Navarre solid in bull riding

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Corey Navarre prevented his 14 fellow bull riding competitors from being shut out for the last two rounds when he posted a successful ride during the sixth round of the National Finals Rodeo on Tuesday.

On Monday, the 15 competitors were unable to cover on their bulls during round five, which is the first time this happened at the NFR since the sixth round of 1997.

Navarre of Weatherford, Okla., was the lone competitor to cover on his bull for the last two rounds when he tallied a first-place 70.5 score on Boom Town in the sixth round.

The win worth $17,139, allowed Navarre to move up from sixth to third in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association World Standings with $131,871 for 2009.

Bobby Welsh of Gillette, Wyo., who is the lone rider to cover four of his six bulls, leads the aggregate race with 315 points, but he trails world standings leader and defending champion J.W. Harris of May, Texas, by $85,838. Welsh's 2009 NFR earnings are an event-best $40,637.

In bareback riding, Bobby Mote of Culver, Ore., finished first for the second consecutive round with a score of 87.5 on Delta Force.

Clint Cannon of Waller, Texas, who set a PRCA record in 2009 for most regular-season money won in any event with $233,504, did not place among the top six for a fifth straight round, but he continues to lead the world standings with $235,899. Mote is in second with $215,261, which includes an NFR-best $44,922.

Mote also took over the aggregate score lead from Kaycee Feild of Elk Ridge, Utah, as he has 505.5 points on six rides compared to second-place Feild with 503 points on six rides.

In steer wrestling, two-time world champion Luke Branquinho of Los Alamos, Calif., upstaged Lee Graves of Canada, when he posted a 2009 NFR-best and a first-place time of 3.2 about one minute after Graves registered a second-place time of 3.3.

"I just told myself to get a good start and throw the steer down fast, and if it worked out where I beat him great," Branquinho said. "You don't go up just trying to beat Lee. You have to beat the steer you have drawn, and I felt like I did that tonight."

Graves, who leads in the aggregate score race with a time of 22.5 over six rounds and in NFR earnings with $58,767, is in first place with $179,341 in total world earnings.

He is followed by Branquinho with $165,354, Jake Rinehart of Highmore, S.D., with $148,316 and Curtis Cassidy of Canada with $118,604.

In team roping, header David Key of Caldwell, Texas, and heeler Rich Skelton of Llano, Texas, placed first in 4.2 during round six.

World standings heeler leader Jade Corkill of Fallon, Nev., and header leader Chad Masters of Clarksville, Texas, placed second in 4.5. Masters has earned $144,059 and Corkill has made $134,587 in 2009.

In saddle bronc riding, Wade Sundell of Boxholm, Iowa, scored a first-place mark of 82 on Round Robin in round six.

World standings leader Jesse Kruse of Great Falls, Mont., placed sixth with an 82 on Knife Money. During his first NFR appearance, Kruse has earned $155,763 in 2009 following his third NFR paycheck, while J.J. Elshere of Quinn, S.D., who has won two rounds, is second with $135,928.

On Tuesday, Elshere was in a three-way tie for second with an 84.5 on Miss Rodeo. In tie-down roping, Monty Lewis of Hereford, Texas, placed first in a time of 7.2.

Trevor Brazile of Decatur, Texas, placed second in 7.5 and brought his world standings lead total up to $166,227 while Clint Robinson of Spanish Fork, Utah, who had no time in round six, stays in second in the PRCA world standings with $129,698.

Tuf Cooper of Decatur, Texas, who placed fourth in 7.8, took over the aggregate score lead from Cody Ohl of Hico, Texas, with a time of 51.2 over six rounds.

In barrel racing, Jordon Peterson of Chilton, Texas, won her first NFR round with a time of 13.72 while former world champ Sherry Cervi of Marana, Ariz., placed second in 13.86

Defending world champ Lindsay Sears of Canada, who tied for fourth in 13.92, falls to second place in the aggregate race, as Cervi leads with a time of 83.39 over six rounds.

Brittany Pozzi of Victoria, Texas, the 2007 world champion who didn't place among the top six with a time of 13.95, is first in the world standings with $210,324 while Sears is second with $204,892.

In all-around, Brazile has $324,664 and remains in first place during his quest for his seventh world title. He has exceeded $300,000 for a record four years in a row. Clint Robinson of Spanish Fork, Utah, is second with $181,915 and Josh Peek of Pueblo, Colo., is third with $178,353.