Calf roper Cody Ohl keeps his hot streak going

Bill Bowman

Friday, Dec. 11, 1998 | 10:11 a.m.

Calf roper Cody Ohl has the rest of the field tied in knots.

Ohl, from Stephenville, Texas, posted a time of 7.4 seconds to tie for the top spot during Thursday night's seventh go-round at the National Finals Rodeo at the Thomas & Mack.

It was the fourth time this week Ohl either won the event outright or tied for the top spot. He also has a second-place finish.

"I don't see any reason to back off," Ohl said earlier in the week after getting off to a fast start. "I just got ahead of everybody and I'm just going to go for first every time out."

He's almost accomplishing that goal, much to the chagrin of Blair Burk, one of those chasing Ohl.

"He's roping real solid," said Burk, of Durant, Okla. "If he keeps that up, no one's going to catch him."

That would be fine with Ohl.

"One or two more second- or third-place finishes could clinch (the world title) for me," Ohl said.

Burk said with the way Ohl's working, there's a good chance that will happen.

"When you start out good, it makes you feel like you're in a zone," Burk said. "All the rest of us can do is just try to keep up."

But Ohl's not letting that happen.

Heading into the weekend, Ohl has earned $189,021.47 for the year, including $65,318.75 at the NFR. Fred Whitfield is a distant second with $112,282.62. Burk has moved into the third spot with $103,846.70.

"All you can do is give it your best shot," Burk said. "And Cody's done a lot of that this week."

In Thursday's other big development, Dan Mortensen clinched his fifth saddle bronc championship in six years by winning the seventh go-round.

Mortensen, of Manhattan, Mont., earned an 83-point ride aboard Wolf Creek Skoal.

"I feel like I'm riding pretty good right now," said Mortensen, last year's all-around champion. "There's so much pressure here that you rarely see guys ride as good as they did all year long."

Mortensen, who has won three go-rounds and placed in six of seven, has earned $181,271 this year. That's $79,319 more than second-place Tom Reeves, mathematically eliminating the cowboy from Eagle Butte, S.D.. from title contention.

The most Reeves can win in the final three go-rounds and the NFR average is $74,482.

Thursday's winners

-- Bareback: Mark Gomes with a score of 78.

-- Steer wrestling: Tim Segelke with a time of 3.4 seconds.

-- Team roping: A tie between the teams of Bret Boatright and Kory Koontz and Daniel Green and Allen Bach with a time of 4.9 seconds.

-- Barrel racing: Sherri Cervi and Janet Stover clocked times of 13.94 seconds to tie for first.

-- Bull riding: Aaron Semas posted the top score with an 87.

-- Bull fighting: Jerry Norton captured the crown by earning $33,153 in the four-day event at the NFR, which gave him $55,168.25 for the year.