BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
We got closer to figuring out our 2023 World Champions on Friday night and Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp and Zeke Thurston did their best to make that job a little easier for us.
After matching the PRCA record in the team roping in Round 8 with a 3.3-second run, Wade/Thorp were 3.5 in Round 9 to secure their No. 1 rankings and put some distance between themselves and Derrick Begay/Colter Todd, the next closest pair.
“That steer was really strong and we knew it, I thought he was going to be hard to get around, but when (Wade) got it on him, he opened up fast, I told (Wade), it felt like I had all day to get my rope down there,” Thorp said.
As for Thurston, he broke a deadheat with Sage Newman in the World Standings by riding Calgary Stampede’s Zaka Kibitz for the Round 9 win to give himself a $31,000 lead. In the Projected World Standings, that lead swells to about $90,000 because Thurston leads the NFR Average and Newman is second.
“I’ve been on that horse quite a few times, it’s always went really good, but I had that horse in Hermiston (Oregon) this year and he actually bucked me off,” Thurston said.
Other Round 9 winners Rocker Steiner in bareback riding (87 points), Cody Devers in steer wrestling (3.5 seconds), Westyn Hughes and Tuf Cooper in tie-down roping (7.1 seconds), Kassie Mowry in barrel racing (13.37 seconds), and Jeff Askey in bull riding (89 points).
BAREBACK RIDING
Round 9: 1. Rocker Steiner, 87 points on Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics ‘s Land Of Fancy, $30,706; 2. Tim O’Connell, 86.5, $24,268; 3. (tie) Jess Pope and Cole Reiner, 85.5, $15,601 each; 5. (tie) Orin Larsen and Kade Sonnier, 85, $6,438 each.
STEER WRESTLING
Round 9: 1. Cody Devers, 3.5 seconds, $30,706; 2. J.D. Struxness, 3.7, $24,268; 3. Bridger Anderson, 3.8, $18,325; 4. (tie) Jesse Brown and Dirk Tavenner, 3.9, $10,401 each; 6. Stephen Culling, 4.0, $4,953.
TEAM ROPING
Round 9: 1. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 3.5 seconds, $30,706 each; 2. (tie) Rhen Richard/Jeremy Buhler and Tanner Tomlinson/Patrick Smith, 3.6, $21,296 each; 4. Jake Clay/Tyler Worley, 3.7, $12,877; 5. Clint Summers/Jake Long, 3.8, $7,924; 6. Derrick Begay/Colter Todd, 3.9, $4,953.
SADDLE BRONC RIDING
Round 9: 1. Zeke Thurston, 88.5 points on Calgary Stampede’s Zaka Kibitz, $30,706; 2. Lefty Holman, 87.5, $24,268; 3. (tie) Wyatt Casper and Dawson Hay, 86.5, $15,601 each; 5. Brody Cress, 85, $7,924; 6. Tanner Butner, 83.5, $4,953.
TIE-DOWN ROPING
Round 9: 1. (tie) Tuf Case Cooper and Westyn Hughes, 7.1 seconds, $27,487 each; 3. (tie) Kincade Henry and Cory Solomon, 7.5, $15,601 each; 5. Hunter Herrin, 7.6, $7,924; 6. Haven Meged, 7.8, $4,953.
BARREL RACING
Round 9: 1. Kassie Mowry, 13.37 seconds, $30,706; 2. Lisa Lockhart, 13.41, $24,268; 3. Jordon Briggs, 13.48, $18,325; 4. Hailey Kinsel, 13.51, $12,877; 5. Summer Kosel, 13.61, $7,924; 6. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 13.68, $4,953.
BULL RIDING
Round 9: 1. Jeff Askey, 89 points on Salt River Rodeo’s Belly Dump; 2. Hayes Weight, 86; 3. Josh Frost, 82; 4. Tristen Hutchings, 80.5; 5. T Parker, 75; no other qualified rides.
