406mtsports.com Dec 6, 2022
Original story: https://bit.ly/3FEw8V7
LAS VEGAS — Montana native Lisa Lockhart continued her surge at the 2022 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo by finishing third in the barrel racing Tuesday night at the Thomas & Mack Center.
Lockhart, who took first on Monday night and has finished no lower than fourth since opening night, had a time of 13.64 for a $12,125 payday. The former Vida/Circle resident, now living in Oelrichs, South Dakota, is making her 16th consecutive WNFR appearance.
Lockhart entered the night .23 seconds ahead of Jordon Briggs of Tolar, Texas, who had an 18.70. Her next closest competitor now is Wenda Johnson of Pawhuska, Oklahoma, who is fourth-tenths of a second behind.
After finishing out of the money on opening night, Lockhart has finished fourth, third, third, first and third. She is third in the world standings with $182,312 won, nearly $43,000 behind leader Hailey Kinsel of Cotulla, Texas.
Also Tuesday, finally cracking the top six after coming so close the previous three nights was Timmy Sparing of Helena, whose time of 4.1 in steer wrestling tied him for sixth and netted $2,332.
In other action involving Montana connections:
• Melstone’s Sage Newman, who leads the world saddle bronc standings, scored an 82 and finished out of the money. Stetson Wright of Milford, Utah, who is second in the standings, took a bite out of Newman’s leads by finishing second (87) to win $22,851. Newman’s lead now stands at $37,000.
• Also in saddle bronc riding, Deer Lodge’s Chase Brooks failed to earn a score.
• Ty Erickson of Helena, winner of the fourth go-round, had a time of 4.5 seconds to finish tied for eighth with Montana State alum Jesse Brown, who lives in Baker City, Oregon.
• Billings header Clay Tryan, who earned the top paycheck Monday night, teamed with heeler Jade Corkhill of Blackfoot, Idaho, to have a team-roping time of 9.1 seconds, good for eighth place and two spots from a paycheck.
• Corvallis bareback rider Caleb Bennett finished out of the money again with a 79 to finish 14th.
• In tie-down roping, former world champion Haven Meged of Miles City missed a chance at a paycheck with a time of 18.0 seconds.
Among Wyoming competitors:
• Buffalo’s Cole Reiner finished just out of the money in seventh with a score of 85.5, a point from sixth place.
• Hillsdale’s Brody Cress just missed the money in saddle bronc riding, scoring an 84 to miss sixth place by a half-point. Tanner Butner of Daniel was right behind with an 82.5.