Wrangler NFR 2011 Round 1 in Vegas

Written by

Nerves are always at their highest on round one of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. The performance was great, competition was tough- and it’s only going to get better.
Kaycee Field didn’t disappoint last night in the bareback riding with a score of 89 points on Bar T Rodeo’s Bitter Robin. Pueblo, Colorado should be proud of their cowboy, Casey Colletti, for his 87.5 point ride to follow up Field with second. The black horse of Carr Pro Rodeo, Black Coffee, had a little bit of nerves himself in the chute- but the 3 chute gate opens were well worth the wait!

The athletic Jesse was definitely the star of the steer wrestling! Jesse, the black trusty steed, led first Trevor Knowles and then Jason Miller to their first place victories with 3.9 second runs. This horse is just getting warmed up and we’re excited to see him off to such a great start.
Tough luck for the headers in the team roping! Cowboys were definitely going for the day money tonight, but the Arizona team of Matt Sherwood and Cory Petska were the fastest to successfully stretch one with a 4.1.

The third place cowboy in the world standings for the saddle bronc riding took the Montana Silversmith buckle for round 1. The Iowa roughie, Wade Sundell, spurred Stace Smith Pro Rodeo’s Goin South sorrel horse for an 85.5 point ride. Second place on the blue roan of Flying Five Rodeo Company was an 84.5 point ride by Bradley Harter.
The arena record holder, Cody Ohl, lived up to his name in the first go for sure. Both Clint Cooper and Matt Shiozawa were sitting comfortably splitting the first place spot with a 7.7, and Ohl flew out of the box, ran down the rope, flanked and tied one for a 7.5 second time to win the round.

The Duke and the Dutches graced us with their presence with a run of 14.03. Brittany Pozzi was joined in the Pendleton victory lap by Lindsay Sears who also cruised through the pattern on Martha with a 14.03 second run.

Five Star Rodeo’s Gangster decided to throw 3 spunky jumps at Cheyenne’s Seth Glause. Despite Gangster’s efforts to throw Glause to the ground, the judges loved his ride and he was scored 86.5 points. The dismount was less than graceful, and there was a definite gasp amongst the crowd as the bull missed landing on him by inches.

Round 2 kicks off tonight at the Thomas and Mack at 7pm [Vegas time]. Make sure to watch it live on GAC- the exclusive TV broadcaster of the WNFR.

Patrick OD O'Donnell

The moment a bull's gate swings open—that's when Patrick "OD" O'Donnell feels most alive. From his early days riding bareback through Arizona pastures to revolutionizing the bull riding industry as President of Bull Riders Only, OD has lived the Western lifestyle he now champions as Founder of Cowboy Lifestyle Network. Growing up in Casa Grande's sunbaked agricultural heartland, he didn't just learn about horses and ranching, he lived it daily, developing the instincts and grit that would later attract 4 million followers to CLN's authentic voice. After his baseball days at the University of Arizona, OD saw something others missed: bull riding wasn't just a sport, but was compelling entertainment waiting for the right vision. Between 1990-1997, his leadership transformed local rodeo competitions into sold-out arena events that changed Western sports forever. Today, that same pioneering spirit drives CLN's coverage of everything from championship rodeos to the quiet heroism of ranch life. When he's not building the digital home for cowboy culture, you'll find OD supporting Harris Brothers Charity Foundation, leading CLN’s 25-year Christmas Toy Drive for Arizona kids, or sharing his love of horsemanship with special needs riders through Arizona's own Horses Help. Living proof that authentic Western values still have the power to transform lives.