LAS VEGAS – Entering the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Polaris RANGER, Trey Benton III was feeling healthy.
After Round 1 of the WNFR, Benton was feeling fantastic.
The bull rider from Rock Island, Texas, scored 90 points on Big Stone Rodeo Inc’s Mortimer to win the first round on Thursday, Dec. 7, at the Thomas & Mack Center.
“I’ve always been broken up here,” Benton said, “so knowing I’ve got a chance … I have never been healthy here, but the tribulations make a man.”
Benton picked up right where he left off at the end of the 2017 regular season. Benton won back-to-back nights in Sioux Falls, S.D., Sept. 29-30, both Wrangler Champions Challenge presented by Justin Boots events.
He was 91 points on Sept. 29 and he closed the season with 88 points Sept. 30. He was right back at it in Las Vegas on Thursday.
“I’ve got to make a statement for nine more rounds and do what I’ve done all year and stick to the system I had intended – to do whatever it takes to stay on and nothing else matters,” Benton said. “I need to take care of myself here (in Vegas). I hadn’t had good experiences here before, and I want to make sure I do it right this time.”
Benton did it right in Round 1. The win climbed him two places, earning him $26,231, and moved him up to fourth in the WEATHER GUARD® PRCA World Standings. He’s earned $146,702 on the season.
Setting the bar with the first 90 of the rodeo in the first round shows that Benton is ready to roll.
“I honestly didn’t know it would be a 90, I got an A-plus for the day,” Benton said. “I just nodded and hoped for the best; it’s hard to tell the fans that, but you get a drift of things after a while. I’ve done this my whole life.”
First Performance Results, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017
Bareback riding: 1. Jake Vold, 87.5 points on Kesler Championship Rodeo’s Oakridge, $26,231; 2. Orin Larsen, 86.5, $20,731; 3. (tie) Tim O’Connell and Mason Clements, 85, $13,327 each; 5. J.R. Vezain, 84.5, $6,769; 6. (tie) Caleb Bennett and Steven Dent, 84, $2,115 each; 8. R.C. Landingham, 83.5; 9. Jake Brown, 82.5; 10. Ty Breuer 82; 11. Richmond Champion, 81; 12. Bill Tutor, 80.0; 13. Tanner Aus, 79.5; 14. Wyatt Denny, 78.5; 15. Clayton Biglow, 75.0. World Standings: 1. Tim O’Connell, $225,243; 2. Tanner Aus, $146,657; 3. Jake Vold, 138,391; 4. Clayton Biglow, $138,153; 5. J.R. Vezain, $130,081; 6. Orin Larsen, $129,971; 7. Wyatt Denny, $119,353; 8. Caleb Bennett, 118,793; 9. Jake Brown, $113,212; 10. Richmond Champion, $111,196; 11. Mason Clements, $109,441; 12. Bill Tutor, $106,039; 13. Steven Dent, $105,767; 14. R.C. Landingham, $99,261; 15. Ty Breuer, $99,106.
Steer wrestling: 1. Tyler Waguespack, 3.5 seconds, $26,231; 2. Tyler Pearson, 3.9, $20,731; 3. (tie) Scott Guenthner, Jon Ragatz, J.D. Struxness, Rowdy Parrott and Chason Floyd, 4.3, $7,531 each; 8. Dakota Eldridge, 4.5; 9. (tie) Olin Hannum and Kyle Irwin, 4.8 each; 11. Ty Erickson, 5.5; 12. Nick Guy, 6.5; 13. Tanner Milan, 6.6; 14. Ryle Smith and Baylor Roche, NT. World Standings: Ty Erickson, $173,152; 2. Tyler Pearson, $140,649; 3. Tyler Waguespack, $140,175; 4. Olin Hannum, $120,951; 5. Scott Guenthner, $117,032; 6. Baylor Roche, $109,340; 7. Ryle Smith, $103,463; 8. Jon Ragatz, $94,871; 9. Tanner Milan, $94,073; 10. J.D. Struxness, $93,973; 11. Nick Guy, $92,968; 12. Rowdy Parrott, $91,088; 13. Dakota Eldridge, $90,981; 14. Kyle Irwin, $89,684; 15. Chason Floyd, $88,723.
Team roping: 1. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 4.1 seconds, $26,231 each; 2. Jr. Dees/Tyler McKnight, 4.3, $20,731; 3. Clay Smith/Paul Eaves, 4.6, $15,654; 4. (tie) Erich Rogers/Cory Petska and Charly Crawford/Joseph Harrison, 4.8, $8,885 each; 6. Riley Minor/Brady Minor, 4.9, $4,231; 7. Coleman Proctor/Billie Jack Saebens, 5.2; 8. Cody Snow/Wesley Thorp, 5.5; 9. Clay Tryan/ Jade Corkill, 5.6; 10. Chad Masters/ Travis Graves, 5.7; 11. Tom Richards/Jeremy Buhler, 9.3; 12. Luke Brown/Jake Long, Dustin Bird/Russell Cardoza, Dustin Egusquiza/Kory Koontz and Garrett Rogers/Jake Minor, NT. World Standings: (headers) 1. Kaleb Driggers, $170,208; 2. Erich Rogers, $152,596; 3. Clay Smith, $138,748; 4. Luke Brown, $121,611; 5. Riley Minor, $110,818; 6. Jr. Dees, $109,694; 7. Coleman Proctor, $108,033; 8. Chad Masters, $95,509; 9. Charly Crawford, $93,090; 10. Tom Richards, $91,415; 11. Clay Tryan, $91,383; 12. Cody Snow, $89,236; 13. Dustin Bird, $88,288; 14. Dustin Egusquiza, $87,437; 15. Garrett Rogers, $85,614. (Heelers) 1. Junior Nogueira, $170,938; 2. Cory Petska, $152,596; 3. Paul Eaves, $142,866; 4. Billie Jack Saebens, $120,930; 5. Jake Long, $113,082; 6. Brady Minor, $110,818; 7. Tyler McKnight, $110,105; 8. Russell Cardoza, $109,774; 9. Travis Graves, $102,418; 10. Joseph Harrison, $97,332; 11. Jade Corkill, $91,383; 12. Wesley Thorp, $90,836; 13. Jake Minor, $85,614; 14. Kory Koontz, $84,652; 15. Jeremy Buhler, $78,006.
Saddle bronc riding: 1. Hardy Braden, 87.5 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Hatitude Alpha Dog, $26,231; 2. CoBurn Bradshaw, 87, $20,731; 3. Ryder Wright, 86.5, $15,654; 4. Cody DeMoss, 85.5, $11,000; 5. (tie) Zeke Thurston, Jake Wright and Heath DeMoss, 85, $3,667 each; 8. Jacobs Crawley, 81; 9. Sterling Crawley, 80; 10. Brody Cress, 79.5; 11. (tie) Layton Green and Clay Elliott, 79 each; 13. Audy Reed, 78; 14. Taos Muncy, 71; 15. Jesse Wright, NS. World Standings: 1. Jacobs Crawley, $193,927; 2. Zeke Thurston, $184,122; 3. CoBurn Bradshaw, $154,846; 4. Cody DeMoss, $140,657; 5. Hardy Braden, $139,004; 6. Ryder Wright, $125,015; 7. Layton Green, $120,613; 8. Brody Cress, $115,665; 9. Jake Wright, $105,411; 10. Sterling Crawley, $102,992; 11. Heith DeMoss, $102,280; 12. Clay Elliott, $99,332; 13. Taos Muncy, $98,402; 14. Jesse Wright, $86,630; 15. Audy Reed, $85,649.
Tie-down roping: 1. Ryan Jarrett, 7.5 seconds, $26,231; 2. Trevor Brazile, 7.9, $18,192; 3. Marcos Costa, 7.9, $18,192; 4. Cade Swor, 8.1, $11,000; 5. J.C. Malone, 8.2, $6,769; 6. Caleb Smidt, 8.3, $4,231; 7. Tuf Cooper, 8.4; 8. Cooper Martin, 8.6; 9. Tyson Durfey, 9.0; 10. Shane Hanchey, 9.6; 11. Timber Moore, 9.8; 12. Matt Shiozawa, 10.7; 13. Cory Solomon, 11.9; 14. Randall Carlisle, 18.4; 15. Marty Yates, 19.7 . World Standings: 1. Tuf Cooper, $200,444; 2. Caleb Smidt, $156,425; 3. Marcos Costa, $150,094; 4. Shane Hanchey, $134,498; 5. Ryan Jarrett, $132,286; 6. Trevor Brazile, $129,626; 7. Tyson Durfey, $117,423; 8. Marty Yates, $107,173; 9. Cade Swor, $106,460; 10. Matt Shiozawa, $103,363; 11. J.C. Malone, $103,068; 12. Timber Moore, $95,962; 13. Randall Carlisle, $95,566; 14. Cooper Martin, $95,438; 15. Cory Solomon, $95,210.
Barrel racing: 1. Nellie Miller, 13.64 seconds, $26,230; 2. Kassie Mowry, 13.68, $20,730; 3. Hailey Kinsel, 13.69, $15,654; 4. Kathy Grimes, 13.85, $11,000; 5. Tillar Murray, 13.89, $6,769; 6. Ivy Conrado, 13.90, $4,230; 7. Lisa Lockhart, 13.98; 8. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 13.99; 9. Tiany Schuster, 14.07; 10. Kellie Collier, 14.13; 11. Kimmie Wall, 14.14; 12. Sydni Blanchard, 14.18; 13. Stevi Hillman, 18.68; 14. Amberleigh Moore, 18.95; 15. Taci Bettis, NT. World Standings: 1. Tiany Schuster, $260,378; 2. Stevi Hillman, $195,952; 3. Nellie Miller, $166,768; 4. Kassie Mowry, $145,894; 5. Kathy Grimes, $132,785; 6. Amberleigh Moore, $130,806; 7. Hailey Kinsel, $124,361; 8. Taci Bettis, $107,023; 9. Lisa Lockhart, $106,454; 10. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, $102,930; 11. Tillar Murray, $102,789; 12. Sydni Blanchard, $101,362; 13. Kellie Collier, $93,338; 14. Ivy Conrado, $92,412; 15. Kimmie Wall, $86,294.
Bull riding: 1. Trey Benton III, 90 points on Big Stone Rodeo’s Mortimer, $26,231; 2. Roscoe Jarboe, 87, $20,731; 3. (tie) Garrett Smith and Tim Bingham, 85.5, $13,327 each; 5. Joe Frost, 84.0, $6,769; 6. Boudreaux Campbell, 82.5, $4,231; 7. Sage Kimzey, 79.0; 8. Ty Wallace, Cole Melancon, Jordan Spears, Dustin Bowen, Jordan Hansen, Trevor Reiste, Guthrie Murray and Brennon Eldred, NS. World Standings: 1. Sage Kimzey, $247,152; 2. Garrett Smith, $227,566; 3. Ty Wallace, $167,077; 4. Trey Benton III, $146,702; 5. Jordan Spears, $141,423; 6. Joe Frost, $137,732; 7. Roscoe Jarboe, $133,586; 8. Tim Bingham, $129,515; 9. Cole Melancon, $113,619; 10. Trevor Reiste, $107,121; 11. Dustin Bowen, $104,668; 12. Brennon Eldred, $102,991; 13. Jordan Hansen, $102,660; 14. Boudreaux Campbell, $102,294; 15. Guthrie Murray, $97,288.