2007 URA Finals Rodeo
November 1-3
Kansas Expocentre, Topeka, KS
Round 3 Recap - Saturday, Nov. 3
Bareback Riding
Billy Griffin of Kansas City, Missouri had to wait until the final round to win a go-round buckle, but he teamed up with D-Bar-D Rodeo Company's Sandra Dee for 78 points and the win. DeSoto, Kansas cowboy Justin Williams was the only other bareback rider to get a qualified score, as he went 77 points to hold on to first in the average. Williams finished just one point ahead of Griffin.
For third in the average, newly elected event director Chance Vick scored 151 points on two rides, and AJ Colletti was fourth in the average with 147 points on two head.
Outgoing bareback riding director Jon Combs finished as the 2007 Champion, despite having a tough Finals weekend.
Steer Wrestling
Jeff Miller capped a great Finals with a 3.94 second run, the weekend's fastest, to win the final round. He went on to capture the Finals All-Around championship. Luke Wilson, Tyrel Reichert, and Mike Brown were also under five seconds as they finished second-fourth in the round.
Brandon Volker won the average and the year-end championship, the first URA title for the college student from Auburn, Nebraska.
Team Roping
Aaron Harvey and J.L. Johnson had not team roped together before the Finals, and the pair needed two rounds to get things together, but their third round run made it worth the wait. Harvey and Johnson finished the weekend on a high note as they won the round in a Finals-best 5.10 seconds. It took a 6.05 second run to win a check as David Kenyon and Kit Gillihan were second in 5.56 seconds. Aaron Chamley and Ryan Pratt earned third place money for a 5.69 second run, and Troy Kitchener and Todd Reece teamed up for a 6.05 second run and fourth place in the round.
Seth Kueffer and Brad Abernathy won the average for the weekend.
Breakaway Roping
Jeremy Kempker secured his first URA Championship with a lightning-fast 1.72 second run to win the third round.
Kristen Krull's 2.27 second run for second place made the Blue Mound, Kansas, cowgirl the average winner as no other roper caught all three calves. Jana Hazelbaker of Redfield, Kansas, was third in the round with a 2.41 second run, and Pleasanton, Kansas, cowgirl Sherri Gentry picked up fourth place money with a 3.07 second run.
Saddle Bronc Riding
Andrew Leeper was the only cowboy to ride all three horses, as he covered his third bronc for 81 points and third place in the round. With the ride, Leeper earned his first URA Finals Championship.
Year-End Champion Brent Smith broke out of an early slump to end his Finals with the high-marked ride of the weekend. Smith
rode Stay Put of the Rite-N-Gear Rodeo Company to 85 points and first place in the round. Stay Put earned his owners the award for Saddle Bronc of the Finals. Keith Brauer was second in the round with an 83-point ride, and Tom Fisher took fourth with a 74-point ride.
Seven cowboys made the whistle on Saturday night, and Jake Harbin rode the 2007 Saddle Bronc of the Year, Buffington Rodeo Company's Jet Ski, to a 72-point ride that left him sixth in the round.
Forty and Over Calf Roping
Albia, Iowa's Bill Huber showed the form that made him an NFR qualifier as he put together the weekend's fastest run, a 7.93 second run that won the round. Kent Joy of Stella, Nebraska, was second in 9.04 seconds, earning his second check of the weekend. Oklahoma cowboy Allen Hartness took third with a 9.79 second run, and Gene Crouse of Gallatin, Missouri, was fourth in 10.13 seconds.
Willard, Missouri roper Bryan Reiter won the average and moved into first place for the year, ending up as both the Finals Champion and the year-end Champion.
Barrel Racing
Kari Schlatter put the pressure on the average leader, Bailey Sue Morris, with a clean run early in Saturday night's round. Morris couldn't make it three clean runs in a row, and Schlatter got her first URA Finals Championship.
Jordon Talbot of Centerville, Iowa, was the night's fastest barrel racer, winning the round in 14.304 seconds, her best run of the weekend. Barrel racing director Angela McGraw claimed second in the round with a 14.307 second run. Schlatter was third in the round, just ahead of Chris Kraus, who picked up her first check for a 14.471 second run as she also finished on a high note.
But no one could catch defending champion Missy Bennett, as the Colony, Kansas, cowgirl won her third straight barrel racing title.
Calf Roping
Jeff Miller continued his red-hot Saturday night with a 9.43 second run to win the calf roping round, his second go-round win of the evening. Miller also won the calf roping average. Dan Davis, Ryan Spurgin, and Jared Kempker rounded out the top four as all three roped and tied their calves in under ten seconds.
Bill Huber, a former NFR qualifier, held on for the 2007 Championship, despite having more than his share of tough luck on Friday and Saturday night's runs.
Bull Riding
T.J. Dodd won the third round with an electrifying 88-point ride on D-Bar-D Rodeo Company's Monkey's Uncle.
Chris Carroll and Matt Boos split second with a pair of 83 point rides. Cody Stephens scored 82 points for fourth place in the round, and also went on to win the average.
The night of awesome bull riding was marred by a tragic accident near the end of the round. Cody Brunner had just finished a 79-point ride when he was fatally injured coming off his bull. More information on Brunner and funeral arrangements appears on the News page of this site.
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Third Go-Round Results
Bareback Riding
1. Billy Griffin 78
2 Justin Williams 77
Steer Wrestling
1 Jeff Miller 3.94
2 Luke Wilson 4.51
3 Tyrel Reichert 4.90
4 Mike Brown 4.98
Team Roping
1. Aaron Harvey - J.L. Johnson 5.10
2 David Kenyon - Kit Gillihan 5.56
3 Aaron Chamley - Ryan Pratt 5.69
4 Troy Kitchner - Todd Reece 6.05
Breakaway Roping
1Jeremy Kempker 1.72
2 Kristen Krull 2.27
3 Jana Hazelbaker 2.41
4 Sherri Gentry 3.07
Saddle Bronc Riding
1 Brent Smith 85
2 Keith Brauer 83
3 Andrew Leeper 81
4 Tom Fisher 74
Forty and Over Calf Roping
1 Bill Huber 7.93
2 Kent Joy 9.04
3 Allen Hartness 9.79
4 Gene Crouse 10.13
Barrel Racing
1 Jordon Talbot 14.304
2 Angela McGraw 14.307
3 Kari Schlatter
4 Chris Kraus 14.471
Calf Roping
1 Jeff Miller 9.43
2 Dan Davis 9.72
3 Ryan Spurgin 9.94
4 Jared Kempker 9.98
Bull Riding
1 T.J. Dodd 88
2/3 Chris Carroll 83
2/3 Matt Boos 83
4 Cody Stephens 82
2007 Finals Event Sponsors
Barrel Racing
McGraw Fertilizer
Roy Frey Western
Bull Riding
Annie’s Accents
Kansas Expocentre
Steer Wrestling
Rite N. Gear Rodeo Co.
Heartland Rodeo Co.
Saddle Bronc Riding
Rite N Gear Rodeo Co.
Bareback Riding
Lenox Rodeo Committee
Team Roping
Ed Kester, DVM
Meriden Animal Clinic
Longhorn Ranch Trailer Sales/Bloomer Trailers
Calf Roping
Midwest Roper Supply
Holton Trailer Sales
Over 40 Calf Roping
Vanderbilt’s
Mark's Mobile Glass
Breakaway Roping
Cryin’ Creek Leather
Sunshine ‘S’ Trailer Sales
Wright Family Trailer Sales
Mark’s Mobile Glass
C-R-McKellips Rodeo Co.
Rocking Arrow Cattle Co.
Orschlens, Shenandoah, IA
Shelter Insurance, Savannah, MO
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