Sears clinches barrel title

LAS VEGAS – Canadian Lindsay Sears clinched the season barrel racing title Thursday night, winning the eighth round of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo with a 13.57-second run – her third consecutive round victory in the event.

The Alberta cowgirl, coming off a 2008 NFR-best 13.56 in the seventh round, has a $78,245 lead over second-place Brittany Pozzi-Pharr of Victoria, Texas, with two rounds left. Pozzi-Pharr knocked down two barrels Thursday and finished in 24.28.

Sears has earned an event-high $90,324 and a season-record $274,891.

“I honestly haven’t kept track of my total winnings so far,” Sears said. “Actually, I really don’t want to know. I just go out there and concentrate on getting around three barrels and getting a time. That’s the job I do, and then I wait for what happens.”

In bareback riding, Cheney’s Ryan Gray moved up to second place in the aggregate standings after placing third. Gray scored 84.0 to earn $8,518.63. His overall score of 675.0 trails Justin McDaniel of Porum, Okla., who has 686.0.

McDaniel, who placed second on Stormy Weather, also has an event-best total of $67,337.

Royce Ford of Briggsdale, Colo., won the round with an 87.5 on Touched by an Angel.

Bobby Mote, who moved into first place in the world standings in round seven, missed his mount in round eight.

In tie-down roping, Colbert’s Tyson Durfey stands in second place in the aggregate at 72.40 seconds. Durfey placed seventh in the eight round in 8.9 seconds and finished just out of the money.

Stran Smith, who placed sixth in 8.8, became the tie-down roping average leader with an aggregate of 71.80 over eight rounds.

Trevor Brazile of Decatur, Texas, won in 7.0 seconds to take over the world lead from Josh Peek of Pueblo, Colo., with $159,024. Second-place Peek has earned $2,704 at the NFR to push is total to $155,755.

In all-around, Brazile has earned $2,966,962 for his career and is $33,038 away from becoming the PRCA’s first $3 million cowboy.

Brazile has earned $359,291 this season, his third straight year with more than $300,000.

In bull riding, Zack Oakes of Elk, Wash., didn’t record a score in the eighth round. Oakes is 13th in the aggregate at 164.5.

Steve Woolsey of Payson, Utah, won with a ride of 87 on Rusty.

Standings leader Chance Smart of Philadelphia, Miss., remained in first with $179,917 – $14,479 more than second-place J.W. Harris of May, Texas. Harris was the aggregate leader with 507 points on six rides.

In team roping, Travis Tryan of Billings and Cory Petska of Lexington, Okla., won in a 3.5 seconds to match the event record held by Clay Tryan and Patrick Smith.

In steer wrestling, Trevor Knowles of Mount Vernon, Ore., finished first at the NFR for the second time in a row with a 3.6-second run. He tied for first in 3.4 for round seven.

World standings leader Luke Branquinho of Los Alamos, Calif., who tied for fourth in round eight, stayed in first for his seventh consecutive day with $170,083. He also took over first in the average with an aggregate of 34.40 over eight rounds.

In saddle bronc, world leader Billy Etbauer of Edmond, Okla., who was bucked off Night Moves in round eight, has earned $204,194 this season while Cody Wright of Milford, Utah, was a close second with $203,064 after finishing third with an 80 on Gallant Warrior.

JJ Elshere of Quinn, S.D., won with an 85.5 on Surprise Party.