Timed Event Championship Round 4

Staying within striking distance. That's exactly what K.C. Jones of Burlington, Wyo. has done this weekend at the Wrangler Timed Event Championship of the World. The four-time WTEC champion was third after the opening round, fifth after two rounds and third after three go-rounds.

On Saturday night he struck. As others fell Jones continued to move up in the fourth round, all the way to the top. Now Jones leads the average with 253.9 seconds on 20 runs going into Sunday's fifth and final round of the 26th Wrangler Timed Event Championship of the World at the Lazy E Arena.

The WTEC takes 20 of the world's toughest cowboys to ever battle the clock and tests their talents in a marathon of team roping - heading and heeling, tie-down roping, steer wrestling and steer roping each round for five rounds. Waiting at the end is a total purse of $150,000, including a staggering $50,000 to the winner of the average after 25 runs.

Josh Peek of Pueblo, Colo.led the average after Saturday afternoon's third round. In fact, he still led after three runs Saturday night with 218.7 on 18 runs. However, his steer sprinted out of the chute in steer wrestling. Peek didn't give up though and tossed him in 27.5 seconds. He would drop to third behind six-time WTEC champion and 11-time PRCA World Champion Trevor Brazile of Decatur and Jones, respectively, after 19 head. Brazile had been 17th after two runs in the first round but also stayed within striking distance for the lead at 230.3 on 19 runs.

Still the scoreboard was anything but settled. Brazile's steer roping draw took off to the back end of the arena. But Brazile stayed with him and tied the steer in 35.3 seconds in the fourth round Saturday night.

Jones tied his steer in 18.8 and Peek in 16.6 in the steer roping.

So, after the dust settled on 20 head, Jones has the lead in the average, Peek is second in the average with 262.8 seconds on 20 runs and Brazile is third with 265.6 seconds on 20 runs. Chance Kelton of Mayer, Ariz. is fourth in the average with 268.3 on 20 runs and three-time WTEC Champion Jimmie Cooper of Monument, N.M. is fifth at 294.2 on 20 runs.

WRANGLER TIMED EVENT CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE WORLD Leaders after the 4th Go-Round, Saturday night at the LAZY E ARENA, Guthrie, Okla.

Average on 20 runs: 1. K.C. Jones, Burlington, Wyo., 253.9 seconds on 20 runs; 2. Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo., 262.8 on 20; 3. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 265.6 on 20; 4. Chance Kelton, Mayer, Ariz., 268.3 on 20; 5. Jimmie Cooper, Monument, N.M., 294.2 on 20.

Fast rounds after four rounds: 1. Chance Kelton, Mayer, Ariz., 48.0 on five (2nd go); 2. Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo., 49.6 on five (3rd go); 3. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 50.8 on five (3rd go); 4. Kyle Lockett, Visalia, Calif., 51.3 on five (2nd go); 5. Jo Jo Lemond, Andrews, Texas, 52.2 on five (4th go); 6. Beau Franzen, Sidney, Mont., 52.5 on five (4th go).