Bareback rider Orin Larsen continues pursuit of lead at NFR

Daylon Swearingen of Rochelle, Georgia, is taken down by Hot And Ready as bullfighters attempt ...

Bareback rider Orin Larsen didn’t quite set a go-round record Sunday night at the Thomas & Mack Center.

But he almost did, and that was good enough for first place and $26,231.

Larsen opened the fourth go-round of the National Finals Rodeo by riding his horse to a score of 90. The 28-year-old from Inglis, Manitoba, in Canada moved into second place in the world standings with $211,788. Clayton Biglow leads with $219,452.17.

“Everyone I talked to in the dressing room was pretty pumped up that I had a good horse,” Larsen said. “That horse definitely didn’t fail. It fit my style and got in the air and was showy. He hangs in the air and is just a good bucking horse, and I was glad to have him.”

Larsen finished sixth Thursday, but missed out on the money Friday and Saturday. He has netted more than $38,000 at the NFR and is seeking his first championship belt buckle.

“I’m not really thinking about the end result,” Larsen said. “All 15 of us deserve to have a gold buckle by the end of the week. I’m just going to do my part and do a lot of praying, and if there’s a gold by my name, I will be stoked.”

Other go-round winners:

— Bridger Chambers, Stevensville, Montana, steer wrestling (3.6 seconds);

— Chad Masters, Cedar Hill, Tennessee, and Joseph Harrison, Marietta, Oklahoma, team roping (3.7 seconds);

— Rusty Wright, Milford, Utah, saddle bronc riding (89.5);

— Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, Louisiana, tie-down roping (7.5 seconds);

— Emily Miller, Weatherford, Oklahoma, barrel racing (13.64 seconds);

— Stetson Wright, Milford, Utah, bull riding (91).

More NFR: Visit reviewjournal.com/NFR.

Contact reporter Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.

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