NFR notebook: Steer wrestler Fields matches NFR record

Victoria Sun

Thursday, Dec. 13, 2001 | 10:10 a.m.

It has been three years since steer wrestler Bryan Fields won a go-round at the National Finals Rodeo.

On Wednesday night at the Thomas & Mack Center, Fields not only ended his drought, he tied an NFR arena record.

Riding Magic, Fields won the sixth go-round with a time of 3.0 seconds.

"It feels good," Fields said. "That's the fastest I've ever been.

"I've been 3.1 in college, but never three (seconds) flat."

Fields' only other win at the finals was in 1998 when he tied for first in the second performance.

His time tied the NFR record set in 1986 by Steve Duhon, a three-time world champion (1986, 1987 and 1993) and eight-time NFR competitor.

"Everybody wants to win the world and set an arena record here and I couldn't think of anybody better to share it with," Fields said. "He's one of the greatest bull-doggers I've ever seen."

Fields entered the NFR third in the world standings with $69,797, but has dropped one spot since. Bob Lummus has a slim lead over Rope Myers in the world standings and is second in the average with a total time of 23.90 seconds on six head while Myers is first in the average (22.20 seconds on six head).

Fields said that with four rounds left, he has no choice but to be aggressive. He is fourth in the NFR average with a total time of 25.40 seconds on six head, giving him a legitimate shot at the average title and the $34,678 bonus that goes with it.

"They're all fast," Fields said of the steers. "You've got to try to win a round every night."

Fields was unaware of his accomplishment until after it was all over.

"Sam Duvall said that was the steer we wanted," Fields said. "I knew that if I got a good start he handled fast.

"You can tell it's fast, but you can't tell how fast. It felt good, I've been wanting to do that for a long time."

Other Wednesday night winners:

Darren Clarke finished first in bareback riding with a score of 87 on Icicle to win $13,522.20. Clarke is third in the NFR average with 487 points on six rides. Lan LaJeunesse remains first in the world standings with $152,841.31 and finished sixth this performance with an 82-point ride on Firecracker.

Defending saddle bronc world champion Billy Etbauer won his second go-round of the finals with an 84-point ride on Vidalia. Glen O'Neill, who leads the world standings with $170,610.28, finished third. Dennis Hay is the only cowboy to ride all six horses and leads the NFR average with 464 points on six rides, but ranks 10th in the world standings.

Two-time world champion calf roper Cody Ohl, the leader in the all-around cowboy standings with $291,839.38, tied Trevor Brazile for first in calf-roping to pocket $12,104.55. Ohl has won or tied in five of the first six performances. He is first in the calf roping world standings and has an $80,000 lead over five-time and defending world champion Fred Whitfield. Brazile is second in the all-around cowboy standings at $211,666.61.

Ten-time world champion barrel racer Charmayne James won her first performance of the week with a time of 13.76 seconds. James is third in the world standings with $98,954.01 while Kelly Yates remains first at $131,556.85. Janet Stover, who won the previous three go-rounds, is first in the NFR average with a total time of 83.58 seconds on six runs.

Blue Stone scored an 87-point ride on McCarty Rose to take first in bull riding. Stone is second in the NFR average with 356 points on four rides and third in the world standings at $107,269.78. Mike Moore, who finished fifth, is third in the average with 342 points on four rides.