Round Three

It was another three-event payday for Team Wyoming cowboys in a rip-roaring Saturday night third round at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.

Jhett Stirs

Casper’s Jhett Johnson with team roping partner Turtle Powell were last out and whipped a 4.1 second run to tie for first and second place money. O, the money! They’ve won nearly $41,000 in three nights to lead in the coveted average race (most money in ten rounds) by $17K. Johnson/Powell are in a groove they will do everything possible to keep going:

Jhett Sat 3rd .mp4

Miller Maintains

Jason Miller, the pride of little Lance Creek, lost a few tenths but not enough to hinder his overall standing in the steer wrestling competition. Jason’s 4.4 second run was good enough to bank another $9K to send his finals total over $31,000. Let’s take a gander. Beware, Jhett Johnson is stationed to Miller’s left and you may notice an intruder from behind:

Jason Sat 3rd .mp4

That was the one and only Joe Beaver who blasted by with “that’s heeling” words of encouragement. Miller is now second overall with California’s Luke Branquinho in the #1 spot. Less than one second separates the top four big men thus far.

The Welsh Wait

Most of us have grown accustomed to the fact you will sometimes have to wait awhile for bull rider Bobby Welsh to nod. There was a long wait Saturday night and in fact a lot of people left the Thomas & Mack Center by the time Bobby rode the bull called “Touch of Class” for a fifth-place finish. Welsh could not come to grips with his first bull because of a constant battle in the chute. Since the main video cameras were shut down, we had to count on our own video master, Mike, to make a trek to the arena floor and record Welsh’ money winner:

Bobby Sat.mp4

Welsh earned $4,600 for the work and Wheatland’s Tyler Willis finished sixth in the round.

Dusty Twists Again

If you’ve seen Meeteetse bullfighter Dusty Tuckness do his thing long enough, you are ready to expect uncanny acrobatics. Thus was the case Saturday night when Tuckness ventured forth to protect bull rider Wesley Silcox. He was on the Burns Rodeo Co. (Laramie, WY) star called “Kid Twist”:

Dusty Sat.mp4