Bareback rider Orin Larsen continues pursuit of lead at NFR
Bareback rider Orin Larsen didn’t quite set a go-round record Sunday night at the Thomas & Mack Center.
But he almost did, and that was good enough for first place and $26,231.
Larsen opened the fourth go-round of the National Finals Rodeo by riding his horse to a score of 90. The 28-year-old from Inglis, Manitoba, in Canada moved into second place in the world standings with $211,788. Clayton Biglow leads with $219,452.17.
“Everyone I talked to in the dressing room was pretty pumped up that I had a good horse,” Larsen said. “That horse definitely didn’t fail. It fit my style and got in the air and was showy. He hangs in the air and is just a good bucking horse, and I was glad to have him.”
Larsen finished sixth Thursday, but missed out on the money Friday and Saturday. He has netted more than $38,000 at the NFR and is seeking his first championship belt buckle.
“I’m not really thinking about the end result,” Larsen said. “All 15 of us deserve to have a gold buckle by the end of the week. I’m just going to do my part and do a lot of praying, and if there’s a gold by my name, I will be stoked.”
Other go-round winners:
— Bridger Chambers, Stevensville, Montana, steer wrestling (3.6 seconds);
— Chad Masters, Cedar Hill, Tennessee, and Joseph Harrison, Marietta, Oklahoma, team roping (3.7 seconds);
— Rusty Wright, Milford, Utah, saddle bronc riding (89.5);
— Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, Louisiana, tie-down roping (7.5 seconds);
— Emily Miller, Weatherford, Oklahoma, barrel racing (13.64 seconds);
— Stetson Wright, Milford, Utah, bull riding (91).
More NFR: Visit reviewjournal.com/NFR.
Contact reporter Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.
