LAS VEGAS—Luke Branquinho took the top spot in the world steer wrestling standings Wednesday night, winning for the second straight round and the third time in the first seven at the National Finals Rodeo.
The two-time world champion from Los Alamos, Calif., had a winning run of 3.3 seconds and earned $17,512 to push his season total to $143,667. Trevor Knowles of Mount Vernon, Ore., was second in 3.4 and earned $13,840 to move into second place in the world standings with $130,035.
Curtis Cassidy of Donalda, Alberta, dropped out of first place, remaining at $129,915 after failing to finish in one of the six money spots. He was 11th in 4.8 seconds.
“It was really exciting, especially when you’re last out and 3.4 is winning the round,” Branquinho said. “I wasn’t trying to beat 3.4. I was just trying to back in there and make a good run. Luckily for me, I had the steer that won the first and fourth rounds, so I knew I had a chance.”
Billy Bugenig of Ferndale, Calif., was ninth at 4.5 to remain the aggregate leader at 31.4 seconds. The aggregate winner after 10 rounds in each event will earn $44,910 and second-place is worth $36,436.
In bull riding, defending world standings champion J.W. Harris of Mullin, Texas, won his third round in a row with a 94.5 on Smoke Screen. He leads the world standings and NFR aggregate.
Harris, who has ridden six of his seven bulls, has earned $180,447 and tops the aggregate standings with 538.5 points. He took over the world standings lead from Wesley Silcox of Santaquin, Utah, who was bucked off Big D and remained at $164,508.
In barrel racing, world standings leader Sherry Cervi of Marana, Ariz., won with a 13.70-second run. Cervi has earned $238,602 this season and is well ahead of second-place Lindsay Sears of Nanton, Alberta, with $171,048 in the world standings. In round seven, Sears placed second in 13.73.
On Tuesday, with a third-place finish and $10,451 check, two-time world champion Cervi became the first barrel racer to reach $2 million in PRCA career earnings.
Jill Moody of Letcher, S.D., ninth in the round, leads the aggregate standings at 97.04. Lisa Lockhart of Oelrichs, S.D., who placed third in 13.93, is second at 97.12.
In saddle bronc riding, brothers Heith and Cody DeMoss, both of Heflin, La., tied for first at 87.5. Heith rode Marla’s Rose, and Cody was on Friendly Fire.
Cody Wright of Milford, Utah, remained the NFR aggregate standings leader with 597 points on seven rides. Wright was fourth with an 86 on Lipstick & Whiskey during the round.
Wright also maintained his world standings lead at $174,989. Wade Sundell of Boxholm, Iowa, who finished third with an 87 on Dirty Dancer, is second with $171,855. Wright is first with $75,697 and Sundell is next with $68,918 in total NFR earnings. Sundell also is second in the aggregate race with 594 points over seven rounds.
In bareback riding, Bobby Mote of Culver, Ore., won with an 85.5 on Cimmaron.
Steven Dent of Mullen, Neb., who took over the world standings lead from the injured Ryan Gray on Saturday, leads with $169,498. Dent was 11th in the round with a 77.5. Justin McDaniel of Porum, Okla., who finished fifth with an 82 on Red Brand Hello Dolly, leads the aggregate standings with 586 points. Mote moved into a second-place tie with Kelly Timberman of Mills, Wyo., with 575.5.
“There were a couple of times where I probably should have had a re-ride but didn’t,” Mote said. “It just reminds me that you can’t worry about what you can’t control. What I can control is making good rides, and that’s what I am going to do.”
In team roping, Brady Tryan of Huntley, Mont., and Jake Long of Coffeyville, Kan., won for the second time in the seven rounds, this time in 3.9.
Luke Brown and Martin Lucero, both of Stephenville, Texas, remained first in the NFR aggregate standings with a time of 43.5 over seven rounds after an eighth-place run. World standings header leader Clay Tryan of Billings, Mont., and heeler leader Travis Graves of Jay, Okla., finished sixth in 4.6.
In tie-down roping, Shane Hanchey of Sulphur, La., won for the first time in the NFR with a time of 7.6. Two-time world champion Trevor Brazile of Decatur, Texas, placed second in 8.1 and tops the world standings with $175,077. Tuf Cooper of Decatur, Texas, who tied for third in 8.5, is second with $150,020. Cody Ohl of Hico, Texas, is third with $135,812, and has posted a high of $59,315 in NFR earnings.
Seven-time world champ Fred Whitfield of Hockley, Texas, who finished fifth in 8.9, leads the NFR aggregate race with a time of 58.2 over seven rounds. He also is fifth in the world standings with $125,402.
Whitfield has three fifth-place finishes in a row and joined Billy Etbauer and Ohl as the only cowboys to exceed $1 million in NFR career earnings.
In all-around, 2010 champion Brazile has earned $394,374 this season.
