Wrangler National Finals Rodeo-Round Eight Recap

Miller’s Crossing

Walking back past the media room toward the area where we sneak a little dinner now and then I spotted Jason Miller in a place he would rather avoid – the front of television cameras. Not a lot of those babies in Lance Creek, Wyoming. But he dutifully answered the questions and did so because he had another great run to finish second and collect a check for a cool $13K last night. He’s won more than $67,000 in eight runs to top all steer wrestlers and Miller is also now third in the world standings. He came here toward the bottom of the Top 15. Steer wrestling is becoming the show to watch at the finals and the announcer build up thickens each night. Miller says he doesn’t hear all the chatter or at least not what they are saying specifically about him when he backs into the box. Others do. Bareback rider Kelly Timberman was bearing down on his riggin’ the other night when one of the announcers noted the presence of Kelly’s wife in the stands. After the ride Kelly told me: “I’m not married. She hasn’t asked me yet.”

Photo: Jason Miller wrestles a steer to the ground in round eight of the finals. Credit: ESPN

Jason Miller was helping his friend Luke Branquinho prior to his start last night and Luke got out a hair too quickly breaking the barrier causing a ten second penalty. We talked earlier in the week with Jason about how quickly you have to move in the small arena and how things have been flying so fast at this finals that it didn’t seem as though you could break the barrier. “I was in the box with Luke hollering ‘go,go,go’ and thought he made it out. So you can break it. You just can’t think about it. You’ve got to go back in there every night and take a start or else bad stuff can happen,” Miller said. Luke has had his share of bad breaks here in Vegas but don’t think for a second he won’t go for broke this last two runs. And then there’s the absolute fact that his running pal is leading the charge toward a champion’s buckle. The tables were turned last year. Jason Miller was here for the first time and he was down early. We got together on the concourse during the final go-round after Jason had completed a tough ten days. He wasn’t dejected. He was determined. “I’m going to make it back,” Miller said. “And I’ll do a lot better next time.” Now, there’s a man of his word.

Certain Hurtin’

The operative phrase for just about all of the rough stock cowboys and a couple of timed event folks heading into the ninth round of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas is not double down. It’s double-tape, and triple-ice. These people are sore. I’d even extend that to a pair of syllables – SO-ER. Gillette saddle bronc rider Chet Johnson was taped and iced for a rotator cuff injury prior to, and after, last night’s 85-point-ride. He sprained his left ankle coming off. It was a good turn though and gave Johnson a second place check for nearly $13,000. That’ll buy a lot of ice. Bull rider Bobby Welsh is now adding tape to his left arm – not his riding arm – but is otherwise doing as well as can be expected after eight rounds on the best bucking bulls in the world. Welsh was 82.5 points last night for fifth place and a little over $4,200. Kanin Asay from Powell is undergoing extensive physical therapy alternating ice and heat – and lots of tape – to keep trying on his bad left elbow. That is the arm bull-rope wrapped to his challenge each night. And Carpenter barrel racer Brandie Halls has rotator cuff problems in addition to a neck spur.

Photo: Chet Johnson gears up for his ride. Credit: ESPN