Orin Larsen came up a half-point from tying the Round 4 Wrangler NFR record, but his 90-point ride was enough to secure a fourth-round win and a $26,000 paycheck.
It was his first matchup with Frontier Rodeo’s Night Fist, a matchup that he was excited for.
“Everyone I talked to in the dressing room was pretty pumped up that I had a good horse. That horse definitely didn’t fail. It fit my style and got in the air and was really showy. He hangs in the air and is just a good bucking horse, and I was glad to have him.”
After the big payday, Larsen moved up in the world rankings, jumping Kaycee Field for second place behind Clayton Biglow.
“When you are hot, you are hot, and when you are not, you are not. You just try and ride the high spots as long as you can. I’m not really thinking about the end result. I’m just focusing on the whole process. 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 buckle by my name I will be stoked.”
Bareback Riding World Standings (NFR money in parentheses)
1. Clayton Biglow - $219,452 ($$37,500)
2. Orin Larsen - $211,788 ($38,346)
3. Kaycee Feild - $207,358 ($31,153)
4. Richmond Champion - $182,713 ($51,884)
5. Tim O’Connell - $161,688 ($48,500)