Bareback rider Richmond Champion sets go-round record at NFR

Bareback rider Richmond Champion’s first horse fell Thursday night, allowing The Woodlands, Texas, native a chance for a re-ride.

His second horse then helped him win the first go-round of the National Finals Rodeo at the Thomas &Mack Center.

Champion rode Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Night Crawler for a score of 91.5 to win $26,230.77. The score is a record for the first round of the NFR, eclipsing two set earlier in the go-round.

“That’s always the goal when you come here, you want to get out hot,” Champion said. “Hopefully it will stay that way. The guys are riding great, and the horses are great. I expect these records to keep getting broken all week long.”

Caleb Bennett of Corvallis, Montana, first set the record with a score of 90, and Clayton Biglow of Clements, California, then scored 90.5 to break it before Champion set it for good. He hadn’t rode Night Crawler before, but praised the horse’s performance.

“It was a lot of fun,” Champion said. “It’s the kind (of horse) you dream about getting on.”

Other go-round winners:

■ Dakota Eldridge, Elko, in steer wrestling (3.6);

■ Tyler Wade, Terrell, Texas, and Cole Davison, Stephenville, Texas, in team roping (4.0);

■ Zeke Thurston, Big Valley, Alabama, in saddle bronc riding (88.0);

■ Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, Louisiana, in tie-down roping (7.6);

■ Emily Miller, Weatherford, Oklahoma, in barrel racing (13.63);

■ Stetson Wright, Milford, Utah, in bull riding (92.5).

Sam Gordon Review-Journal