Rodeo: Montanans cash in after 1st go-round

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Montana native Lisa Lockhart edged another Treasure State star in the barrel racing and several other Montana athletes picked up nice checks as the first go-round ended Thursday night at the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo.

Lockhart, who grew up in Circle and lives now in South Dakota, won the barrel racing by the slimmest of margins over Lindsay Kruse of Winston. Kruse, representing the Montana Pro Rodeo Circuit, posted a 16.45-second time on Wednesday as the rich rodeo's first go-round got started. Lockhart, who has placed second and third, respectively, at the last two National Finals Rodeos, won the go Thursday with a 16.44 time.

Lockhart won first-place prize money of $6,182, while Kruse earned $4,683 for second place.

Others from the Montana Circuit who earned first go-round money included steer wrestler Beau Clark of Belgrade. The former NFR bulldogger and Montana State football star was in first place entering Thursday's competition following a 4.6-second effort Wednesday, and ultimately finished second in the go-round when Wade Steffen of Richmond, Ill., posted a 4.5.

Power's Jessy Davis, meanwhile, finished third following a 79-point ride on Wednesday. The duo of Jade Stoddard-Ike Folsom tied for third in team roping. Davis earned $3,372, while Stoddard, who is from Idaho, and Folsom, of Dillon, each pocketed $3,434.

Reigning Montana Pro Rodeo Circuit barrel racer Carmel Wright, a New Zealand native living now in Roy, finished fifth with a solid run Thursday night. She earned $1,311.

Other first go-round winners included Tim O'Connell of Zwingle, Iowa (bareback), brothers Rob Webb and Dan Webb of Wendell, Idaho (team roping), Jacobs Crawley of Stephenville, Texas (saddle bronc), Rhen Richard of Roosevelt, Utah (tie-down roping), and Mike Adams of Oxford, Pa. (bull riding).

The rodeo continues Friday night at the Silver Spurs Arena. This is the first time the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo has been in Florida. It will be here the next decade thanks to a lucrative 10-year contract between the PRCA and Osceola County.

The tournament-style RNFCR format determines the national circuit champions in each event. All 24 qualifiers from the 12 circuits compete in the two preliminary rounds of the rodeo. The top eight contestants from each event advance to the semifinal round, with all previous scores and times thrown out. The top four then move on to the final round, a sudden‑death competition that determines the national circuit champion in each event.

Because the top four contestants begin that final round with a clean slate, each one has an equal opportunity to claim an RNCFR title.

Event winners each receive a $20,000 voucher toward the purchase of a new RAM Truck and a Polaris Ranger utility vehicle in addition to their winnings.

Wrangler Network is airing live webcasts of the rodeo's first four performances and, after the event, highlights from the RNCFR will be televised on CBS Sports Net; see ProRodeo.com/TV for the telecast schedule.

FIRST GO-ROUND COMPLETE

Bareback riding: First round: 1. Tim O'Connell, 83 points on Silver Spurs Club's Ned Ross, $6,182; 2. Joe Gunderson, 80, $4,683; 3. Jessy Davis, 79, $3,372; 4. (tie) Kaycee Feild, Micky Downare and Austin Foss, 78, $1,499 each.

Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Wade Steffen, 4.5 seconds, $6,182; 2. Beau Clark, 4.6, $4,683; 3. Tooter Silver, 4.9, $3,372; 4. Josh Peek, 5.2, $2,248; 5. Austin Manning, 5.6, $1,311; 6. Aaron Vosler, 5.7, $937.

Team roping: First round: 1. Rob Webb/Dan Webb, 4.9 seconds, $6,182 each; 2. (tie) Coleman Proctor/Billie Saebens; Rhett Anderson/Cole Wilson, and Jade Stoddard/Ike Folsom, 5.0, $3,434 each; 5. (tie) Zach Kilgus/Justin Yost and Blake Hirdes/Joseph Shawnego, 5.2, $1,124 each.

Saddle bronc riding: First round: 1. Jacobs Crawley, 84 points on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo's Famous Dave's, $6,182; 2. Wade Sundell, 83, $4,683; 3. Jeff Willert, 81, $3,372; 4. Jesse Wright and Taos Muncy, 80, $1,780 each; 6. Cody Taton, 79, $937.

Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Rhen Richard, 7.8 seconds, $6,182; 2. (tie) Jesse Clark and Ryan Jarrett, 8.0, $4,028 each; 4. Jerome Schneeberger, 8.3, $2,248; 5. Marty Yates, 8.4, $1,311; 6. Jared Kempker, 8.8, $937.

Barrel racing: First round: 1. Lisa Lockhart, 16.44 seconds, $6,182; 2. Lindsay Kruse, 16.45, $4,683; 3. Natalie Foutch, 16.49, $3,372; 4. Nancy Hunter, 16.53, $2,248; 5. Carmel Wright, 16.54, $1,311; 6. Cheyenne Schnelle, 16.59, $937.

Bull riding: First round: 1. Mike Adams, 84 points on Pete Carr's Classic ProRodeo's Footloose, $6,182; 2. Joe Frost, 76, $4,683; 3. Bart Miller, 74, $3,372; 4. Josh Frost, 69, $2,248; no other qualified rides.