LAS VEGAS — Sam Petersen made the most of his first appearance at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
Helena's Petersen, 22, broke through to win the average title in bareback riding as the NFR wrapped up Saturday night at the Thomas & Mack Center.
Petersen scored an 88.5-point ride atop Boot Barn's Night Flight of the Pickett Pro Rodeo Co. to place sixth in the 10th round, but more importantly he outscored Jess Pope of Waverly, Kan., by 3.75 points to edge Pope in the aggregate by the slimmest margin — 854 to 853.75.
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By winning the average, Petersen added $94,036 to his NFR total and finish second behind Rocker Steiner of Weatherford, Texas, who claimed his first world title Saturday night. Steiner had a 90.5-point ride in Round 10, placing behind go-round winner Kade Sonnier of Carencro, La., who scored 90.75.
"I've fought long and hard to be here, and I feel like I dang sure capitalized on the moment," Petersen told MTN Sports after his round. "I proved that I was the baddest bareback rider in town for 10 days. I'm pretty sure I'm the first average champion (in bareback from Montana) since Deb Greenough. To have that accolade is something really cool."
Petersen added: "(Pope) went out there and he was mid-80s. I knew I had a very good chance to be high-80s on my horse. I knew I could to it. I'm confident. I'm truly blessed just to be here and be able to showcase my ability on the biggest platform."
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In steer wrestling, Helena's Ty Erickson took a no-time in Round 10. Erickson, the 2019 world champion, finished eighth in the world after coming in ranked No. 14. He missed out on an average check.
Former Montana State University cowboy Jesse Brown placed fourth in steer wrestling Saturday with a time of 4.1-seconds to win $15,377. Brown, of Baker City, Ore., finished third in the world and was fifth in the aggregate for an extra $31,937.
Stetson Jorgensen of Blackfoot, Idaho, won the bulldogging round in 3.4 seconds. Tucker Allen of Ventura, Calif., won both the world championship and the average title.
Sage Newman of Melstone had a saddle bronc ride of 87.25 points on Optiwize's All Or Nothin of Andrews Rodeo on Saturday to finish out of the money. Newman ended the NFR fourth in the average to add $44,356 to his haul.
Brothers Stetson and Ryder Wright of Beaver, Utah, split the saddle bronc round with matching 89.75-point scores. But another brother, Statler Wright, came away with the world title by less than $350 over Ryder Wright, and also won the average crown. Statler, Ryder and Stetson Wright finished 1-2-3 in the world standings.
Stetson Wright finished as the bull riding world champion as well as the all-around champion. T.J. Gray of Dairy, Ore., won the average in bull riding.
Miles City's Haven Meged was timed in 8.3 seconds in tie-down roping Saturday night, which was just outside of the money. But Meged, the 2019 world champion who's won two previous average titles, earned an extra $60,325 by finishing third in the aggregate.
Ty Harris of San Angelo, Texas, took home Round 10 in tie-down roping in 6.8 seconds; 22-year-old phenom Riley Webb of Denton, Texas, won his third consecutive world title and also took home the average crown.
Circle-area native Lisa Lockhart finished her 18th career NFR on a strong note in barrel racing. Lockhart and her horse Sasha had a Round-10 run of 13.55 seconds. That was good for third place and $21,882, but Lockhart missed out on an average check.
Three Forks' Tayla Moeykens, making her NFR debut but still without her own horses, knocked over the third barrel and took an 18.83 time. Moeykens left her horses Yeti and Lizard back in Montana due to a recent equine virus outbreak. Carlee Otero of Lipan, Texas, won the round in 13.28 seconds.
Kassie Mowry of Dublin, Texas, won the barrel racing world title, her second in a row. Julie Plourde of Krum, Texas, won the average.
The team roping world champions were the tandem of header Andrew Ward of Edmond, Okla., and heeler Jake Long of Coffeyville, Kan. They also claimed the aggregate title.
