Canadians Robin Burwash and Daryl Mills were winners Thursday on a big night for their country at the National Finals Rodeo.
Burwash won the bareback riding with an official 80 on High Chaparral Copenhagen of the Bar T Rodeo. Mills won bull riding with an official 86 on Spotted John of the Flying 5 Rodeo Co."This was the third time I drew him and if you want to draw him, this is the rodeo you want to draw him with $12,000 at stake," said Burwash, who displayed Canada's colors with a red-and-white maple leaf shirt.
Mills edged Canada's Glen Keeley, who scored an unofficial 85.
The steer wrestling race heated up Thursday night between Steve Duhon of Opelousas, La., and Mike Smith of Jerome, Idaho.
Duhon won the round with a 4.3-second time, but Smith maintained his $2,755 lead with a second-place 4.6. Both bulldoggers have won $31,505.25 at the NFR, but Duhon leads the race for the average, worth a bonus of $26,104.
Team ropers Bobby Hurley of Ceres, Calif., and Allen Bach of Merced, Calif., won their second consecutive go-round, with a 4.9 Thursday.
Tee Woolman and Rich Skelton, both of Llano, Texas, maintained their lead in the world standings and average with a second-place 5.6.
Defending saddle bronc champion Billy Etbauer of Ree Heights, Calif., scored an 80 to move into fourth place overall. Etbauer has won $33,005 at the NFR, more than any other saddle bronc rider.
Herbert Theriot of Poplarville, Miss., in ninth place, won the calf roping with an 8-second time.
Brent Lewis of Pinon, N.M., took over the calf roping lead with a second-place 8.1. Lewis now leads Joe Beaver of Huntsville, Texas, by $5,743. Lewis has won $40,506 at the NFR.
Twila Haller of Phoenix won the barrel race with a 14.38-second ride. Kristie Peterson of Elbert, Colo., continued to gain ground on nine-time defending champion Charmayne Rodman of Galt, Calif., with a third-place 14.41.