BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
In Round 7 of the NFR Wednesday night, an arena record fell and the legend of Ky Hamilton continued to grow.
First, the record. Haven Meged was the first cowboy to go in the tie-down roping in Round 7 and sent the crowd into a frenzy with a 6.4-second run to break the arena record of 6.5 previously set by Shad Mayfield, Trevor Brazile and Cody Ohl.
“It was dream come true, honestly, I didn’t know if I was going to be that fast, when I seen it, I don’t even know how you put that into words,” he said. “Cody Ohl texted me tonight and just said that records are meant to be broken.”
The usually reserved Meged threw his hat after the run, which not only won him the Go-Round, it also gave him the lead in the NFR Average.
Less than an hour later, the crowd roared just as loud again when Ky Hamilton, who was knocked out in Round 5 on Tuesday, climbed aboard his second bull of the day, covered him, and won all of the day money as the only cowboy to ride.
“That’s why I always wanted to do this sport, for moments like that,” Hamilton said of the reaction to his ride. “My best friend (Stetson Wright) on the back of the chutes cheering me on and fellow Australian Damian Brennan (winning a round the same night), it’s awesome, it’s why I do this.”
Hamilton’s second improbable eight second ride in less than eight hours gave him a two-bull lead in the NFR Average and $99,000+ toward the PRCA World Standings, extending his lead over the next closest competing cowboy, Josh Frost, to $223,000.
The other Go-Round winners Wednesday night were Clayton Biglow in bareback riding (88 points), Tyler Waguspack and Stan Branco in steer wrestling (3.8 seconds), Derrick Begay/Colter Todd, Clay Smith/Paden Bray and Clint Summers/Jake Long in team roping (4.0 seconds), Ryder Wright and Damian Brennan in saddle bronc riding (87 points), and Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi in barrel racing (13.47 seconds).
BAREBACK RIDING
Round 7: 1. Clayton Biglow, 88 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo ‘s South Point’s Happy Hour, $30,706; 2. (tie) Tim O’Connell and Kade Sonnier, 87, $21,296 each; 4. Tanner Aus, 86.5, $12,877; 5. Jess Pope, 84.5, $7,924; 6. (tie) Cole Reiner, Jayco Roper and Rocker Steiner, 84, $1,651 each.
STEER WRESTLING
Round 7: 1. (tie) Stan Branco and Tyler Waguespack, 3.8 seconds, $27,487 each; 3. Dalton Massey, 3.9, $18,325; 4. Will Lummus, 4.0, $12,877; 5. Don Payne, 4.4, $7,924; 6. Stephen Culling, 4.5, $4,953.
TEAM ROPING
Round 7: 1. (tie) Derrick Begay/Colter Todd, Clay Smith/Paden Bray and Clint Summers/Jake Long, 4.0 seconds, $24,433 each; 4. Luke Brown/Hunter Koch, 5.1, $12,877; 5. Marcus Theriot/Cole Curry, 5.7, $7,924; 6. Tanner Tomlinson/Patrick Smith, 9.2, $4,953.
SADDLE BRONC RIDING
Round 7: 1. (tie) Damian Brennan, on Powder River Rodeo’s Bet The Ranch, and Ryder Wright, on Calgary Stampede’s Exotic Warrior, 87 points, $27,487 each; 3. Lefty Holman, 86.5, $18,325; 4. Brody Cress, 85, $12,877; 5. (tie) Ryder Sanford and Zeke Thurston, 84.5, $6,438 each.
TIE-DOWN ROPING
Round 7: 1. Haven Meged, 6.4 seconds, $30,706; 2. Cory Solomon, 6.9, $24,268; 3. Tuf Case Cooper, 7.2, $18,325; 4. Hunter Herrin, 7.3, $12,877; 5. Brushton Minton, 7.6, $7,924; 6. Kincade Henry, 7.8, $4,953.
BARREL RACING
Round 7: 1. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 13.47 seconds, $30,706; 2. Kassie Mowry, 13.60, $24,268; 3. Paige Jones, 13.62, $18,325; 4. Emily Beisel, 13.68, $12,877; 5. Summer Kosel, 13.69, $7,924; 6. Lisa Lockhart, 13.70, $4,953.
BULL RIDING
Round 7: 1. Ky Hamilton, 88 points on Duane Kesler ‘s Alberta Prime Devil’s Advocate, $99,053.
