LAS VEGAS—Luke Branquinho moved into first place in the steer wrestling world standings with a second-place finish Friday night in the second round of the National Finals Rodeo.
Trevor Knowles of Mount Vernon, Ore., who tied Jason Miller of Lance Creek, Wyo., for first in the opening round, won in 3.3 seconds. Branquinho, from Los Alamos, Calif., followed in 3.4 to push his season earnings total to $110,261. Knowles is second with $107,139, and Miller third with $105,773.
Previous Standings leader Dean Gorsuch of Gering, Neb., didn’t record a time and was unable to place among the top six for his second consecutive round. He dropped to fourth with $100,511.
“Everyone here is as competitive as it gets,” Knowles said. “So, when you see a 3.3, they want to be 3.2, and you’ve got guys behind you like Luke and Dean and Jason. They’re going to be coming at you, and I’d be coming at them just as hard.
“We’re off to a great start. I got hurt in late July and didn’t do very good all fall. I just mentally wasn’t ready, and physically it held me back. I feel as healthy as I’ve been since that day, and it feels great to open up and go at them and do my job as best as I can.”
In bareback riding, world leader Kaycee Feild of Payson, Utah, won for the second consecutive round with an 87.5 on Molly. Feild has earned $176,429 to widen his lead over second-place Will Lowe of Canyon, Texas. Lowe failed to earn a check for his second straight round, leaving him at $137,634.
“I wanted to come here and dominate,” Feild said. “That was the plan. It’s just awesome to come in and start the week the way I have. I feel good about where I am at now. Hopefully, I can keep it up for another eight rounds.”
In tie-down roping, Cody Ohl of Hico, Texas, won his second straight round and extended his NFR event record to 42 rounds with a time of 7.1. Ohl has climbed from sixth to third in the world with $116,109.
Tuf Cooper of Decatur, Texas, who didn’t place among the top six in the second round, remained in first place with $149,061. Hunter Herrin of Apache, Okla., sixth in 8.4 in the second round, is second with $117,831.
In team roping, Clay Tryan of Billings, Mont., and Travis Graves of Jay, Okla., stayed in first place in the world standings after finishing sixth at 11.6.
Header Tryan and heeler Graves each have earned $131,957. Header Derrick Begay of Seba Dalkai, Ariz., and heeler Cesar de la Cruz of Tucson, Ariz., are second with $123,370 after placing fifth in 9.0.
Header Trevor Brazile of Decatur, Texas, and heeler Patrick Smith of Midland, Texas, won the round with a 4.1.
In bull riding, world leader Shane Proctor of Grand Coulee, Wash., placed fifth with an 83 on Slims Ghost and remained first with $190,508. Chandler Bownds of Lubbock, Texas, won with a 91 on RMEF Bugle.
In barrel racing, world standings leader Brittany Pozzi of Victoria, Texas, and second-place Lindsay Sears of Nanton, Alberta, didn’t place among the top six in the second round, but Pozzi stayed in first with $131,282, while Sears remained second with $121,316.
Lisa Lockhart of Oelrichs, S.D., won round with a 13.95-second run.
In saddle bronc, standings leader Taos Muncy of Corona, N.M., stayed in first at $155,443, while Cody Wright of Milford, Utah, remained second with $152,556. Both failed to place among the top six.
Chuck Schmidt of Keldron, S.D., won with an 87.5 on Son of Sadie.
In all-around, Brazile is first with $290,485 in total winnings, while Proctor is second with $137,774.
