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| Brittany
Pozzi, WPRA
photo by Mike
Copeman. |
Despite
a disappointing night in round seven, Brittany
Pozzi didn't lose her competitive edge.
When
the Victoria, Texas , cowgirl knocked over a barrel
in Wednesday night's seventh round of the Wrangler
National Finals Rodeo, it dropped the 2007 world
champion from first to fourth in the average and
second in the world standings.
It
also allowed reigning champion Lindsay Sears to
take over not only first place in the world standings,
but also the lead in the high-paying average.
Pozzi
threw her cowboy hat back into title contention
Thursday night at the Thomas and Mack Center,
winning the eighth round with a time of 13.77
seconds. Her first-place check of $17,139 pulled
her within $4,796 of Sears in the world standings.
The
10-round WNFR concludes Saturday night.
"There
are two go-rounds left … you just never know,''
reminded the smiling 25-year-old Pozzi.
It
was Pozzi's second go-round victory. She won the
first round with a time of 13.94 seconds.
Pozzi
was the first barrel racer out Thursday night.
"The ground was great,'' she said.
Pozzi
also returned to riding Duke, her six-year-old
gelding. She had ridden Stitch, a 12-year-old
gelding, for the seventh round.
"I
needed to give Duke a night off. He was sore,''
Pozzi explained. "The plan worked because
he came back strong tonight. "I just didn't
plan on hitting a barrel last night,'' she finished
with a small laugh.
She
and Duke had no such problems Thursday night with
a smooth run.
"He's
always been good in the smaller pens,'' said Pozzi
of the horse that has won her $71,598 at the WNFR.
"He leads with his shoulders, so he doesn't
knock down barrels.''
Pozzi
will ride Duke the final two rounds.
Pozzi
and Duke have also placed second in the second
and third rounds and third in the fifth round.
"Duke
has been great here,'' Pozzi added. "I've
got so much confidence in him. Not riding him
for that one round might have kicked me in the
butt. But we're OK.''
Shelley
Morgan, of Eustace , Texas , was second Thursday
night with a time of 13.81 seconds. Sears was
third at 13.89.
Sears
leads the world standings with $232,259. Sears
has averaged more than $10,000 a round, placing
in all eight at the WNFR for a grand total of
$91,041.
Pozzi
is second at $227,463. Two-time world champion
Cervi remains in the picture with $154,941. Cervi,
of Marana, Ariz., is second in the average, while
South Dakota 's Lisa Lockhart is third.
"I'm
glad Sherry is still in it,'' said Pozzi. "That
kind of mixes things up a bit, makes it more fun.
"It's
still a race.''
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