Burk wins calf roping go-round, takes world lead

Friday, Dec. 10, 1999 | 10:57 a.m.

Burk, of Durant, Okla., earned $12,908 to push his season total to $163,119. Second-place Fred Whitfield of Hockley, Texas, is $4,496 behind.

Cody Ohl of Orchard, Texas, and Brent Lewis of Pinion, N.M., tied for second at 7.2 seconds.

"With Fred sitting at 7.5 (good for fourth) and Cody at 7.2, I knew I had to do well," Burk said. 'If I wouldn't have done anything tonight, that would have put me out of the race."

Whitfield, however, is still first in the NFR average, worth $33,105, while Burk is fourth.

"I knew what I had to do," Burk said. "I've been in situations like this before and I knew I had to be fast out of the chute."

In bull riding, only three riders had qualified rides. Cody Custer of Wickenburg, Ariz., won with a 91. Jason McClain of Kiowa, Colo., was second with an 87, and Scott Breding of Edgar, Mont., was third with an 82.

Saddle bronc leader Dan Mortensen of Manhattan, Mont., was part of a four-way tie for first with 79s along with Billy Etbauer of Ree Heights, S.D.; Scott Johnston of DeLeon, Texas; and Ryan Mapston of Geyser, Mont.

In bareback, Clint Corey of Powell Butte, Ore., won with an 82-point ride. Jeffrey Collins of Redfield, Kan., was second with an 80, and Pete Hawkins of Weatherford, Texas, and Deb Greenough of Red Lodge, Mont., tied for third with 79s.

Brad Gleason of Touchet, Wash., won the steer wrestling with a 3.5-second run. Byron Walker of Ennis, Texas, was second at 4.1, and Todd Suhn of Laramie, Wyo., third at 4.2.

In team roping, Kevin Stewart of Glen Rose, Texas, and Martin Lucero of Stephenville, Texas, won the round with a 4.2-second run. Steve Purcella of Hereford, Texas, and Wayne Fulmer of Lubbock, Texas, were second at 4.7.

World leader Sherry Cervi of Midland, Texas, won her second-straight barrel racing go-round with a 13.94-second run. Debbie Renger of Canada was second at 13.99.