Ladies steal spotlight at NFR

LAS VEGAS -- Of the seven events in the Nationals Finals Rodeo, women only compete in one. But the cowgirls stole the show tonight in the 6th performance of the 2006 Wrangler National Finals.

Kelly Maben, of Spur, Texas, who won Monday night's round in the barrel racing, did it again Tuesday night. Of the six rounds so far, Maben has won four of them, out of 15 contestants. But tonight she did it in record time. Her 13.58-second run was five one hundredths faster than the previous record of 13.63 set by Tammy Key in 2002.

Mabel also leads the world standing in the event.

All the barrel racers who finished in the money were blistering fast, with the top six places all running in times faster than 14 seconds.

The bull riders have been hard hit with injuries at the NFR, with three of the top 15 riders now out due to injuries suffered in the finals, including Matt Austin of Wills Point, Texas, the leader in the world standings, who is out for the rest of the event.

B.J. Schumacker of Hillsboro, Wisc., who was the top money winner in the NFR going into tonight's round and lead the average got another qualified ride and tied for fourth in the round. He finished in the money again as only five of the 12 bullriders stayed onboard for 8-seconds.

Dustin Elliott of North Platte, Neb., had the top score of the night in the event with an 88.5 on the bull Foolish Man from Southwich Robertson Wilson stock contractors.

Another Wisconsin cowboy, Fred Boettcher, came in second in the round with an 88 on the bull Red Carpet from Beutler & Son.

The calf ropers also had a rough night of it, with four no-times in that event, including one for 2005 world champion Fred Whitfield of Hockley, Texas.

It was an Idaho hand that one the event tonight. Matt Shiozawa of Chubbuck, Idaho, turned in at 7.2-second run to improve his position. Shiozawa had been 6th in NFR earning in the event.

Joe Beaver, who was leading in NFR earning going into tonight's round turned in a solid run of 8.3 seconds to finish fifth. Beaver won the opening round, and had second and third place finished before stumbling in rounds four and five in his bid for the calf roping and all-around titles. He was fourth in the world standings going into tonight's round.

Cody Ohl, who was leading the world standings and was third in NFR earnings going into tonight turned in a 7.9-second run to finish third in the round.

Other winners in tonight's rounds included Royce Ford of Briggsdale, Colo., who turned in an 87.5 ride in the bareback event on Wise Guy from Classic Pro Rodeo. Will Lowe, who is leading the world title chase and was leading in NFR earnings turned in a 75-point ride on Goldy Lock from Bar T Rodeo.

In the steer wresting, Luke Branquinho of Los Alamos, Calif., and Gabe LeDoux of Kaplan, La., split first and second place with runs of 3.7 seconds. Branquinho was second in the world standings going into the night behind Dean Gorsuch of Gering, Neb., and Branquinho and Gorsuch were 1 and 2 in NFR earnings.

Garrett Tonozzi of Fruitia, Colo., and Brady Minor of Ellensburg, Wash., won the round in the team roping with a 4.1-second run.

In the saddle bronc event Cody Wright of Milford, Utah, won the night with an 89-point ride on the horse Fire Fly from Bar T Rodeo.

Get the latest official results from ESPN and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association as soon as they are available through this link.

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