Mayfield keeps tenuous lead

ARLINGTON, Texas - Entering the final night of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, Clovis native Shad Mayfield held onto a tenuous earnings lead for the world tie-down roping title.

Mayfield, with $198,399.13 in season earnings, still led the world standings entering the Saturday finale at Globe Life Field. But Hunter Herrin of Apache, Oklahoma and Westyn Hughes of Caldwell, Texas, had certainly given chase.

Herrin entered Saturday at $168,164.68 and Hughes $146,967.68, and each hoped to to overtake Mayfield in the standings by taking wins in the Saturday run and the average of the 10 rounds.

Following a tough stretch this week, Mayfield would likely need to finish in the money - top six - on Saturday to preserve his chances at his first world championship.

The rodeo consists of 10 rounds – one round on each of 10 consecutive days; each contestant competes once each day. World championship titles are awarded to the individuals who earn the most money in his or her event throughout the year.

Mayfield caught a calf Tuesday and Wednesday night, and finished in the money once. He finished 10th Tuesday at 11.2 seconds, and earned $11,000 for his fourth-place run of 7.8 seconds Wednesday night.

Thursday and Friday saw no scores, as his Thursday calf got up following the tie-down and his Friday calf was judged to have landed incorrectly.