Bentley Morris ‘Does His Job,’ Wins Tie-Down

LAS VEGAS – Consistency paid off for Bentley Morris on Friday.

The 12-year-old from Pea Ridge, Arkansas, was the only competitor with three runs under 16 seconds to win the 12-and-under tie-down roping title at the YETI Junior National Finals Rodeo.

“I just had to do my job and let everything fall into place,” Morris said. “Make sure you rope the neck, stay sharp and no mistakes.”

The no-mistake part paid dividends for Morris in the third go-round. He finished second in the first round with a 12.13-second run, followed by a 15.94 in the second round that left him third in the average. Morris had an 11.54 in the third round to finish with a three-run time of 39.61 seconds and then watched as the two ropers ahead of him both failed to catch their calves.

First, Jett Parker of Buna, Texas, had his loop bounce off his calf’s head. The final cowboy to back into the box was Harley Hofstetter of Shallowater, Texas. Hofstetter had posted the two fastest times of the day – winning the first round with an 11.14 and the second with a 9.13 – and was leading the average by more than 5 seconds. But Hofstetter’s calf bolted out of the chute, took a hard turn to the left and never gave Hofstetter a chance to throw his loop.

That left Morris atop the average in his third trip to the YETI Junior NFR.

While he waited for his winnings, which included a saddle, a Montana Silversmith’s championship buckle and an oversized check for $4,850, Morris made a point of thanking his horse, Charlie, a 16-year-old chestnut, for taking him to the winner’s circle.

“I got her from a guy in Texas two years ago and she’s amazing,” he said. “She’s free, she stops good and she just works.”

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Bull riders from the western part of the United States had an impressive 15-hour window in Las Vegas.

Thursday night at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, Beaver, Utah, cowboy Stetson Wright – an eight-time world champion – won the first round with a 90.0-point ride at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Friday morning at the YETI Junior NFR’s “Canvas-Covered Cathedral” located outside the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, Rostin Snow of Fallon, Nevada, won the first round of the 12-13 division of Leal’s Junior Bull Riding with an 82.0 on Two Feathers Bucking Bulls’ Huckleberry.

“I just didn’t get into my head,” said Snow, who finished second here last year. “I thought I would ride good and I did. Third year here so I’m not so nervous anymore; I’m calm and able to focus.”

The rest of the top four included Utah’s Billy Lewis with a 78.5, Wyoming’s Wyatt Blank with a 75.5 and Utah’s Kash Hamblin with a 69.5.

In the 16-18 division, Wesley Zollinger continued the western dominance as the St. Anthony, Idaho, bull rider won the first round with an 84.0 on Two Feathers Bucking Bulls’ Mowgli. Fellow Idaho cowboy Rusty Foy was second with an 83.5.

Zollinger was making his first appearance at the YETI Junior NFR since qualifying in back-to-back years in 2019-20.

“It’s been a while,” Zollinger admitted. “It was hard for me to get to qualifiers because they were so far away, but now they’re easier to get to.

“I was a little nervous coming in,” he added, “but now we’re coming in with a big heart and I’m ready to win.”

Defending champ Nicholas Jackson of Maryland set the pace early with an 83.0 and Lane Smith from Texas posted an 81.0. Neither score registered with Zollinger.

“I went in there without really listening to the scores,” he said. “I just went in trying to do my job and have fun. You always do better when you have fun instead of just trying to win. I always just go out there, do my job, have fun and hope I get wins.”

Zollinger took a step in the right direction Friday.