LAS VEGAS — Richmond Champion, Haven Meged and Jesse Brown led the way for Montana's contingent of competitors Friday at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
Champion, of Stevensville, had a strong bareback ride in Round 9 at the Thomas & Mack Center, scoring 86 points on Smith Pro Rodeos' Risky Business. That put him in a three-way tie for third and earned $14,308, Champion's best finish so far at this NFR.
Columbus rookie Weston Timberman scored 82.5 points aboard Andrews Rodeo's Cash & Carry on Friday but was out of the money. The winner was Jess Pope of Waverly, Kansas, who had an 89.5-point score.
Meanwhile, Meged continued his money-making ways in Round 9, as the tie-down roper from Miles City had a time of 7.6 seconds for a fifth-place finish to earn an $8,693 payday.
Meged has rebounded nicely from a slow start in Las Vegas. After failing to place in the first four rounds, Meged has now earned a check for five consecutive nights, which included a go-round win on Tuesday.
A night after winning his first silver buckle of 2024, Helena bulldogger Ty Erickson took a no-score in steer wrestling. But Jesse Brown of Baker City, Ore., formerly of Montana State University, had a 4.2-second run for fifth place and an $8,693 check.
The steer wrestling winner on Friday was Tyler Waguespack of Gonzales, La., with a 3.5-second time.
In saddle bronc, Sage Newman of Melstone scored 76.5 points during what was an eliminator round on top of Calgary Stampede's Cloudy Skies and failed to place. Lefty Holman of Visalia, Calif., won the round with an 88.5-point ride.
Circle-area native Lisa Lockhart, now of Oelrichs, S.D., failed to place in Round 9 of barrel racing, as she and her horse Levee were timed at 13.78 seconds to finish out of the money.
It took a downed No. 2 barrel to finally stop Kassie Mowry's record run in the event. Mowry was unseated Friday — after winning five straight rounds — by fellow Texan Hailey Kinsel, who raced to victory with a 13.48-second run.
Another former Montana State University cowboy, Chase Dougherty of Canby, Ore., was thrown from Pretty Boy of Corey & Lange Rodeo in Friday night's bull riding event and didn't score. The winner was Tyler Bingham of Howell, Utah, with a score of 88.5.
The team roping competition saw header Coleman Proctor of Pryor, Okla., and Logan Medlin of Tatum, N.M., win Round 9 with a time of 3.8 seconds.
The 2024 National Finals Rodeo wraps up with the 10th and final round Saturday night at the Thomas & Mack Center.
