Proctor jumps Mayfield for all-around title lead — NFR DAY 9 PHOTOS
The National Finals Rodeo will go into the final night of the 10-day event on Saturday with some world titles still up in the air.
Including the all-around crown.
Coleman Proctor jumped Shad Mayfield in the all-around standings after Proctor and team roping partner Logan Medlin won their go-round Friday night at the Thomas & Mack Center. Proctor and Medlin posted a time of 3.8 seconds, and each claimed $33,687.18 in earnings for the win.
In the all-around standings, Proctor has $326,648.45 in earnings and leads Mayfield ($294,723.69) by $31,924.76 with one round left. Mayfield entered NFR with a nearly $34,000 lead.
“It’s a dream come true. That’s what I wanted to do,” Proctor said of being in contention for the all-around title. “Nine years I’ve been out here and I’ve only been in contention one time, and it was for one brief round. I got big shoulders, and I got an ability to be able to take it, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Mayfield missed his calf out of the gate on his first attempt in his tie-down roping go-round Friday. He slipped jumping off his horse before a successful second attempt, posted a time of 14.9 seconds and did not claim any earnings.
‘Trust our process’
Proctor is seeking his first title. A nine-time NFR qualifier, Proctor finished fifth in the all-around standings last year. He has won six team roping events and was the all-around winner at four rodeos in the regular season.
“You certainly kind of keep your eye on kind of what needs to happen, but it got pretty simple for us (in team roping) starting about round six when we had to start just winning big each night,” said Proctor, who also competed in steer roping in the regular season.
Proctor and Medlin added a go-round win Wednesday as they try to chase down defending champions Tyler Wade and Wesley Thorp in team roping. Proctor is second in the headers standings, $38,121 behind Wade, while Medlin is third among heelers, $51,354 behind Thorp.
Proctor and Medlin are fourth in the aggregate and are in line to add $40,750, while Wade and Thorp are in 11th and would not win any additional money.
“I’ve been able to relax and go do what we know we are capable of doing,” Proctor said. “It’s a lot of work to get into this position, when the chips are down, and we got one steer left to run. We’re going to rely on our basics and trust our process of what got us here.”
In tie-down roping, defending champion Riley Webb leads Mayfield by less than $24,000. Webb is first in the aggregate and in line to win an additional $86,391.31. Mayfield sits fifth in the aggregate.
Barrel racing showdown
The barrel racing title will go down to the final round between Hailey Kinsel and Kassie Mowry. Kinsel won Friday’s go-round with a time of 13.48 seconds and claimed $33,687.18 in earnings. Kinsel leads Mowry by less than $11,000 in the overall standings.
“I personally try not to pay too much attention to the results and stuff,” Kinsel said. “My goal is to win. I have to win based on my performances, so my win looks like giving my best effort and making the best run I can. I tried to focus on that.”
Kinsel won the first three go-rounds at NFR. Then Mowry won the next four and shared a fifth win Thursday. Mowry hit a barrel on her run and did not claim any earnings Friday.
“It’s been a few days,” Kinsel said. “I have a horse that puts me in contention to be fast and be that good. She’s incredible. She was aggressive tonight, and she put me in the right spots at the right time. The goal was to go for it and be as fast as we could.”
Kinsel sits sixth in the aggregate, and Mowry is in fifth. The difference between the two positions is more than $8,000. If the aggregate were added after Friday’s runs, Kinsel would win the title by less than $3,000.
“I’ll be thrilled for Kassie if she wins,” Kinsel said. “She’s had an incredible year, incredible horse and a great story. She’s been dominant this week, and it’s been fun to watch. I’m also in it to win myself, and I’m not going to back off. If I go down, I go down swinging.”
Other title battles
Ryder Wright gave himself a better chance to win his third saddle bronc riding title after he shared second place with younger brother StatlerWright in Friday’s go-round with a score of 86 points.
Ryder Wright leads Damian Brennan in the overall standings by more than $74,000.
Brennan is third in the aggregate, and Wyatt Casper, third in the overall standings, leads the aggregate. If Casper can win the aggregate, he could add $86,391.31 in earnings and give himself a chance to jump Brennan and battle Wright for the title.
Rocker Steiner leads NFR rookie Bradlee Miller by nearly $30,000 and defending champion Keenan Hayes by more than $76,000 in the bareback riding standings. But Steiner is 14th in the aggregate and will not pick up any additional earnings. Miller is fourth and Hayes is third, and only the top eight in the aggregate receive earnings.
Miller could jump Steiner with another strong run Saturday in the overall standings after the aggregate kicks in. Hayes and Dean Thompson are also in contention.
Dakota Eldridge is in a similar position to Steiner in steer wrestling. The Elko native leads the overall standings but is ninth in the aggregate and probably won’t claim any additional earnings.
Will Lummus is second in the aggregate and could jump from third, over Eldridge and J.D. Struxness, to claim his first world title. Rowdy Parrott leads the aggregate, which is keeping him alive for the title.
In bull riding, Josh Frost has a comfortable lead of more than $61,000 over TJ Gray. Frost is also first in the aggregate and is expected to add $86,391.31 to his total.
Friday’s go-round winners
■ Jess Pope, Waverly, Kansas, in bareback riding (89.5 points).
■ Tyler Waguespack, Gonzales, Louisiana, in steer wrestling (3.5 seconds).
■ Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Oklahoma, and Logan Medlin, Tatum, New Mexico, in team roping (3.8 seconds).
■ Lefty Holman, Visalia, California, in saddle bronc riding (88.5 points).
■ Joel Harris, San Angelo, Texas, in tie-down roping (7.2 seconds).
■ Hailey Kinsel, Cotulla, Texas, in barrel racing (13.48 seconds).
■ Tyler Bingham, Howell, Utah, in bull riding (88.5 points).
Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.
