CALGARY, ALTA. – Lee Graves and Luke Branquinho have been putting on
quite the show at the 51st annual Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR)
this week, a bit of a thriller, to be sure, and one that has the two
bulldoggers playing musical go-rounds at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las
Vegas.

And after the eighth round, it was Graves who emerged the leader.

The Calgarian’s 3.7-second run was enough to earn him a third place
finish on Thursday night, just three-tenths of a second behind round
winner Stockton Graves of Oklahoma, and the $10,228 that came with it
was enough to reclaim the lead from Branquinho.

Just $7,076 separates the two athletes, a little less than a fourth
place cheque at this year’s NFR, and with both easily within range of
winning the average, this is one battle that’s going to last until the
final round on Saturday.

While Graves is leading the World standings, Branquinho currently leads
the average with 34 seconds on eight head. Graves’ fellow Albertan
Curtis Cassidy is holding fast to second place in the average, a
position he’s been sitting comfortably in since the third round. Cassidy
is currently fourth in the World.

Lindsay Sears is leading the pack of ladies barrel racers vying for that
event’s championship title.

And the Nanton, Alta. cowgirl has been taking chances to stay there. In
the seventh round, she bumped two barrels. Neither were knocked over,
and she crossed the finish line in 13.71 seconds, placing first in that
go-round, but it goes to show just how fierce the competition is.

She’s still leading the World standings and the average after her third
place finish in go-round eight, but less than $5,000 separates Sears
from Texan Brittany Pozzi in the standings, which should make for an
exciting race as the final rounds of NFR come to a close.

Saddle bronc rider Dustin Flundra picked up his second cheque of this
year’s NFR after his fourth place ride in go-round seven. The Pincher
Creek, Alta. cowboy scored an 81.5 on Mosbrucker Rodeo’s Paper & Fire.
He’ll collect $7,188 for the ride, adding to the $4,423 he won in round
two. The bronc rider is unfortunately out of contention for the saddle
bronc world title, but there’s still plenty of NFR money to be earned
with two go-rounds remaining.

Tune in to prorodeo.com for more detailed results and television
schedule as the 51st annual National Finals Rodeo wraps up in Vegas this
Saturday.

Lee Graves seen here at the Canadian Finals Rodeo in Edmonton, Alta is currently competing at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas

December 7, 2009

CALGARY, AB – Lady luck has been known to frequent Las Vegas a time or
two, but luck wasn’t the name of the game for four Canadian rodeo
athletes making their way to the Nevada city’s Thomas & Mack Center  for
the 51st Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR).

Hard work, determination and try were the cards played by Curtis
Cassidy, Dustin Flundra, Lee Graves, and Lindsay Sears, leading them
into the 51st NFR.

And reflecting on the first four performances of the 2009 NFR, it’s no
secret they belong.

Cassidy picked up his first cheque of the Finals by winning round one,
throwing his steer in just 3.6 seconds.

“It’s a really fast start here, and the steers run,” said the five-time
Canadian High Point Champion. “I knew absolutely nothing about (the
steer). I asked a few guys, and they said those red steers were good
average steers. But I asked the other guys, and nobody had any lists on
him, so I just backed in like you would at any other rodeo where you
don’t know about a steer.”

It was the Donalda, Alta. bulldogger’s second NFR go-round win in his
rodeo career so far, and helped him pass $100,000 in his 2009 season
earnings.

Fellow bulldogger Graves, of Calgary, Alta., split fourth in that first
go-round with a 4.2, squeezing into the money and earning $4,792.

Flundra was out of the money in go-round one after he placed 14th with a
75-point ride. But the Pincher Creek, Alta. bronc rider kicked it up a
notch in round two, placing fifth with a 81.5 for $4,423.

In the ladies barrel racing, Sears placed fifth with a 14.18 and picked
up $4,423 for the effort. Hailing from Nanton, Alta., Sears also put the
pressure on the competition in the second round, placing first after a
whirlwind run around the barrels. Stopping the clock at 13.95 seconds,
the Alberta cowgirl added $17,139 to her season earnings.

Steer wrestlers Cassidy and Graves cooled off a bit in the second round,
placing ninth and 10th respectively. But Graves picked up another cheque
in round three, worth $6,151, after a three-way split for third with a
3.9 second tackle.

Sears was also in the money during the third round, her 13.97 second run
earning her a third place go-round finish for $10,228, followed by a
second place finish during the fourth go-round. Speedy Sears was 13.76
for $13,546. She sits in second place in the world standings, and leads
the barrel racing average with 55.86 seconds in four rounds.

But probably the biggest win so far is Graves’ first-place win in the
fourth performance. The five time Canadian steer wrestling champion, and
2005 World Champion, turned his Sunday steer in a rapid 3.4 seconds,
cashing in the $17,139 cheque, propelling the Calgarian back into first
in the PRCA world standings, and into the average lead at this year’s
NFR. Cassidy is right behind him in the average after splitting fifth
for $3,594. Graves is 15.7 seconds on four head; Cassidy is 15.8. The
next closest bulldogger in the average race is Oregon cowboy Shawn
Greenfield at 16.3.

Heading into tonight’s fifth round, which will be aired on TSN2 tomorrow
at 12:30 p.m. MST, each Canadian contestant has a shot at another cheque.

The 51st NFR wraps up with the final round on Dec. 12, when eight new
World Champions will be named.

The information within this release is provided as a courtesy by the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA)