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West Valley City • The thrill of victory.
The agony of defeat.
Bareback rider Tom McFarland experienced both during a midsummer visit to Utah in 2010.
McFarland won last year's Days of '47 Rodeo but, one night later, he suffered a ruptured biceps in Ogden.
The resulting surgery ended his season.
"It rolled up — they just had to pull it back down," said McFarland, of Wickenburg, Ariz. "But shoot. That's the kind of stuff that happens when you're riding rough stock."
McFarland has fully recovered from his the injury.
He ranks 15th in the latest world standings with earnings of $31,683 after wins at Greeley, Colo., Weatherford, Texas, and Lakeside, Calif.
McFarland returned to the Days of '47 Rodeo on Wednesday night at Maverik Center.
He didn't fare well.
On a horse named Stitch, who did more running than bucking, McFarland didn't score and decided not to take a re-ride.
Cody DeMers, of Kimberly, Idaho, won Round 3 with a score of 86, which vaulted him into the overall lead in bareback.
Undaunted, McFarland will move forward.
"It's fun to be back out here," he said.
"It's about the only way I know to scratch out a living and still have so much fun. So I'll just keep at it while I'm still young enough to do it."
Call it participation on borrowed time.
McFarland's career nearly ended at Pecos, Texas, in 2009, when his horse flipped just before the gate flew open.
"Just one of those deals," he said.
"I got caught in there and broke my arm pretty good."
Pretty good?
McFarland suffered a broken wrist and shattered right arm. It was broken in 26 places and, after surgery, he was sidelined only six months.
McFarland returned in January 2010 but was struck down again when he broke his leg and tore his ACL in March.
He had just returned when he won at the Days of '47 but was injured again 24 hours later in Ogden.
"It's all part of the game," McFarland said.
"I had a pretty good run of luck without getting injured. I guess I was due. But, hopefully, these last few years have caught me up and I'm good to go for a while."
This season, McFarland finds himself in a fierce battle for a berth in what would be his fourth National Finals Rodeo.
The top-15 money winners qualify.
Currently, McFarland is only $3,900 out of 10th place but just $1,700 ahead of Jason Smith, who is 20th.
"If I get back there, I'd be very happy," McFarland said. "That's about the only way we make much money — at the Finals.
"A guy rodeos so hard during the year. He spends so much traveling and flying and paying bills, you don't ever get ahead unless you get there."
Highlights
R Bull riders Clayton Foltyn, of El Campo, Texas, and Chandler Bownds, of Lubbock, Texas, win bull riding in Round 3, scoring 85.
• Will Smith, of Marshall, Mo., moves into a three-way tie for the lead in saddle bronc by winning the third round with a score of 83.
• Cody DeMers, of Kimberly, Idaho, takes the overall lead in bareback after winning the third round with a score of 86. —
Wednesday's results
Saddle bronc
1. Will Smith (Marshall, Mo.), 83; 2. Shane Moran (Ulm, Mont.), 76; 3. San Spreadborough (Snyder, Texas), 75.
Steer wrestling
1. Baylor Roche (Thatcher), 3.9; 2. Alex Robertson (Bend, Ore.), 4.4; 3. Travis Carnine (Stanfield, Ore.), Shawn Greenfield (Lakeview, Ore.) and Cody Wade (Hooper), 4.9.
Tie-down roping
1. Chris Demases (Boyd, Texas), 9.1. (No other qualifiers.)
Barrel racing
1. Carlee Pierce (Woodward, Okla.), 13.98; 2. Callie Chamberlain (Colorado City, Texas), 14.33; 3. Barbara Merrill (Axtell), 14.40.
Bareback riding
1. Cody DeMers (Kimberly, Idaho), 86; 2. Will Lowe (Canyon, Texas), 82; 3. Caine Riddle (Vernon, Texas), 80.
Team roping
1. Garrett Tonozzi (Fruita, Colo.) and Cody Doescher (Oklahoma City), 3.9; 2. Justin Yost (Hico, Texas) and Kyle Crick (Lipan, Texas), 8.2. (No other qualifiers.)
Bull riding
1. Clayton Foltyn (El Campo, Texas) and Chandler Bownds (Lubbock, Texas), 85; 3. Garrett Vig (Newell, S.D.), 82. —
Schedule
Where • Maverik Center, West Valley City
When • Nightly (except Sunday) through July 25
Time • 7 p.m. Tickets • 801-988-8800
Prices • $5 to $47 Website • Daysof47.com