Bobby Mote takes first in bareback at National Finals Rodeo

By Anthony Fenech

Saturday, Dec. 12, 2009 | 10:33 p.m.

Bobby Mote had a routine Friday.

On the ninth day of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo at the Thomas & Mack Center, Mote battled a familiar foe as he rode a familiar horse to a familiar finish, picking up his second win of the NFR, this time in the bareback-riding event.

It was Mote’s second outright win of the NFR and sets up a two-man battle for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association World Championship on Saturday.

“I need to ride the same way tomorrow as I did tonight,” Mote said. “Get a good spur out, lift up my rig and turn in a good ride. It doesn’t make press, but it wins bareback riding.”

Mote rode Calgary Stampede’s Coconut Roll to an 86.5 score and could not have been happier with his stock draw.

“She is the epitome of a winner,” Mote said of the horse. “There are a few horses that are winners, that when you need them to show up, they raise their game. She’s one of them.”

Mote said he has ridden Coconut Roll five times previously and estimated he has won close to $90,000 on the horse.

“That’s been an amazing horse for us,” he said.

Mote’s victory pulled him within $18,000 of PRCA world money leader Clint Cannon, who has had a rocky week at the NFR, sitting in 10th place in the average with 645.5 points.

“He’s had a tough go at it this week, but his attitude hasn’t changed,” Mote said of Cannon. “He’ll be back. Don’t count him out.”

Mote and Cannon are friends outside of the ring and the 27-year-old Mote, who leads the NFR bareback riders in finals money earned and the average, said Cannon helped him get to this point.

“I’ve gotten to know and appreciate him more than ever this year,” Mote said. “He’s lifted the bar and forced me to be on top of my game every time I nod my head. I’m really thankful to him for that.”

That Mote is within striking distance of the 2009 world earnings title is an unfamiliar feeling to the Oregon native. He said it was tough trying to stay within $70,000 of Cannon.

“He’s been riding great everywhere he’s went and it’s been a real chore to keep up with him,” Mote said.

Mote is followed in the bareback riding event by Jason Havens and Kaycee Field, with averages of 743 and 741 points, respectively.

Double take: Friday night’s fireworks took place in the Team Roping event, as the previous world record was broken twice in the span of six riders.

The tandem of JoJo Lemond and Random Adams were the first to break the record with a time of 3.40 seconds.

Chad Masters and Jake Corkill responded minutes later with a score of 3.30 seconds.

“It’s probably a good thing I didn’t have time to think about it,” Masters said. “After watching the 3.4, I thought I had seen the best round in my life.”

Masters, the duo’s header — the cowboy who ropes the steer’s horns — almost was too quick to hook the steer.

“I was a little nervous when I hadn’t even picked up my rope and he had him caught,” Corkill said. “I had no choice but to throw the rope. My horse did a great job of putting me in perfect position and it turned out well.

“It was do or die for us right there.”

Both teams featured Nevada ties.

Corkill is from Fallon, and Adams is from Logandale.

Lemond and Adams sit in fourth place in average points heading into the final go-around, while Masters and Corkill are in eighth.

Costly victory: Cody Hancock’s victory Friday in the bull-riding event didn’t come easily.

After riding Balistic to a first-place finish with 89.5 points, Hancock was bucked into the right horn of the bull and knocked to the ground unconscious. He was motionless for minutes as the medical staff attended to him.

Hancock was carried off on a backboard but regained consciousness and was responsive as he headed to the hospital.

Back-to-back: J.W. Harris locked up his second straight PRCA World Championship Friday night. Harris, a 24-year-old rider from May, Texas, is 0-4 on bulls this NFR, also missing four rounds with injury.