Peterson on a roll in Las Vegas

Thursday, Dec. 3, 1998 | 4:25 a.m.

Forget the $72,000 that barrel racer Kristie Peterson earned in less than four months to take the lead in the Crown Royal World Standings last summer.

The most remarkable part of Peterson's climb to a second straight and third overall world title was her continued success at the National Finals Rodeo.

Peterson has won the last four NFR average titles and, after an incredible $67,925 NFR performance in '97, has placed in the money in each of the last 22 rounds of the Finals. She has averaged $64,408 in NFR earnings over the last four years.

What's the secret to her success in Las Vegas?

"Part of it is Bozo," Peterson said of her three-time AQHA barrel racing horse of the year. "He's such a showoff. The big crowd here in Las Vegas really gets his motor going."

Peterson bought Bozo eight years ago for a mere $400. Since then, the bay gelding has helped Peterson earn enough money to buy a ranch in Colorado.

Peterson and Bozo arrived at the NFR ranked second in the Crown Royal World Standings -- about $9,000 behind 1995 world champ Sherry Cervi of Midland, Texas.

After six NFR rounds, that gap had narrowed to about $3,000. While she still trailed in the world standings, Peterson held a two-tenths of a second lead in the average race -- a difference that put the two cowgirls in a neck-and-neck race for the world title when the average money was figured in.

But that situation changed dramatically in the seventh round when Cervi knocked over two barrels and settled for a 24.25-second run. Peterson placed second in the round at 14.25 seconds and moved into the lead in the world standings. Cervi plummeted from second to sixth in the average race.

Despite her problems, Cervi still had an outside shot at the title by the start of the 10th round.

"By the ninth round we were back to where we had started when we came here," Peterson said. "I knew I couldn't stay safe in the last round. I had to put some dollars together."

In the final round, Peterson turned in a 14.13-second run to move into a first-place tie in the round.

"When everybody started hugging me at the top of the alley, I knew that was a good sign," Peterson said.

Cervi placed sixth in the round, not high enough to dethrone the reigning champ.

Peterson, who completed 10 NFR runs in 143.28 seconds, finished 1997 with her third world barrel racing championship and $165,238 -- proving that no lead is safe when it comes to Peterson, Bozo and the NFR.