Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Greenough takes over first in bareback

Greenough of Red Lodge, Mont., scored an 82 on a horse named Terrible Terry and finished a point behind first-place Eric Mouton of Weatherford, Okla., in the $3.4 million competition.

Greenough's $9,325 paycheck put his season total at $99,542, $3,278 ahead of previous leader Denny McClanahan of Canadian, Texas.

The news wasn't all good. A Sunday no-score for not spurring his horse out of the chute dropped the 1993 world champion out of the NFR average.

"I don't have any room to mess up," said Greenough, who won go-rounds on Monday and Tuesday. "I have to go out every night like I'm on fire. I have to win every night to keep up with it."

Mouton is third in the world standings at $90,485 and four-time world champion Marvin Garrett of Belle Fourche, S.D., is fifth at $86,875. Mouton, however, leads the NFR average, worth $33,571, while Garrett is second.

"Those guys are good riders," said Greenough, currently 12th in the average. "It's not likely that they'll get bucked. But there's some pretty tough horses the rest of the way. You'll probably see the standings get jumbled around just like those balls in the (casino) keno machines."

In bull riding, all 12 riders were bucked. It's the first time at least one bull rider didn't stay aboard during the 13 years the event has been held in Las Vegas. Jerome Davis of Archale, N.C., remains the world season leader with $92,389. Three cowboys didn't compete in the event because of injuries.

Dan Mortensen of Manhattan, Mont., split first place with Jess Martin of Dillon, Mont., both with 82s. In third was Rod Hay of Wildwood, Alberta, with an 81. The win was Mortensen's first at the NFR this year and moved him up to a fifth-place tie in the NFR average. He's also first in the all-around standings with $168,146.

In steer wrestling, Frank Thompson of Cheyenne, Wyo., won the round with a 3.3 second run. World standings leader Rope Myers of Van, Texas, and Lee Graves of Calgary, Alberta, tied for second at 3.5 seconds.

Marty Becker of Manyberries, Alberta, won the calf roping go-round with a 7.6 second run. Jeff Chapman of Athens, Texas, Shawn Franklin of House, N.M., and Ricky Canton of Cleveland, Texas, split second with 7.7 second runs.

In team roping, Joe Beaver of Huntsville, Texas, and Monty Joe Petska of Carlsbad, N.M., tied for first at 5.0 seconds along with Bret Boatright of Mulhall, Okla., and Kory Koontz of Sudan, Texas. Daniel and Chris Green, both of Valley Springs, Calif., took third at 5.3 seconds.

World leader Sherry Cervi of Midland, Texas, won for the first time in barrel racing with a 14.16 second run. Kristie Peterson of Elbert, Colo., was second at 14.24, and Ember Givens of Glen Rose, Texas, was third at 14.44.

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