WNFR: Ohl ties finals victory record, Champion wins bareback

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Cody Ohl, Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, Round 5, Monday, December 9, 2014 || Photo by DUDLEY BARKER, dudleydoright.com

Staff Report

TheFlashToday.com

Sport: (December 10, 2014) — No man has won more go-rounds at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo than legendary Hico tie-down roper Cody Ohl.

Ohl won at the finals for the 51st time Wednesday night, sharing top money with current world standings leader Tuf Cooper in 7.3 seconds. Ohl ties Billy Etbauer for the record, and with three rounds remaining, could break it by Saturday night’s final performance at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Cody Ohl, round three, 2014 WNFR, Dec. 6, 2014 || Photo by DUDLEY BARKER, dudleydoright.com
Tie-down roper Cody Ohl of Hico won a finals go-round for the 51st time in his esteemed career Wednesday night, matching the record of the legendary Billy Etbauer. || Photo by DUDLEY BARKER, dudleydoright.com

Ohl and Cooper earned $17,010.21 each Wednesday. Ohl set his own round three record with a winning time of 6.6 seconds, and has also split third and fourth once and finished alone in fourth twice in these finals, earning $61,604.55.

Two local cowboys – Richmond Champion in the bareback riding and heeler Paul Eaves in the team roping – enjoyed outright victories Wednesday night, banking $19,002.40 each. Competitors from Erath County and the immediate area captured more than $80,000 in the go-round, pushing their combined 2014 WNFR earnings to more than $750,000.

Champion won a bareback riding go-round for the second time at the his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo Wednesday night, conquering Angel Eyes for a robust 86.0 points and $19,002.40.

The victory came just two nights after Champion won round five with an 88.5, the second highest score of the first seven rounds. He also split the sixth place money in round four, pocketing $39,537.25 with three rounds remaining.

Richie Champion
Earlier this year, Tarleton State bareback rider Richie Champion celebrated the largest single-day payout in the history of rodeo when he won $1.1 million at RFD TV’s The American at Cowboys Stadium. Now, he’s celebrating two wins and more than $39,000 in earnings at his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. || Photo by DUDLEY BARKER, dudleydoright.com

Earlier this year, Champion won $1.1 million with a 90 point ride on Rafter G’s Assault at RFD TV’s The American, a $2 million one day rodeo at AT&T Stadium. The top 10 PRCA, WPRA and PBR competitors from 2013 competed, and there was a $1 million bonus for anyone who could beat them. Champion did just that, and also won four PRCA events outright while sharing championships at four others. His strong NFR performances have increased his PRCA season earnings to $172,096.40.

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Four-time world champ Bobby Mote made the money for the sixth time in seven nights in his 14th finals, extending his narrow lead in the bareback average to three points. Mote split fourth and fifth with an 81.5 point ride on Red Bandana for $6,436.30.

Mote has made $67,726.56 at the WNFR, scoring 572.0 points. Winn Ratliff is sitting second at 569, while Champion moved into fifth at 564.5.

Huckabay resident Eaves and partner Dustin Bird won the team roping in 3.7 seconds. They also won round three and were second in the fourth go-round, earning $53,022.83 through seven performances.

Stephenville heeler Jake Long and partner Coleman Proctor placed fifth Wednesday in 6.5 seconds, while Huckabay header Kaleb Driggers and Lipan heeler Patrick Smith were sixth in 8.20.

Clay Tryan and Jade Corkill, a Lipan header and Huckabay heeler, lead the team roping average as they are the only pairing to successfully rope all seven head. Regardless of times, successful runs in each of the last three rounds guarantees the local tandem wins the average.

Stephenville cowgirl Carlee Pierce was third fastest through the barrels in 14.04 seconds Wednesday, winning $11,340.14. Pierce has also finished fourth once and sixth twice through seven rounds, collecting $25,438.69.

Stephenville cowgirl Carlee Pierce is fourth in the barrel race average through two rounds at the WNFR.
Carlee Pierce made more than $11,000 Wednesday night, placing third in the barrels in 14.04 seconds in Wednesday’s seventh performance of the finals at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. || Photo by DUDLEY BARKER, dudleydoright.com

Britany Diaz of Desdemona is third in the barrel racing average despite finishing two-tenths of a second outside the round seven money in 14.34. Diaz has needed 104.36 seconds to complete seven runs, 1.28 seconds more than leader Fallon Taylor.

Thursday’s eighth go-round will be televised live by CBS Sports, beginning at 9 p.m. CST.

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