CANADA NIGHT IS ALRIGHT AT THE WRANGLER NATIONAL FINALS RODEO

Posted Friday, December 8, 2006

Stock contractor Wayne Vold kicked things off this evening in Las Vegas with a heartfelt rendition of O Canada, part of what’s known as Canada Night at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
Rod Hay (Wildwood, Alta.) kept his hopes of winning a world saddle bronc riding championship alive. He tapped out a spiffy 84-point ride on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Ginger, worth fourth place in the go-round.
But, almost as important as Hay staying on and placing tonight was the fact that the world standings leader Cody DeMoss (Heflin, La.) bucked off. It dropped DeMoss down to 11th in the average race.
Hay knows that he’s still in the running, but with the eliminators out tomorrow night, he wants to get past that hurdle first.
“We’ve got the eliminator pen out tomorrow and we’ll see how it sets up after that,” said Hay. “Really all I can do tomorrow is try and make as good a ride on whatever Bad José there is out there and try to give myself a chance for Saturday. That’s all I’m going to worry about right now.”
But, he did admit that winning the world is something he thinks about.
“It’s there constantly; it’s one of the things we strive for all year. It’s also something that I don’t really let myself get wrapped up into, I never have.
“It takes just about all of my time keeping my bronc riding together,” he chuckled.
Jesse Bail (Camp Crook, S.D.) and Glen O’Neill (Didsbury, Alta.) both finished out of the money in round No. 8. Bail was 83 on Calgary Stampede’s Gallant Warrior, and O’Neill was 72.5 on Sankey Rodeo Co.’s Domino Theory.
Lee Graves (Calgary, Alta.) made the most of Canada night, winning the round outright in the steer wrestling.
He twisted a black steer in 3.5 seconds, the third fastest time this week.
While winning always feels good, taking first place this evening was extra special for Graves.
“It was good being Canadian Night and all,” he said. “It’s good for the fans. It was a good night.”
While he won’t be claiming his second world title in 2006, he’s making the most of what’s left at the WNFR.
“Well, I’m salvaging it,” he explained. “I got two more rounds and the average, which I could still sneak back in there. I’m not going to back off now.”
He’s made $33,421 at the WNFR, is tenth in the average and fourth in the world standings.
The bareback riders made money on three Canadian horses this evening.
Two-time world champion Will Lowe (Canyon, Tex.) rode Calgary Stampede’s French Wake for 82 points, second place and $12,662.
Lowe, who’s leading the average, clinched his third gold buckle this evening, but he’s not quite ready to talk about it yet.
“There’s still two rounds left, and we’ll find out after we get there,” said Lowe humbly.
Kelly Timberman (Mills, Wyo.) who was matched up with Vold Rodeo’s Devil Woman, worked out 81.5 points, good enough for third.
Royce Ford (Briggsdale, Colo.) stayed on Kesler Championship Rodeo’s four-time Canadian and one-time world champion bay gelding Alley Ways for 80 points.
Wes Stevenson (Kaufman, Tex.) rode Calgary Stampede’s Knife Money for 79 points, matching Kelly Timberman’s (Pagosa Springs, Colo.) score on the same horse in the fourth round. It was out of the money.
Nanton, Alta.’s Lindsay Sears took a no time for breaking the pattern.
Notables: Tom McFarland (Wickenburg, Ariz.) won the bareback riding this evening with an 82.5-point ride on Bar J Ranch’s Night Jacket.
Cody Ohl (Hico, Tex.) won the tie-down roping in round eight, clinching his fifth world championship.
Jeff Willert (Belvidere, S.D.) won the saddle bronc riding with an 86-point ride on Sankey Rodeo’s Blazing Saddle.
Team ropers Colter Todd (Marana, Ariz.) & Cesar de la Cruz (Tucson, Ariz.) were the fastest of the nine teams who caught a score this evening, roping their steer in 4.3 seconds.
Carpenter, Wyo.’s Brandie Halls won the barrel race, running a 13.52-second pattern. She set a new arena record, breaking Kelly Maben’s (Spur, Tex.) two-day old record.
Three of the 12 bull riders that are left—three are already out due to injuries—rode their bulls, with Dustin Elliott (North Platte, Neb.) riding Triple V Rodeo’s outlaw named Q for 91.5 points.
B.J. Schumacher (Hillsboro, Wis.) clinched his first world bull riding title this evening as well.