Nevada improves in rodeo

After a bumpy ride during Tuesday's two performances, the Nevada team came out stronger Wednesday morning to move up in the standings at the National High School Rodeo Association Finals in Springfield, Ill.

The Nevada team had dipped to 13th Tuesday, but the cowboys and cowgirls from the Silver State moved up a spot to 12th overall out of 40 states and Canadian provinces and Australia. Utah leads the overall standings.

The Nevada boys are in seventh place, while the Nevada girls are in eighth place. The week-long rodeo concludes Sunday with the final performance. Results of the first go-round will be released this morning.

Nevada has also a pair of cowgirls who have done well to currently hold top five position in overall awards. Hayley Turley, Nevada's all-around cowgirl for the 2005-06 season, currently sits in second place for the NHSRA's all-around title, and Fallon's Bailey Corkill maintains her hold on third place for rookie all-around cowgirl.

Turley strengthened her hold on second place for all-around after she won Wednesday morning's goat tying with a time of 8.13 seconds. Her time also moved her up to second overall out of 100 contestants.

Bull rider Curry Fielder of Battle Mountain finished in a tie for second place in bull riding. He tallied 74 points, four points behind leader Kolt Donaldson of Idabel, Okla. Overall, Fielder is in 14th place.

In other Wednesday morning performances, Cara Juliana of Fallon earned 180 points in girls cutting for a five-way tie for 16th place. Another Fallon cowgirl, Chelsea Hubner, came in 19th in barrel racing in 18.729.

Nevada's athletes finished in the middle of the pack in several Tuesday evening events.

Hannah Vaughan of Yerington finishing ninth in pole bending in 21.255. Stephanie Barton of Spring Creek wound up with 190 points in girls cutting for 15th place.

Mike Sandoval of Ely took fifth in boys cutting with 210 points.

Overall standings were compiled after the Wednesday morning performance:

Breakaway roping - 11, Heather Richard, Las Vegas.

Bareback - 16, Bryan Jones, Elko

Pole bending - 41, Hannah Vaughan, Yerington; 52, Olie Fowler, Fallon; 65, Bailey Corkill, Fallon.

Tie-down roping - 5, Cody Robinson, Las Vegas; 68, Quinn Mori, Tuscarora.

Steer wrestling - 16, Dude McCarty, Hiko; 39, Marc Morrison, Wells.

Goat tying - 2, Haley Turley, Las Vegas.

Girls cutting - 40, Chelsea Hooper, Elko; 46, Alyce Kugler, Gardnerville. 54; Sammy Naveran, Wells. 76; Stephanie Barton, Spring Creek; 86, Cara Julian, Fallon.

Boys cutting - 2, James Barton, Elko; 6, Austin Adams, Logandale; 26, Mike Sandoval, Ely; 39, Jonathon Glocknitzer, Gardnerville.

Team roping - 12, Haley Turley (Las Vegas) and Quinn Mori (Tuscarora); 15, Gene Harry Jr., (Nixon) and Les Peterson (Elko); 16, Bailey Corkill (Fallon) and Dakota Eldridge (Elko).

Bull riding - 14, Curly Fielder, Battle Mountain.

Barrel racing - 36, Olie Fowler, Fallon; 89, Hannah Vaughan, Yerington; Chelsea Hubner, Fallon.