The top 15 teams will run the same set of steers they did in Round 2 tonight in Round 5, and four-time NFR qualifier Brandon Beers predicts things will start getting fast with so few teams left in the average. Here are his predictions.
Charly Crawford and Logan Medlin:
Round 4: 5.9 seconds
Round Winnings: —
Total NFR Earnings: 14,230.77 each
World Standings Earnings: 69,460.04; 68,851.61
World Standings: 13
Beers’ take: Charly is going to keep turning steers. He does a great job at that. If he gets a good start, he’ll throw fast, and if he doesn’t, he’ll catch. He won’t miss. I think it will keep getting fast, and they’ll be ones who speed up.
Levi Simpson and Shay Carroll:
Round 4: 4.9 seconds
Round Winnings: 5,000 each
Total NFR Earnings: 31,153.85 each
World Standings Earnings: 81,551.50; 87,421.16
World Standings: 12; 9
Beers’ take: Levi has probably as much range as anybody in that building. The only thing, watching it on TV, those guys who reach a lot are down streaming those steers getting into the left wall and the heelers are having hell. As soon as those steers hit, they give their head back and hide their butt. That’s really easy to see on the couch.
Clay Tryan and Jake Long:
Round 4: 4.8 seconds
Round Winnings: 15,794.87 each
Total NFR Earnings: 25,794.87 each
World Standings Earnings: 83,424.16;89,022.02
World Standings: 11; 7
Beers’ take: Clay’s a winner. He’s going to keep knocking them down, and he’s going to win. That probably broke the ice last night, and they’re good to go. You can’t keep Clay Tryan from winning and Jake Long heels awesome.
Andrew Ward and Buddy Hawkins:
Round 4: 6.2 seconds
Round Winnings: —
Total NFR Earnings: 37,500 each
World Standings Earnings: 101,372.30 each
World Standings: 3
Beers’ take: They seem to have a good run and good chemistry. They look like they know what each other are thinking.
Dustin Egusquiza and Travis Graves:
Round 4: 4.1 +5 seconds
Round Winnings: —
Total NFR Earnings: 80,653.85 each
World Standings Earnings: 144,829.89; 137,167.86
World Standings: 1
Beers’ take: That guy is Superman and it’s not hard for him. He’s doing it with ease from two coils back and it’s outstanding. It’s almost impossible to catch them all by two feet. I’d be so nervous heeling for Dustin because they’re going to turn so fast. Dustin’s by far doing the best job.
Colby Lovell and Paul Eaves:
Round 4: 34.30 seconds
Round Winnings: —
Total NFR Earnings: 30,730.77 each
World Standings Earnings: 96,239.41; 86,889.81
World Standings: 4; 10
Beers’ take: Oh man. I didn’t think it was a crossfire. Then they let one go last night that was in the same spot. That was the same shot, but he missed his dally a tiny little bit. I didn’t think Paul’s was a crossfire. I’m sure in slow-motion it would be so close it could go either way. I’m not in the arena, and I’m watching it at home. Watching my dad at the Finals forever, he got flagged out for a couple crossfires that cost Matt Tyler to win the average in the 10th Round. They showed that at judging seminars forever because it’s wasn’t a crossfire. It’s too bad they can’t have a couple other judges watching it to talk about it.
Cody Snow and Junior Nogueira:
Round 4: NT
Round Winnings: —
Total NFR Earnings: 14,230.77 each
World Standings Earnings: 83,458.83; 72,314.74
World Standings: 10; 12
Beers’ take: It seems like they just need to change hats, scarves, something. That’s a tough one. The first NFR I went to, I had a good one. But otherwise, I’ve had some rough starts, and when things aren’t going good, it’s terrible. You’re changing gloves and boots and hats. Rogers and I once switched hats in the tunnel in 2011, four teams before we roped. It didn’t help, but sometimes anything is worth a try. Brady and I switched horses in the grand entry one time—I got on Dugout and he got on Tevo. I got the better end of the deal, but it didn’t help us either.
Clay Smith and Jade Corkill:
Round 4: 3.9 +5 seconds
Round Winnings: —
Total NFR Earnings: 21,000 each
World Standings Earnings: 90,703.55 each
World Standings: 6; 5
Beers’ take: They just haven’t got tapped off. I didn’t expect this, so I don’t really know. It’s so hard to say what’s going through a guy’s head there. There are a few teams who look like they’ve got it figured out. But the majority of the guys don’t look like they’re on the same page.
Luke Brown and Joseph Harrison:
Round 4: 4.8 seconds
Round Winnings: 15,794.87 each
Total NFR Earnings: 54,987.18 each
World Standings Earnings: 144,652.15; 125,286.18
World Standings: 2
Beers’ take: Luke Brown has been, I’d have to say, the most consistent NFR header of the last 20 years. Joseph Harrison is literally a machine. It’s just a matter of how much they win. They’re going to win a ton. They’ll be in the top three when it’s over.
Brenten Hall and Chase Tryan:
Round 4: 4.2 seconds
Round Winnings: 26,230.77 each
Total NFR Earnings: 43,000 each
World Standings Earnings: 90,144.92 each
World Standings: 7; 6
Beers’ take: Brenten’s sticking. He looks comfortable, and Chase is tapped back off after last night.
Kolton Schmidt and Hunter Koch:
Round 4: NT
Round Winnings: —
Total NFR Earnings: 10,000 each
World Standings Earnings: 61,021.85 each
World Standings: 15
Beers’ take: They just haven’t gotten the rhythm yet. They need one thing to come together and everything is easy after that. They’re another team that needs to switch it up to shake everything off.
Jeff Flenniken and Tyler Worley:
Round 4: 5.6 seconds
Round Winnings: —
Total NFR Earnings: 14,230.77 each
World Standings Earnings: 63,622.11; 65,368.45
World Standings: 14
Beers’ take: Jeff is missing the barrier, and he’s not getting very good goes and everything is off from the start. I don’t know how it feels or why he’s doing it, but he’s not getting those starts he needs. He’s got to get that figured out.
Nelson Wyatt and Levi Lord:
Round 4: 4.8 seconds
Round Winnings: 15,794.87 each
Total NFR Earnings: 41,448.72 each
World Standings Earnings: 92,140.26; 93,338.76
World Standings: 5; 4
Take: They look like a veteran team out there. When Nelson had to fish in Round 3, they salvaged a run and that was a veteran move. They’re roping great and they’ll keep chipping away at them.
Erich Rogers and Paden Bray:
Round 4: 4.6 +5 seconds
Round Winnings: —
Total NFR Earnings: 36,230.77 each
World Standings Earnings: 88,772.34 each
World Standings: 8
Beers’ take: Erich will turn a steer for first or second every night. He’s my NFR-favorite header. I don’t know if Paden is a little behind or what—it’s hard to sit at home and say—but he’s a great heeler and at the Finals and I’m sure they’ll figure it out. I’m sure Erich is helping him out because he’s been there and done that.
Chad Masters and Wesley Thorp:
Round 4: 4.9 seconds
Round Winnings: 55,000 each
Total NFR Earnings: 33,269.23 each
World Standings Earnings: 85,951.72 each
World Standings: 9, 11
Beers’ take: Chad is doing what Chad does. If he misses the barrier just a little, he makes sure he catches. If he gets a good start, he can win the day money. Chad can run them farther if he needs to, and Wesley Thorp will heel them fast.
