LAS VEGAS — Monday was a big bounce-back day for Haven Meged, Lisa Lockhart and Jesse Brown at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
After four fruitless nights at the Thomas & Mack Center, Miles City's Meged earned his first paycheck in tie-down roping in Round 5. Lockhart, a Circle-area native, did the same in barrel racing.
And Brown, a former Montana State University cowboy from Baker City, Ore., scored his first victory in steer wrestling.
Brown was the first bulldogging contestant in Round 5, and he set the tone with a 3.6-second run. It held up as the winning time through 15 contestants and served as Brown's first gold-buckle win of this year's NFR as well as his second paycheck, which was worth $33,687.
It was a solid 24-hour turnaround for Brown, whose 8.8-second time in Round 3 on Sunday left him well outside of the money. Helena's Ty Erickson, with a time of 4.7, did not place in steer wrestling on Monday.
Meged had been shut out in the first four nights in tie-down roping but finally collected a paycheck on Monday. Meged, the 2019 world champion and last year's average winner, fashioned an 8.0-second run to place second and claim $26,624.
Joel Harris of San Angelo, Texas, won the round with a 7.6-second time.
Lockhart, of Oelrichs, S.D., struggled in her first four barrel racing performances at her 18th career NFR. But she and her horse Levee got a paycheck Monday with a time of 13.57 seconds to tie for fourth place and pick up $11,410.
For the second straight night, Kassie Mowry of Dublin, Texas, was the winner, scoring a time of 13.43 seconds.
In saddle bronc, Sage Newman of Melstone rode to an 85-point score on the Cervi Brothers' Womanizer, but it wasn't enough to reach the top six. Brody Wells of Powell, Wyo., and Ryder Wright of Beaver, Utah, shared the go-round money with twin 89.5-point performances.
Neither Montana contestant in bareback riding placed in Round 5. Stevensville's Richmond Champion had an 86-point effort aboard Calgary Stampede's Disco Party to place seventh, while Columbus' Weston Timberman tied for eighth with an 85.5-point showing on Pickett Pro Rodeo's Night Flight.
Dean Thompson of Altamont, Utah, and Jacob Lees of Caldwell, Idaho, tied for the go-round win with matching scores of 91.
Another former Montana State rodeo team member, bull rider Chase Dougherty of Canby, Ore., was thrown off and didn't score in Round 5. The Monday winner was Cooper James of Erda, Utah, with an 88.5-point ride.
In team roping, the combo of header Tyler Wade (Terrell, Texas) and heeler Wesley Thorp (Throckmorton, Texas) reached the winner's circle for the third time in five nights with a 3.6-second run.
The 2024 National Finals rodeo continues with Round 6 on Tuesday night at the Thomas & Mack Center.
