National Finals Rodeo Keeps Rolling With Electrifying Round 3

The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo is in full swing a chest-pounding performance for both contestants and athletes.

Kaleb Kistner | Dec 11, 2023

National Finals Rodeo Keeps Rolling With Electrifying Round 3 /

The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Teton Ridge kicked off Round 3 with a bang. All of the contestants came out swinging on Sunday night with exhilarating action all performance long.

With movement in nearly very event in the world standings, contestants are taking full advantage of the purse available to those at the NFR.

Bareback Riding

Mason Clements stole the show in Round 3 with his 88.5-point ride on Frontier Rodeo's "Breaking News" and took home the $30,706 in earnings for the night. Tying for the second place spot was Cole Reiner and Keenan Hayes with an 87.5-point performance each. Hayes still remains No. 1 in the bareback riding world standings.

Steer Wrestling

Sparta, Wis. native, Nick Guy, awed the crowd with an impressive round-winning 4.2-second run on his steer. Fighting for the second place spot were Stephen Culling and Stan Branco with a 4.3-second run and tied for second place on the night. Dalton Massey still remains atop the steer wrestling world standings.

Team Roping

Coleman Proctor and Logan Medlin claimed the first place by one tenth of a second to win Round 3 with an astonishing 3.7-second run. Andrew Ward and Buddy Hawkins slid into the second place spot with a 3.8-second go. In the third place spot with a 3.9-second run, was Marcus Theriot and Cole Curry. With both cowboys placing in tonight's round, heeler, Wesley Thorp moved back into the No.1 spot. As well as, header, Nelson Wyatt, sneaking into the No. 1 spot too.

Saddle Bronc Riding

With Stetson Wright out of the NFR, it is open season for the cowboys in his respective events. Sage Newman took control with his 89-point ride on Calgary Stampede's "WEEKEND DEPARTURE" and got the crowd going. Trailing behind, Ryder Wright came in a close second with his 87.5-point effort. Newman shot into the No.1 spot in the saddle bronc world standings.

Tie-Down Roping

Riley Webb defended his No. 1 with a dominant 6.9-second performance to close out Round 3 for the tie-down roping. Cory Solomon close by in second with an outstanding 7.0-second performance for the night. Following in third was Hunter Herrin and his 7.5-second effort.

Barrel Racing

Lisa Lockhart came out tonight with only one thing on her mind, winning. Her dominant 13.51-second run, took the Round 3 win by a margin. Followed by Kassie Mowry and her 13.56-second trip around the barrels. Brittany Pozzi Tonnozi still claims the No. 1 spot in the barrel racing world standings.

Bull Riding

Creek Young took the Round 3 victory with his more than impressive 89.5-point ride on Stace Smith Pro Rodeo's "Let's Gamble" to bring home $33,926 on the night. With another impressive ride, Ky Hamilton came in a solid second with an 87.5-point ride. With Stetson Wright being out the remainder of the NFR, Hamilton has a really good chance at catching him in the world standings.

With more rodeo to come over the next six days, no standings are safe yet. Continue to follow the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo on the Cowboy Channel+.

Published Dec 11, 2023

KALEB KISTNER

Kaleb Kistner is from New Braunfels, a small community nestled in the Texas Hill Country. There’s only one “s” in Braunfels! Growing up in Comal County, it was an annual tradition to attend the Comal County Fair and Rodeo. Down the road was the San Antonio Stockshow and Rodeo, that his grandparents would religiously take him to each year. Along with the annual rodeos, Kaleb was an active member in FFA throughout high school. Showing rabbits and pigs, assisting with steers and goats, and participating in leadership development events, Kaleb received a well-rounded, basic education in agriculture. On top of that, Kaleb earned his Eagle Scout with Boy Scouts of America. Kaleb has a strong work ethic and love for agriculture and the great outdoors. He hopes to be able to spread his knowledge and bring a better understanding of the Western way of life to those who may not understand. Kaleb has pursued a career in plumbing, continuing to achieve each possible license as quickly as he can. Kaleb has a beautiful fiancée Makayla and his sweet daughter Kinleigh. During his down time, he and his family enjoy going to their parents’ ranches to spend time with the family.