Doug Pharr and Josh Peek are in a similar position in the tie-down average standings, but took different paths in getting there.

Both cowboys will most likely be back during Monday's short go round at the Ellensburg Rodeo, however, Pharr made a great comeback in round two on Saturday afternoon to keep himself in contention for the lucrative average title and money toward the world standings.

Pharr was 10.4 seconds on his first calf (which kicked a little when it was on the ground) in Thursday morning's slack, but came back Saturday with an 8.1-second run for 18.5 on two, good for a top seven place in the average (the top 12 make it back to Monday's finals).

"I really needed to do that run very well," he said.

Pharr - ranked 17th in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association's world standings - is familiar with needing big rounds to make up for a slower run.

"This is my 10th year so I get a feel how things are going," he said. "When I get a good calf, it's imperative I do well."

One cowboy who has been consistent is top ranked tie-down roper, Josh Peek. The Pueblo, Colo., cowboy followed up his 8.8-second slack run with a 9.2 on Saturday, good for 18 on two and second in the average behind Tuf Cooper (17.5).

Saddle bronc rider Cody Horwedel won't make the National Finals Rodeo this year without something close to a miracle, but that doesn't mean the Brock, Texas, cowboy has given up trying to make money this season. He rode Spring Break to the tune of 85 points to take the first round lead away from Canadian Rod Hay.

Horwedel was, "pretty much broke," he said, and in a rut of bad horses and bad rides on good horses, but when he found out which horse he drew here he got a little motivation to make the trip.

"I found out what I had and I figured out how to get up here," he said.

Nothing is cemented yet, but even if the ride doesn't win the long go, it'll certainly still win money.

Horwedel - 34th in this week's world standings - spent more than a thousand bucks to get up to Ellensburg for Saturday's performance and tonight's Blowout Broncs. So far it's paid off well.

"Eventually the year's going to turn around," he said.

There was no turning back in steer wrestling as nine of the 12 contestants here on Saturday turfed their steers in six seconds or better, including Dru Melvin and Joey Bell, Jr. who both pinned their draws in 4.2 seconds.

While Ken Lewis wasn't as fast, his 4.5-second run put him No. 1 in the average with 8.9 on two. The La Junta, Colo., cowboy is fourth in the world this week, but a win here might push him to second or third by the end of Labor Day.

Fellow Colorado cowboy, Wade Sumpter, might shake some of his bad luck at Ellensburg this year. The world leading bulldogger is 9.6 on two head, right in the thick of the average.

It's shaping up to be a bit of a log jam in the bareback riding, too, as Cheney's Ryan Gray and Culver, Oregon's Brian Bain both scored 84 points on their horses. It's not good enough to win the first round since Cody DeMers scored 86 on Friday, but it'll be good enough to make it back to Monday.

Just one point behind Gray and Bain is the leading rookie bareback rider this year, Jared Smith. After Smith their are four cowboys with either 82- or 81-point rides.

Of the 14 bull riders entered in Saturday's performance only four covered their bulls, but none covered them like Tohatchi, NM, cowboy Spud Jones. Jones finished with an 86 to tie for the go-round lead with Luke Haught's 86 from Friday.

The team of Garrett Tonozzi and Kinney Harrell were 6.3 seconds on their steer on Saturday to put them third in the average heading into today's final performance of the second go. They are a tenth of a second behind the Tittel brothers, Jay and Ryon. No teams, however, can match the fastest time of the second go as Clay O'Brien Cooper and Jake Barnes and Speed Williams and Allen Bach are tied for first with 5.1 seconds.

It was another slower than usual day again in barrel racing as no rider has been able to get much lower than 17.50 around the pattern. The second go leaderboard includes Debbie Stahl and Sherry Cervi tied for first with 17.46 seconds and Jody Hale with 17.47, but Saturday afternoon's fastest time was Kelli Jo Hammack with a 17.77.

Traci Dawson leads the average with a 34.85-second two run time and Stahl is a blink of an eye behind with 35.02.

Today's performance begins with the Grand Entry at 12:45 p.m.