA history to surpass $300,000 in a single season when Sunday's round concludes.

He won money in both team roping and tie-down roping in Round 9, and while he didn't earn a big check, once again displayed the consistency that has given him an insurmountable lead in the all-around.

Bull rider Terry Don West (Henryetta, Okla.), the 1996 world champion, will add another championship buckle and saddle to his collection on Sunday. He shared second place on Saturday — adding to the single-season PRCA bull riding earnings record he set Friday — and ensured a high enough standing in the aggregate race that makes it impossible for him to be caught Sunday.

In barrel racing, Janae Ward (Addington, Okla.) continued to put the heat on standings leader Kelly Kaminski (Bellville, Texas). Ward won Round 9 with a blazing time of 13.85 seconds and trimmed the lead to $8,122. More importantly, Ward leads the aggregate race, which pays more than $36,000 to the champion.

Elsewhere Saturday, Wrangler NFR rookie bareback rider Royce Ford (Kersey, Colo.) won his second round this week, scoring 88 points on Stace Smith's Smokeless Vanderbilt.

Steer wrestler and 2001 World Champion Rope Myers (Van, Texas) turned his steer in 3.5 seconds, good for the Round 9 win. Team ropers Barnes and Bach stopped the clock in 4.1 seconds to win the round.

Tie-down roper Brady Brock, another Wrangler NFR first-timer, took his first victory lap after recording a winning time of 7.2 seconds.

NFR 2003 Round 10

LAS VEGAS — Trevor Brazile didn't have to sweat it out this year.

On Sunday, Brazile (Decatur, Texas) claimed his second consecutive world all-around championship. He had such a large lead entering the 45th Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, which concluded Sunday in front of 17,683, he knew he could take the conservative route.

In doing so, Brazile became the first cowboy since Joe Beaver in 1995-96 to win back-to-back titles and only the 10th man ever to repeat as rodeo's most prestigious champion.

Brazile, competing in team roping and tie-down roping, finished the season with $294,839 — $72,814 ahead of Cody Ohl (Stephenville, Texas).

"I was talking to my wife [Shada] this morning about this not being as close as last year's race, and I wondered if it wouldn't feel as special," Brazile said. "But I was wrong. This feels extra special. It means a lot."

The Wrangler NFR, which was seen by a record 175,903 fans, is professional rodeo's ultimate event where world champions are crowned every year after 10 days of roping and riding. In 2003, 118 contestants competed for gold buckles and part of the record $5 million purse.

While titles were already decided in the all-around, bareback riding and bull riding, it went all the way to Round 10 and the aggregate payout to decide champions in the rest of the events.

And it didn't get any more dramatic that in tie-down roping, where defending and six-time world champion Fred Whitfield (Hockley, Texas) and Ohl, a two-time champ who severely injured his knee in Round 9 of the 2001 Wrangler NFR, put on quite a show. Each had two go-round wins, and Whitfield had a lead of $11,411 heading into Sunday.

Ohl, behind the fastest tie-down roping run in PRCA history of 6.5 seconds, won the final round, lifting him to his third world title. He finished $11,710 ahead of Whitfield.

"I knew I had to come out roping, and I had a good calf and everything just worked out perfect," Ohl said. "This year has been unbelievably tough. I can't express what it means to me to come back this year after what I went through."

Mike Johnson (Henryetta, Okla.), roping in his 18th Wrangler NFR, claimed his first aggregate crown after recording a time of 86.4 seconds on 10 calves.

After losing the world standings lead on the final day of the 1999 and 2002 seasons, saddle bronc rider Dan Mortensen (Billings, Mont.) finally claimed his sixth title, tying the immortal Casey Tibbs for most in PRCA history. Like Ohl, Mortensen had to rally, using a fifth-place finish in Round 10 and a second-place showing in the aggregate to overtake reigning champion Glen O'Neill (Didsbury, Alberta).

Rod Warren (Wildwood, Alberta) was the lone cowboy to successfully ride all 10 broncs and claimed the aggregate title with 805.5 points on 10 head.

Steer wrestling also went down to the final round and aggregate payout. Teddy Johnson (Checotah, Okla.) — the proclaimed "Steer Wrestling Capital of the World" — claimed the gold buckle on the strength of two go-round victories during the rodeo and a second-place payoff in the aggregate. He finished the season with $149,499, about $4,000 ahead of runner-up Birch Negaard (Buffalo, S.D.).

Mickey Gee, the 1999 world steer wrestling champion, claimed his second Wrangler NFR aggregate title by downing 10 steers in 47.3 seconds.

Speed Williams (Amarillo, Texas) and Rich Skelton (Llano, Texas) tied the all-time PRCA mark by winning their seventh world team roping title on Sunday. They've won all seven consecutively, extending their own record, and they also broke their own mark for single-season earnings, winning $180,306 each. It was a happy birthday for Williams, whose wife, Jennifer, delivered their first child earlier in the day.

The team of Matt Tyler (Weatherford, Texas) and Patrick Smith (Midland, Texas) won the aggregate title, roping 10 steers in 62.3 seconds.

Bull rider Terry Don West (Henryetta, Okla.), who wrapped up his second world title on Saturday, added to his record season by finishing fourth in the aggregate. West, the 1996 world champion, finished the season with $211,879, the most ever by a PRCA bull rider.

Greg Potter, who entered the Wrangler NFR in 15th place, ended the event in fifth after winning the aggregate title. He rode six bulls for 502.5 points.

Bareback rider Will Lowe (Canyon, Texas), who clinched his first world title Friday, set an event single-season earnings record with $188,247. Cody Jessee (Prineville, Ore.) tied the Wrangler NFR aggregate record of 839 points on 10 head — a feat first accomplished by Jason Jeter (Mansfield, Texas) one year ago.

Janae Ward (Addington, Okla.), who didn't qualify for the Wrangler NFR until the final weekend of the regular season, won her first world title Sunday. She won a Wrangler NFR-best $111,908 during the 10-day event, helping her surge from No. 14 to the top. During her run to the title, Ward, a student at Oklahoma State University, took final exams on the campus of University of Nevada Las Vegas.