Friday, Dec. 14, 2001 | 11:57 a.m.
It has taken five years for Bobby Mote to make it to the National Finals Rodeo.
So far, he's made the most of his golden opportunity.
"I'm just tickled as I can be," Mote said after he won the bareback riding event Thursday night at the Thomas & Mack Center. "I've been working for this as long as I've been rodeoing. It's a major blessing to be here."
Mote, 25, scored 84 points on Moon Beam to win his second performance of the finals.
He started off on Major Cat, but opted for a re-ride. The second horse he drew delivered the same results so he took the re-ride option again.
Finally, everything went right on Moon Beam.
"I was glad to get another shot because I didn't have a shot to win the first two times," Mote said. "I was glad to get one because every round pays so much here and there are so many chances to win a lot of money -- more than any other rodeo all year long.
"You've got to take advantage of it, whether you're tired or not, you've got to dig down deep inside. He was a really good horse, all I wanted."
Mote entered the finals ranked third in the world standings with $87,496. Through Thursday he was second in the NFR average behind Lan LaJeunesse and second to LaJeunesse in the world standings.
Mote, of Redmond, Ore., joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association in 1996.
He said an attitude adjustment has helped him put together his best year ever.
"I just decided I was going to make it this year, that was the main thing," Mote said. "Before I wanted to make it, I didn't decide I was going to make it.
"I made it a point to know that I was going to be here this year and I planned on it all year."
Rope is first in the NFR average with a total time of 25.70 seconds on seven head and has risen from 14th in the world standings before the NFR to first with $116,206.98.
The calf-roping team of Wade Wheatly (heading) and Kyle Lockett (heeling) won their second go-round of the finals with a time of 4.2 seconds. Blaine Linaweaver and Jory Levy remain first in the average with a total time of 53.50 seconds on seven head and are ninth in the world standings. Richard Eiguren and B.J. Campbell are first in the world standings at $123,441.82.
Saddle bronc rider Scott Johnston scored an 86 on Brown Bomber to finish first. Johnston tied Red Lemmel for first in the fourth performance and is third in the NFR average with 479 points on six rides and fourth in the world standings with $123,601.18. Glen O'Neill finished third this go-round and is ranked first in the world standings at $178,679.98.
Kay Blanford won her second go-round of the finals with a time of 13.93 seconds. Janet Stover remains first in the NFR average with at 97.55 seconds on seven rides and is second in the world standings with $134,468.32 behind Kelly Yates ($138,427).
Defending world champion bull rider Cody Hancock scored an 85 on Smokeless Abracadabr to win his first go-round and move up to first in the world standings with $105,491.59. Hancock is fourth in the NFR average with 413 points on five rides.
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