Rodeo: Last rides before championship round

RENO - For the past couple of years, Steven Peebles has been plying his bareback skills at Walla Walla Community College.

Peebles decided to turn professional this year, and entered the Reno Rodeo for the first time. The results have been outstanding.

Peebles scored a 77 aboard 908 FF Friday night at the Reno Livestock Events Center before a sold-out crowd of 8,200, and it was enough to reach tonight's short round.

The top 12 cowboys and cowgirls in each event advance to tonight's championship round. Action gets under way at 7 p.m. The rodeo will be televised live on KOLO Channel 8.

"Reno has treated me well so far," said Peebles, who has a total of 158 for two rides. "It's nice to make it in a big rodeo like this one.

"The horses weren't as good as they were Thursday. You just have to ride and do the best you can. I was happy with the 77 as far as the horses that were out tonight."

Kaycee Feild still leads the way with 168, while world leader Clint Cannon remained second at 165. Justin McDaniel is third at 183 and Heath Ford, Cannon's travel partner, is at 162.

Chet Johnson turned in the best saddle bronc score with an 85 aboard 946 FF which was good enough for some go-round money. He was dumped on his first ride, eliminating him from advancing to the finals in average score.

Bryce Miller had the second-best ride of the night with an 83 aboard Blue Feather to move into eighth place heading into tonight's finals.

Twice it appeared that Miler was going to get tossed forward over the top of his horse, but he rebounded each time and held on.

"I just gutted it out," Miller said. "I was able to get the saddle back down. It's the first time I've seen the horse. I know it's been around a little bit. To make it back (to the short round) is great. Hopefully I'll ride better in the short round."

Dusty Hausauer still leads saddle bronc riders with a 169, while Justin Arnold is at 166. Brad Harter is third at 164, Cody Wright is next at 163 and Chad Ferley is at 162.

For the second straight night in bullriding, the best ride came near the end of the performance.

J.B. Mauney, a member of the PBR, turned in an 86 to move into fourth place with Zack Oakes. Cody Gardner was the only other rider to stay up for eight seconds and he scored an 82.

J.W. Harris still leads with a 91 and Colin McTaggart is next with 90.

The 22-year-old Mauney didn't have much time to savor his ride. He headed immediately over to the medical tent to get some treatment on his right knee. He tore his right medial collateral ligament, and he's been riding in pain for quite some time.

"I tore it away from the knee," he said. "It's been bothering me the last couple of years. It goes for times and doesn't hurt. If I land on it the right way or my foot catches it hurts. Eventually they tell me I have to go in so they clean out the calcium and re-attach it (the ligament). The doctors have told me I can't screw it up any more than it is."

The PBR doesn't start up again in earnest until August, and Mauney wanted to keep busy until then.

"I wanted to go to as many (PRCA events) as I can," Mauney said. "I'm going to Calgary next week. I'm going to go to as many as I can."

In team roping, there was no change in the top spots.

Chad Masters and Fallon's Jade Corkill still lead the way with a 10.7 for two rides. Travis Tryan and Michael Jones are next, and JoJo Lemond and Randon Adams are at 11.8 each.

There were only three clean team roping attempts on Friday, the best score was by Britt Williams and Broc Cresta, who turned in a 10.8. Schurz's Dylan Johnson and Topaz' Matthew Hussman posted a no score.

In steer wresting, Casey Martin had a 5.0 and defending Reno Rodeo champ Josh Peek posted a 6.5.

B.J. Campbell still leads the steer wrestling field at 8.4 for two rides, while Joey Bell is second at 9.1, Dean Gorsuch is still third 9.9 and Spud Duvall is fourth at 10.2.

In calf roping, 2001 Reno Rodeo all-around champion Cody Ohl moved into first place with a score of 17.7 on two attempts. Jason Vohs, 19.0, was bumped down to second and Matt Shiowaza is third at 19.2.

In barrel racing, Shelley Morgan turned in a 17.11 and Racheal Ross was next at 17.13. Norma Wood was third with a 17.20, which moved her into the finals. Lindsay Sears remains in first place at 34.03. She will ride tonight despite a broken leg. Rodeo officials said that she is leading at another rodeo.

NOTES: It was Tough Enough to Wear Pink Night at the rodeo, and there plenty of spectators that wore some shade of pink clothing ... The Oak Ridge Boys sang the national anthem ... Barrelman Troy Lerwill was bumped twice in his barrel by Little Brother during the bullriding portion of the performance ... Bullfighter Tim O'Connor was in the medical tent after the performance after getting nudged into the boards by Chili Pepper.