“She felt good tonight,” Cervi said of her superstar mare. “Definitely, we’ve made improvements since the first run. I’m just happy we were fast tonight. We were focused tonight. She wasn’t ready to go on a trail ride.”
Cervi’s run came on the heels of a 13.75 posted by 3rd Go reserve winners Lindsay Sears and Sugar Moon Express (“Martha”). It was the best showing for Cervi and Stingray, who have shaved three tenths off their run each round since posting a 14.30 in the first go round.
“Definitely tonight it feels like we were here to barrel race,” Cervi said. “Coming into the Finals, you try to have your horse as prepared as you can, and you, yourself, mentally prepared, and you try to do your best every night.
“This barrel race is super tough. There’s no such thing as safetying up, or you’re not going to win anything.”
Jill Moody and TR Dashing Badger (“Dolly”) are the only team to have placed in each of the first three rounds of the NFR—coming home fourth in Round 1, second in Round 2 and third in Round 3. They lead the race for the NFR Average championship with a 41.57—more than three tenths ahead of Sherry Cervi—and currently sit fourth overall in NFR earnings with $31,634.61.
Sherry Cervi remains in the lead for the World Championship with $200,188.25 in 2010 earnings. Cervi needs just $14,842.46 to become the first barrel racer to surpass $2 million in career rodeo earnings.
3rd Go Results: (# of barrel that was tipped)
1) Sherry Cervi and MP Meter My Hay – 13.65 – $17,512.02
2) Lindsay Sears and Sugar Moon Express – 13.75 – $13,840.14
3) Jill Moody and TR Dashing Badger – 13.83 – $10,450.72
4) Kelli Tolbert and RF Firefly – 13.84 – $7,343.75
5) Sydni Blanchard and Firewater Five – 13.96 – $4,519.23
6) Brenda Mays and Judge Buy Cash – 14.06 – $1,412.26
6) Christina Richman and Xtrared – 14.06 – $1,412.26
8) Nellie Williams and Rebas Smokey Joe – 14.13
9) Angie Meadors and Mulberry Canyon Moon – 14.14
10) Benette Barrington and Smooth My Credit – 14.20
11) Brittany Pozzi and Yeah Hes Firen – 14.25
12) Lisa Lockhart and An Oakie With Cash – 14.34
13) SherryLynn Johnson and Leading Tradition – 18.60 (1st)
14) Jeanne Anderson and Flaming Firebug – 18.96 (3rd)
15) Tana Poppino and Perryman Star – 19.07 (2nd)
World Championship Standings—End of 3rd Round
1) Sherry Cervi – $200,188.25
2) Lindsay Sears – $152,311.74
3) Jill Moody – $118,285.48
4) Brittany Pozzi – $114,451.89
5) Lisa Lockhart – $108,564.13
6) Brenda Mays – $104,485.26
7) Kelli Tolbert – $97,216.21
8) Nellie Williams – $86,473.46
9) Christina Richman – $68,552.30
10) Tana Poppino – $67,445.36
11) Sydni Blanchard – $64,873.75
12) SherryLynn Johnson – $60,746.11
13) Jeanne Anderson – $57,543.39
14) Angie Meadors – $52,473.19
15) Benette Barrington – $51,583.55
