LAS VEGAS — As Haven Meged and Lisa Lockhart again cashed checks, Deer Lodge cowboy Chase Brooks continued his momentum and Caleb Bennett was in the money Sunday at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
Matching his third-round effort from the night prior, Brooks scored 88 points in saddle bronc atop Beutler & Son Rodeo's Killer Bee in the fourth round of the NFR at the Thomas & Mack Center. That gave Brooks a second-place showing and $22,851 in winnings.
Meanwhile, Sage Newman of Melstone, comfortably ahead at No. 1 in the world saddle bronc standings, was bucked off Beutler & Son's Hammer Stone and did not score. Newman, who came into Sunday third in the average, failed to place for the first time at this year's NFR.
Brody Cress of Hillsdale, Wyoming, scored 76.5 points in saddle bronc. Tanner Butner of Daniel, Wyoming, scored 74.5. Neither placed. Zeke Thurston of Big Valley, Alberta, had an 88.5-point ride to win the fourth performance.
Meged, a world champion in 2019, placed for the fourth straight night in tie-down roping with an 8.1-second run. The effort was good for a tie for fourth place and $9,793. Meged enters Monday's fifth performance ranked second in the tie-down average.
Marty Yates of Stephenville, Texas, won the round with a run of 7.4 seconds.
Lockhart, a Circle native, had a time of 13.65 seconds in barrel racing Sunday, a performance that was good for a tie for second place and a check of $20,053. The consistent Lockhart is now at the top of the average leaderboard entering Monday's competition.
Emily Beisel of Weatherford, Oklahoma, won the fourth barrel racing performance with a time of 13.60.
Corvallis cowboy Caleb Bennett, who came into the NFR ranked third in the world bareback standings, scored 85.5 in that event Sunday atop Cervi Championship Rodeo's William Wallace. Bennett finished in a four-way tie for fourth, which earned $6,063 and served as Bennett's first payout of the 10-day Finals.
Cole Reiner of Buffalo, Wyoming, who came in at No. 1, bucked to an 89-point score to win the fourth performance and claim to top prize of $28,914.
In steer wrestling, Helena' Ty Erickson was unable to catch the horns of his steer and took a no-score in Round 4. Timmy Sparing, also of Helena, was timed at 4.9 seconds and didn't place.
Hunter Cure of Holliday, Texas, won the second round of steer wrestling with a time of 3.4 seconds. It was Cure's second win in four performances.
Billings' Clay Tryan and partner Jade Corkill of Fallon, Nevada, took a no-time in team roping for the second time in four nights after placing second in the first performance. The fourth round was won by Tyler Wade of Terrell, Texas, and Trey Yates of Pueblo, Colorado, with a time of 3.9 seconds.
The Wrangler NFR continues with the fifth performance Monday night at the Thomas & Mack Center.
