Veteran And Newcomers Headline Pool Two Qualifiers As NFR Open Heats Up

The NFR Open finals has another three in each event who fought their way for a spot at the big money.

San Angeloan Ty Harris gets ready to ride out of the arena after competing in tie-down roping at the Cinch Chute-Out at Foster Communications Coliseum on Saturday, April 16, 2022. Cinch Chute Out Ty Harris On Horse | Charles Bryce/San Angelo Standard-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

Brittany Pozzi-Tonozzi was the only contestant in any event in Pool B to have a clean sweep. She also ran the fastest time of the entire rodeo so far as the sub-17 second barrier gets approached. Emily Beisel ran the fast time of the first Pool with a 17.09 and Pozzi-Tonozzi was .03 faster for her round two victory.

The bull riding and the team roping were the only two events that were won by NFR qualifiers. The rest of the Pool was all won by athletes in the hunt for their first NFR qualification and the NFR Open offers quite the opportunity to make a jump in the world standings.

California bareback rider Jacek Frost split the win in round one and then took a third place finish in round two. He totaled up 170 points in the average the win over Nick Pelke by just two points. The last two years he has finished in the top-25 of the world standings and is in pursuit of his first NFR appearance.

Alberta cowboy Ryan Shuckburgh finished the 2024 season just outside of the top-15 in the steer wrestling, which is where he is currently sitting for the 2025 season (18th). He is headed to the finals in Colorado Springs after posting the only sub-four second of the rodeo in round two.

Saddle bronc rider Lucas Macza, another Canadian man, is closing in on the $200,000 career earnings mark, but has yet to make it to the NFR. With over $90,000 won last season he ended up 22nd in the world standings. He beat out Statler Wright for the crown of Pool B by only 1.5 points.

The final cowboy who won his set, and has yet to make the NFR, is tie-down roper Roy Lee. The Arkansas cowboy is currently sititng in the top-50 of the world standings with over $30,000 won. He posted one of the few eight second runs of the rodeo in the first round and then finished fourth in the second.

The NFR Open is used to highlight those doing the best in their circuits all over the country. There will be a multitude of circuits represented in the finals tonight.

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