After an exciting first four rounds of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, Round Five delivered just as much action, marking the midway point of the 2025 NFR. Here is your Round Five recap, presented by Mahindra.
Regular-season earnings record holder Rocker Steiner proved his dominance once again with a commanding win in Round Five. Steiner teamed up with Brookman Rodeo’s Lunatic Heaven to mark a thrilling 89.0-point ride worth $36,668. The Weatherford, Texas, cowboy now extends his lead in the bareback riding world championship race by an impressive $113,780 as the NFR enters its second half. Having earned $117,638 in the past five days, Steiner continues his push to rewrite history and claim his first world title.
Canadian steer wrestler Scott Guenthner ignited the Thomas & Mack Center with a blistering 3.4-second run to capture the Round Five buckle. With a third-place check worth $21,882, Will Lummus continues to separate himself from the field as he chases his first gold buckle.
However, he faces tight competition from current No. 2 Tucker Allen, who leads the aggregate race and trails Lummus by $45,135.
The team roping world title race remains just as intense as it was when the 2025 NFR began. Kolton Schmidt and Jonathan Torres took top honors in Round Five with a sharp 3.7-second run. In the world title race, Tanner Tomlinson and Travis Graves earned a second-place check worth $28,980—enough to place Tomlinson in the driver’s seat of the heading standings. Graves also continues to climb, moving to fifth in the heeling standings.
Australian saddle bronc rider Damian Brennan delivered one of the most electrifying rides of the 2025 NFR so far, marking 90.0 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s R. Watsons Ed Bishop. C5 Rodeo’s legendary Virgil also shined, carrying Brody Cress to an 89.5-point second-place ride in what will be the celebrated bronc’s final NFR before retirement.
Tie-down roper John Douch was all smiles as he took his victory lap inside the Thomas & Mack after a standout 7.4-second run. With the world title battle between Shad Mayfield and Riley Webb still locked in a stalemate—and neither earning a paycheck in Round Five—the race remains tight entering Round Six.
In an electrifying barrel racing performance, Carlee Otero topped a highly competitive round with a speedy 13.43-second run worth $36,668. Otero climbs to fourth in the world standings with $251,830 and has earned $83,336 so far at the NFR.
Bull riding showcased standout performances from both rookies and veterans alike in Round Five. In a high-scoring round, JR Stratford rose to the occasion with a 90.5-point ride on Rafter H Rodeo Livestock’s Deal Me In to win the go-round. He has ridden four of five bulls and leads the aggregate with 350.75 points on four rides.
As fans and athletes look ahead to the second half of the 2025 NFR, The Cowboy Channel continues full coverage daily at 4 p.m. Eastern. Tune in for the complete lineup, including Deep Dive and Zero In presented by Cinch, NFR Tailgate, Western Sports Roundup presented by Ariat, and Rodeo Live presented by Tractor Supply. Coverage continues with the Wrangler NFR at 8:30 p.m., NFR Final presented by Mahindra at 11:30 p.m., and the nightly NFR Buckle Ceremony at 12:30 a.m.
