NATIONAL FINALS RODEO

Go here for all the results, including the aggregate standings.

Lord takes second straight barrel racing win, grabs lead Shali Lord of Lamar, Colo., raced to her second straight barrel racing victory Sunday night in the National Finals Rodeo, finishing in 14.04 seconds to take the lead in the season standings. Lord has earned $40,637 in the first three rounds of the NFR to push her season total to $113,185. Linda Vick of Hesperia, Calif., shut out in the first three rounds, is second with $110,866. “The only thing that feels much different is that Slider is running harder to the first barrel each night,” Lord said. “He is feeling great.” Sheri Sinor Estrada of Alamogordo, N.M., was second Sunday at 14:19, and Terri Kaye Kirkland of Billings, Mont., followed in 14:21....
Clay Tryan reclaims 1st place at NFR The third time was a charm Sunday night at the National Finals Rodeo. After posting no times in the first two rounds in team roping, Clay Tryan of Billings and Patrick Smith of Midland, Texas, won in 4.0 seconds to reclaim first place in the world standings with $102,735 apiece. Travis Tryan of Billings and Allen Bach of Weatherford, Texas, were second in 4.2 seconds. "It's a one-header every night, and if the rounds get tough we've just got to buck up and get it done," Clay Tryan said. "There's no backing off no matter what steer we have. We got to go for first every night."....
Urban cowboys make a fashion statement With the National Finals Rodeo in full swing, cowboy fashion will be on display around town this week. From custom-made cowboy hats, big, flashy belt buckles and designer jeans, the aesthetic beauty of Western wear is alive and well in and around the Thomas & Mack Center. An essential piece of equipment for any cowboy worth his salt is the hand-made cowboy boot. "There is a big-time demand, if you can get to those people," said David Moore Sr., a custom cowboy boot maker from Nogales, Ariz. "But finding people that produce the quality of boot a guy wants produced is tough." A customer can saunter into Moore's store and plop down at least $375 for a pair of ostrich smooth boots. The store's Web site also advertises bull shoulder, water buffalo and Teju lizard-skin boots, all starting at $375. Other styles of ostrich boots range from $400-$475, with Caiman crocodile belly starting at $650 and Hornback alligator priced at $1,000. Kangaroo is also available....
Animal rights advocates in Vegas protesting rodeo animal handling Animal protectionists plan an event in Las Vegas today to call attention to what they say is mistreatment of animals during the National Finals Rodeo. Two groups -- called "Showing Animals Respect and Kindness" and "In Defense of Animals" -- say they want a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association judge to investigate their complaints. The groups say they intend to make public a videotape showing violent ways animals are roped and tied during rodeo events....
Porum rookie shines t’s been a rigorous schedule this year for Porum’s Justin McDaniel. But it’s been an award-winning one as well for the 19-year-old cowboy from Porum. After competing in bareback riding for an estimated 62 rodeos, McDaniel picked up the Rookie of the Year award in the event. He receives his honor in ceremonies at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nev. on Wednesday. “I got a letter in the mail saying I was in the running for the award, so I kept up with it on the Internet,” McDaniel said. “I had a pretty good idea last month that I was going to win it.” The 2005 Porum High School actually won the coveted award with winnings of $30,271, according to standings on ESPN.com. Josh Shackleford of Elkmont, Ala., was a distant second with earnings of $25,100. Not competing in this year’s National Finals, McDaniel finished the 2005 season with earnings totaling $48,871. He finished as the runner-up for all-around Rookie of the Year to Steve Woolsey of Spanish Fork, Utah, and his earnings of $83,006....
Utahn leading overall in bull riding Spanish Fork's Steve Woolsey had another successful bull ride at the third performance of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo on Sunday. He had an 82-point ride on Rafter G Rodeo's Jungle Boogie, good for a fourth-place tie and $5,300. More importantly for the Resistol Rookie of the Year, he has taken the lead in the aggregate and is the only man to have ridden all three of his bulls. Woolsey's take so far is over $20,000 with seven more rounds to go. It was a rough night for Wesley Silcox, from Payson, who failed to last eight seconds on Salt River Rodeo's Geronimo. Rusty Allen and Cody Wright are still neck and neck in the saddle bronc aggregate. Allen has 259 points on three and Wright is just one point behind him. Wright, from Milford, finished in third place on Sunday, and Allen, from Lehi, finished in fourth. Allen's take so far is over $34,000 and Wright has won over $31,000....
Brazile looking to gain momentum Most of the talk about an all-around world championship at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo has centered on Ryan Jarrett. Jarrett, of Summerville, Ga., qualified for the 47th NFR in tie-down roping and steer wrestling, making him the most serious competition for three-time and defending winner Trevor Brazile of Decatur. Brazile has been atop the world standings for most of the season. However, he only qualified for the NFR in one event, the tie-down roping. Each round pays more than $15,000, but Brazile leads by more than $20,000. This year's NFR has been slow for Brazile, who got his first check in the third round. He finished fifth with an 8.9-second run, good for $4,038, the same amount Jarrett has won here. "It didn't start off the way I had hoped for," Brazile said. "Last year I came in here and won the first round in tie-down. Then things kind of fell apart. This year started slow, so hopefully the momentum will pick up now."....