Las Vegas » Elk Ridge bareback rider Kaycee Feild has big plans for the weekend.

They don't have anything to do with winning big at a nearby casino or securing VIP seats to a popular show along the Strip.

Instead, Feild intends to make a run at the average championship during the last two rounds of the 2009 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

In Round 8 on Thursday night at the Thomas & Mack Center, Feild finished in a tie for eighth place with a score of 77 aboard a horse named Moulin Rouge.

The non-paying effort left him third in the average standings, only 16 points behind front-running Bobby Mote, of Culver, Ore.

"I hope to draw good horses and put the pressure on [Mote]," Feild said. "I don't really have a shot at the world championship, but I've got a shot at the average -- a really good shot. That was my goal coming on and I'm going to try like hell to top it off."

Feild positioned himself for a run at the average title by winning Round 2, finishing second in Round 4 and tying for third in Round 3.

"I drew some good horses right off the bat," he said. "The last few nights, I haven't drawn as good. Tonight, I drew a good horse -- a real bucker. I just got behind her a little bit. But I feel good and, the next few nights, I'm ready to do it."

In saddle bronc, Milford's Cody Wright is in the same situation as Feild.

Wright finished seventh in Round 8 with a score of 77, which failed to earn a paycheck. But he's third in the average, only 13 points behind the leader, Shaun Stroh, of Dickinson, N.D.

Asked about his NFR performance so far, Wright said, "Just kind of so-so. ... Some of these rounds I've drawn in the middle of the pen and I've put common rides on some common horses."

Wright is out of the running for a second straight world title. He is 10th in those standings, but he's not discouraged.

"I'm ready to draw a couple of good horses, put the best ride on them that I can and finish strong. ..." he said. "Hopefully everything works out."

In the tie-down roping, Spanish Fork's Clint Robinson kept his slim world championship hopes alive. Robinson ended up sixth in Round 8 with a time of 8.8 seconds. He earned $2,764 and trails first-place Trevor Brazile, of Decatur, Texas, by $34,000.

In the bull riding, Payson's Steve Woolsey failed to score for the eighth straight round. So his weekend isn't about winning championships, but he can add to the $108,000 he has already earned this season in Rounds 9 and 10.

luhm@sltrib.com