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Helena’s Erickson Regains Lead in NFR Steer Wrestling

National Finals Rodeo continues in Las Vegas

By KEITH FREEMAN, Associated Press

LAS VEGAS — Steven Peebles tied for first place in the bareback Sunday night for his third consecutive National Finals Rodeo round victory.

Peebles, from Redmond, Oregon, had an 84-point ride on Scarlet Belle to match four-time champion Kaycee Feild of Spanish Fork, Utah. Feild rode Pass the Hat.

Peebles has jumped from 14th to second in the first four rounds with a season total of $175,441. Field tops the standings with $181,771.

“I want a world championship and I want to break some records this year,” Feild said, “and Steven has put pressure on me, which makes it fun. It makes you push your limits each night.”

Peebles leads the aggregate standings with 336 points on four head and tops all NFR competitors with $95,356. Feild is second in the aggregate at 320.5.

Derrick Begay and Clay O’Brien Cooper won their second team roping round in 3.6 seconds.

Header Begay, from Seba Dalkai, Arizona, and heeler Cooper, from Gardnerville, Nevada, are both second in the standings with $157,329 for Begay and $158,449 for Cooper.

“Everything has to work out perfect (in order to get a 3.6 time),” Begay said. “I have to get a good start at the barrier, get a clean head catch, and I’ve got to give my partner a good fast turn like that. Champ (Cooper), he’s not going to mess up when things happen like that. I started it and he stopped it.”

Header Clay Tryan of Billings, Montana, and heeler Jade Corkill of Fallon, Nevada, were third in 4.1 and lead with $169,266 each.

In saddle bronc, Jacobs Crawley of Boerne, Texas, took over the lead with $172,593 with a fourth-place ride of 83 on Special Time. Crawley also is the aggregate leader with 330 points.

NFR rookie Rusty Wright of Milford, Utah, the son of two-time champion Cody Wright, won the round with an 85.5 on Sundance.

“The horse felt really strong and I kind of felt on the verge of bucking off the whole time, but that’s when the great rides are,” Rusty Wright said. “Some of your best rides are when you have to give it your all to stay in the saddle.”

In bull riding, defending champion Sage Kimzey of Strong City, Oklahoma, increased his lead by finishing fifth with an 81 on Brown Sugar. Kimzey has earned $212,101. Joe Frost of Randlett, Utah, won with an 85.5 on Bell Ringer.

Cody Teel of Kountze, Texas, leads the aggregate standings with 238 points for three rides. Teel, the lone rider with three successful rides, was sixth with a 73.5 on Redrum.

In steer wrestling, Ty Erickson of Helena, Montana, tied for fourth in 3.8 to regain the lead with $151,818. Dakota Eldridge of Elko, Nevada, won with a 3.3.

In tie-down roping, defending three-time champion Tuf Cooper of Decatur, Texas, regained the lead with a third-place place tie at 7.4. Cooper has made $154,130. Cade Swor of Winnie, Texas, and Sterling Smith of Stephenville, Texas, tied for first at 7.2.

In barrel racing, Lisa Lockhart of Oelrichs, South Dakota, remained in the lead with a tie for second at 13.85. Lockhart has earned $215,674. Sarah Rose McDonald of Brunswick, Georgia, the round winner in 13.71, moved up to second with $193,253.

In all-around, Trevor Brazile of Decatur, Texas, leads with $349,204 in steer roping, tie-down roping and team roping. JoJo LeMond of Andrews, Texas, was second with $171,377.