Jockeying for positions: Round 3 of INFR heavily contested

By Lee Begaye
Special to the Times

LAS VEGAS, Nev. — The third round of the 2025 Indian National Finals Rodeo drew a sharp line across the leaderboard Friday night at the South Point Arena & Equestrian Center.

Under the bright lights and restless noise of the crowd, some riders surged while others watched their hopes fade into the desert dust.

In bareback riding, the story of the night belonged to Kashton Ford, who delivered a steady, powerful 80-point ride to overtake Evan Betoney for the top spot. Betoney, who entered the round leading the field, managed a 69 that left him five points behind Ford in the aggregate with 225.

His brother Cauy, the rodeo’s early leader through two rounds, missed his mark out of the chute and was disqualified, sliding to ninth overall with 159. Clay Ramone’s 72-point ride kept him within striking range, while Tom Chee rounded out the night with a 62.

Steer wrestling found its spark again with Rooster Yazzie, who rebounded from a no-time in Round 2 to post a blazing 4.74 for the win. That single run pulled him back into contention and tightened the race behind leader Tyler John Byrne. Matt Jodie kept his name in the conversation with an 18.89-second aggregate—just 1.2 seconds behind Byrne—setting up a close finish heading into the championship round.

In breakaway roping, Danielle Lowman flipped her week on its head. After missing her mark in the first round and watching her second-round loop roll off the calf’s neck in a near-miss, Lowman walked into Thursday night with little left but determination.

Fighting off illness, she turned in a lightning-quick 1.94 seconds to win the round—a flu-game-style comeback that earned her loud cheers from the crowd. Kylie Gilbert followed with a 2.61 for third, while Kassidy Dennison stayed steady with a 3.00 run to hold her overall lead at 7.94 seconds. Heather Rogers, Kadin Jodie, Erin Jones, and Bailey Bates remain in striking distance on Saturday.

Saddle bronc riding once again belonged to Creighton Curley, whose consistency is starting to look championship-ready. His 77-point ride tied Cash Wilson for first on the night, giving him a 243 aggregate—nine points clear of Wilson heading into the finals.

But the round also carried a moment of uneasiness when Lorenzo Benally, after a solid 71-point ride that placed him in the top five, caught his foot in the stirrups on dismount and had to be carted off the arena floor under precautionary care. He gave a thumbs-up as the crowd rose to applaud, a show of heart that matched the grit of the evening.

The tie-down roping event offered its own redemption arc. Eric Rogers, after missing out on in the first two rounds, found his rhythm with a 7.98 to take the win. Michael Williams stayed close with a 9.18 that pushed him into third overall with 34.02, only four seconds off leader Dalton Porch.

Dean Holyan, Malachi Pablo, and Tee O’Brien Jim each found needed momentum after quiet starts, while Gavaro Harrison and Noah Haven rounded out the top ten.

Team roping tightened as well, with Reno Stoebner and Casey Cummins clocking 5.12 seconds to finish second in the round and jump to ninth in the aggregate. Bryan Sells and Cameron Tsinigine followed close behind with a 5.51, while Braydon Boyd and Denton Begay’s 6.03 kept them fifth overall. Every second will count on Saturday when the headers and heelers make their final push for the buckle.

In barrel racing, Tara Seaton continued her climb with a sharp 15.302 run for fourth place, pulling herself into buckle contention just ahead of the final round. Erin Jones finished outside the top eight but remains mathematically alive for the aggregate.

And as always, the night ended with the bulls. JaCauy Hale held his ground with a 78-point cover for fifth place, then drew a re-ride late into the night. The crowd stayed to watch him climb back on and go the distance again—proof of both grit and heart that brought the arena to its feet.

Round 3 didn’t just separate the leaderboard; it exposed who has the staying power for the long week. From Ford’s leap in bareback to Lowman’s comeback in breakaway and Curley’s calm control in bronc riding, the names still standing tall are the ones who know the lights get hotter before the gold buckle shines.

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