ROUND #6

Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR)
Las Vegas, Nevada
December 6, 2006

Good Pens & Better Ground
Barrel racers are beginning to like the ground better in the national finals arena. Hard to knock dirt that allows for a run of 13.58 (Kelly Maben, Spur, Texas) – the fastest time ever at the Thomas & Mack. And Wyoming’s Brandie Halls beat her best effort of the week last night finishing her pattern aboard trusty Slim in 13.71 for second place. Halls is less than a five-second penalty out of first place in the average or aggregate as is the common parlance nowadays. Brandie has moved into the top five in the world standings having won nearly $38,000 at the WNFR.
Two Wyoming cowboys placed Tuesday night in bareback riding. Kelly Timberman of Mills, the 2004 world champion, scored 85.5 on a horse called Just 4 U. Second place garnered Kelly a check for $12,600. Timberman came down with the flu Monday afternoon but showed no signs of weakness during what he described as a hard ride. “Usually she comes out and stalls and circles to the right. This was a little more electric. She came off the wall. My equilibrium is shot because I’m sick so it was a little hard to get through it,” Timberman said. Fellow bareback rider and friend Bobby Mote placed in the round and he and Timberman agreed the pen of horses was good last night. Both are hoping for even better draws the rest of the way. “It’s getting better every day,” they agreed.
Andy Martinez of Pavillion rode Red Ears to an 83.5 which was good enough to split third and fourth place money paying $5,400.
Fewer than half of the bull riders still competing at the WNFR (three are out with injuries) made qualified rides last night and Gilllette’s Bobby Welsh was one of them. His score of 87.5 was good enough for third and $9,500. Welsh is 22-years-old and this is just his second WNFR. He says the rookie jitters are behind him. “I’ve been on almost twenty bulls here and I don’t even hear the crowd any more. When I get on I’m concentrating. It feels good to be here making good rides,” he said. Welsh has had a solid trip almost every time. “They’ve bucked me off two and one of them I rode 7.83 (seconds) so I’m counting that as a ride and I’m looking forward to the rest of the week.” Bobby is a solid second in the average some 64 points ahead of the next man down. All he has to do is ride the rest of them. Easy for me to say. To actually win the average, Welsh will need some of that glue to come off the legs of B.J. Schumacher. He’s won almost 57K this WNFR. B.J. is from Wisconsin where Bobby was also born. Must be something in the cheese.
The IR
As mentioned earlier three bull riders are out of the WNFR competition due to serious injuries all of which require surgery. D.J. Domangue underwent a hip operation Monday. Reigning champ Matt Austin has to have stomach muscles repaired via surgical procedures and Sonny Murphy has a cracked neck vertebrae.
Another man was forced off the 2006 WNFR field Monday. Steer wrestler Ronnie Fields sustained a torn ligament in his right knee. Doctors say his recovery time is six to eight weeks.