NFR notebook: McFadden, Stone enjoy quick starts

Victoria Sun

Monday, Dec. 10, 2001 | 9:54 a.m.

As bull rider Cory McFadden sat in a hallway at the Thomas & Mack Center Sunday night, a passerby jokingly asked if he and another bull rider, Blue Stone, were going to share their riches with the others.

McFadden thought for a split second, unleashed a mischievous smile, then answered, "Would you?"

It's safe to say there aren't any bull riders who would give up what McFadden and Stone have accomplished so far at the National Finals Rodeo.

McFadden and Stone each scored 89 points to win the third go-round of the sold-out $4.6 million NFR.

After getting bucked off the first night, McFadden rebounded with an 88-point ride in the second go-round for first place. Stone won the first go-round, but was bucked off in the second performance.

"I've gotten off to a great start," McFadden said. "I got thrown off my first bull and really wish I could have got him rode, but since then, I've really stepped it up and felt like I've ridden good the last two rounds.

"Blue rode great; unfortunately he came down last night, but he won the first round so we're both having really good Finals."

Both are making their first appearance at the Finals.

Stone ranks second in the NFR average with 183 points on two rides while McFadden is fourth with 177 points on two rides. Each have earned $25,626.75 at the NFR. McFadden ranks seventh in the world standings with $88,510.36 and Stone is eighth at $88,076.98.

"That first night, I wasn't nervous, but I was sure pumped up," McFadden said. "This is the greatest rodeo in the world.

"I've been watching it trying to make it my whole life. To be here and to be doing good is truly an honor. It's a good personal triumph."

McFadden, 26, joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association in 1996. The closest he came to qualifying for the Finals was last year, when he finished 19th in the world standings with $50,300.

"I had a lot of motivation all through the year to get it done and it's a great feeling to be here," McFadden said. "The difference between the last two years and this year was I've become a little more mentally strong.

"My confidence level is up and hopefully I can make that work to my advantage and keep it up the rest of the week."

Wade Wheatly (heading) and Kyle Lockett (heeling) won the team roping with a time of 4.00. The duo is leading the NFR average and has moved up to fifth in the world standings. The team of Speed Williams (heading) and Rich Skelton (heeling) is first in the world standings with $115,681.74 each. They finished fifth in the third go-round.

Saddle bronc riders Red Lemmel and Scott Johnston each scored 85 to win the third go-round. Glen O'Neill still holds a lead in the world standings despite the fact that he has not cashed at finals. O'Neill has $159,705.28. Tom Reeves tied for fifth in the go-round and trails O'Neill in the world standings by $3,461.18.

Calf roper Cody Ohl won his third consecutive go-round at the NFR with a time of 7.4 seconds. The last time Ohl tied for first or won the first three rounds at the NFR was in 1998 when he won his second calf-roping world title. Ohl leads the NFR average with 24.1 seconds on three head, is first in the world standings at $193,237.09 and leads the all-around cowboy race with $193,237.09.

Barrel racer Janet Stover of Rusk, Texas, won her first go-round with a time of 13.81 seconds.