Less than three weeks remain in the 2025 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) season, and athletes are starting to plan their final trick plays and Hail Marys to pull off a buzzer-beater finish in the top 15 of the world standings. As anticipated, the bubble race will come down to the final major rodeos, with several contenders laying it all on the line to punch their tickets to the 2025 National Finals Rodeo (NFR).
Headlining the bubble race are several top finalists from the Puyallup Rodeo. Also known as the CINCH Playoff Series Finale, the event added over $622,000 to the standings, opening the door for multiple competitors knocking on the door of the top 15.
After earning a position in the final round of the Puyallup Rodeo — and nearly $10,000 on the west side of the Evergreen State — bareback rider Jacob Lees now sits within $5,000 of his second NFR qualification. He’s locked in a tight race with Richmond Champion, Jacek Frost and R.C. Landingham for 15th place in the world standings.
Frost also made a statement in Puyallup, marking 91.5 points on Brookman Rodeo’s Lunatic Heaven in the final round to claim the aggregate title and $13,400.
In the team roping, veteran Clay Smith teamed up with 18-year-old Nicky Northcott to earn over $13,000 in Puyallup. While Smith is chasing his third world title with a secure spot in the top three, Northcott has surged into the top 15 thanks to an impressive late-season run.
Albertan cowboy Ben Anderson is in a true do-or-die position. Sitting at No. 15 in the world, he’s making every ride and paycheck count. Following a strong performance in Puyallup, Anderson is looking to solidify his place in the final weeks of the PRCA season.
Texan cowgirl Halyn Lide is also gunning for her first appearance under the bright lights of Las Vegas. Lide’s $13,400 win in Puyallup vaulted her to No. 16 in the world standings, just $5,000 shy of the coveted top-15 cutoff.
Another pivotal stop came at the Lewiston Round-Up in Lewiston, Idaho. As a member of the Big 4 Rodeo Association, the event paid out a total of $212,014, making every check increasingly crucial for bubble athletes.
Nestled along the Snake River, Lewiston hosted several athletes on the cusp of qualification, including saddle bronc rider Lefty Holman. The California cowboy marked 89.5 points on Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics’ Irv’s Legacy to earn $5,781 and keep his 2025 NFR hopes alive. Holman will be one to watch closely as the PRCA season heads into its final stretch.
In barrel racing, Paige Jones is also fighting to secure her NFR dreams. She stopped the clock at an impressive 17.10 seconds, worth $4,562, keeping her within striking distance of an NFR berth.
With one of the year’s largest rodeos, the Pendleton Round-Up, currently underway in Pendleton, Ore., fans and athletes alike will be on the edge of their seats as the final checks of the 2025 PRCA season are written.