Desert Dreams

Although five cowboys had already clinched world titles heading into Saturday's 10th and final round of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, there was no shortage of drama as contestants in three events sweated it out until the very end. A record crowd of 18,224 watched contestants win world titles in team roping, steer wrestling and barrel racing in the Thomas & Mack Center, the home of the Wrangler NFR since 1985. Team ropers Matt Sherwood (Queen Creek, Ariz.) and Allen Bach (Weatherford, Texas) claimed titles in heading and heeling, respectively, becoming the first non-partners to claim world titles since the event was split into two categories in 1995...Earlier, steer wrestler Dean Gorsuch (Gering, Neb.) clinched his first world title by throwing his final-round steer in 3.6 seconds, giving him the average title and enough money to rally past 2004 World Champion Luke Branquinho on the final night. Gorsuch ended the year with $194,268, about $14,000 more than Branquinho...Barrel racer Mary Burger (Pauls Valley, Okla.) placed second on Saturday with a run of 13.75 seconds and held off regular-season standings leader Brittany Pozzi (Victoria, Texas) by some $2,500. For Burger, the 58-year old earned her first world title. Pozzi finished sixth in Round 10 with a time of 14.14 to win the Wrangler NFR average title, but a fourth-place finish — just .09 seconds away — would have given her the world title...Tie-down roper Cody Ohl (Hico, Texas) won his fifth event gold buckle and sixth overall on Saturday. His 2006 season will go down in history as the best ever in his event as he earned $298,112, including a Wrangler NFR-best $132,652 among tie-down ropers....