Wardell riding high at NFR

Victoria Sun

Friday, Dec. 7, 2001 | 11:39 a.m.

Kelly Wardell has every right to be confident -- a little smug, even -- about his chances at this year's National Finals Rodeo.

But the veteran cowboy knows better.

Wardell has qualified for his fourth NFR, which begins its 10-day run here tonight at 6:45 at the Thomas & Mack Center, with a career best $105,903 in regular-season earnings to lead all bareback riders.

"Coming here sitting where I am, I'm hoping to finish it the way I started," Wardell said without a trace of bravado. "I'd like to get over the hump.

"But this is such a competitive place. The guys I'm riding against are the best in the world. It's really anybody's to take."

The top 15 money winners in bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, calf roping, barrel racing and bull riding qualified to compete at the season-ending NFR.

The cowboys and cowgirls will compete in 10 sold-out performances concluding with the finals a week from Sunday.

Wardell, a Bellevue, Idaho, resident, has a slim lead over his good friend Lan LaJeunesse, who has $98,971.

Wardell entered last year's NFR with high hopes that were dashed after he got bucked off in the second round and couldn't regain his focus.

In the seventh go-round, he tore his biceps, but continued through until the end.

"It's the cowboy way," Wardell said. "We don't have big contracts.

"You ride to win and you win to eat. Lots of guys rode with lots more painful things than me."

Just as sure as injuries are a big part of a cowboy's life, so is keeping a level head, particularly when it comes to the NFR.

This year's event boasts the largest purse ever. The $4.6 million in total prize money gives everyone a shot at being crowned a world champion.

"This has been the best year I've ever had in my 17-year career," Wardell said. "But my chances aren't any better or any worse than anyone here.

"It doesn't matter if you come in with a $30,000 lead because you're liable to get beat if you don't perform here."

Joe Beaver, the defending all-around champion from Huntsville, Texas, demonstrated last year how easily a cowboy can knock out others at the top of the standings by having a solid week at the Finals.

Beaver entered the NFR 12th in all-around money and was a clear underdog.

But Beaver got hot at the Finals, cashing $125,355 in calf and team roping to win it all.

That's why Fred Whitfield, a five-time calf roping champion and the 1999 all-around champion, doesn't mind being eighth in the all-around standings at the start of the NFR.

Whitfield has earned $109,935 in calf roping (third) for a total $117,228. After taking some time off in the fall to be his wife of one year, Cassie, and their daughter, Savannah, Whitfield is eager to defend his calf roping title.

"I feel really good about my position," Whitfield said. "I think my horse has finally peaked and is going to work good this week. If I can draw some good calves, I'll have a chance to win.

"In my situation, I'm a little bit behind this year so it's pretty much a no-holds-barred deal for me. I can come in every night and let everything hang out."

Wardell will have that same mindset. But no matter what he does at the NFR, Wardell has a little something extra to fall back on -- a berth at the 2002 Olympic Command Performance Rodeo to be held in conjunction with the Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games.

It will be the second time for the event, which features 40 of the best cowboys and cowgirls from the United States and Canada competing for $140,000.

"All the guys I talked to who rode at the first Olympic rodeo in Calgary said that was one of the highlights of their careers," Wardell said. "I always thought that would sure be fun to do it."