The bareback riding continues to be a rookie race unlike any we have seen in recent years while veterans World Champions Tim O’Connell and Kaycee Feild hold tight to a place in the Top 15.
Keenan Hayes has furthered the gap between him and No. 2 Leighton Berry. Hayes now leads by over $70,000 and fellow rookie Kade Sonnier’s big wins from the summer have him holding strong to the No. position.
We are launching into the final month of the regular season, take a look at your Top 20 bareback riders in the PRCA.
No. 9 Jayco Roper, $110,344
Roper’s month of August has been good, especially the last two weeks. Starting in Golden Valley, North Dakota at the Wayne Herman Invitational Xtreme Bares, Roper took home the event win after an 87.5-point ride on Bailey Pro Rodeo’s Little Bug. It was a win worth almost $5,000. From there he placed at both the Cassia county Fair & Rodeo and the Fallon County Fair & Rodeo to add another $3,000 to his earnings. His most recent payday came in Tremonton, Utah at the Golden Spike Rodeo when he rode for 84.5 points to earn enough that he jumped from No.11 to No. 9.
No. 10 Jess Pope, $109,322
After splitting the win at Gooding Pro Rodeo with a beer worthy 87-point ride on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Red Beard, the reigning World Champion added almost $5,000 to his earnings. From there, he placed in Kennewick in Go-Round 1 and the Aggregate. At the Kitsap Stampede in Bremerton, Washington, Pope matched up with the rank bronc of Korkow Rodeo, Onion Ring. Together, they put an 84.5 on the board to be third and cinch another $3,000 for Pope.
No. 14 Dean Thompson, $89,004
Rookie cowboy, Thompson, has moved inside the Top 15. An impressive performance in Round 1 of the Horse Heaven Roundup landed him in a tie for the Go-Round win after an 84.5-point ride that would be worth over $2,500. He picked up an Aggregate check before placing at the Kitsap Stampede and the Ramona Rodeo. In total, Thompson earned $5,285 to jump up two spots since August 22.
No. 19 Cole Franks, $81,215
With two consecutive National Finals Rodeo qualifications, Franks is gunning for a third and the momentum is swinging his way. Two wins this past week and placing at a third rodeo is inching him higher. He drew Dixie’s Gravy of Korkow Rodeo’s in Bremerton where he was 85.5 to get the win. At the Colorado State Fair and Rodeo, he went 84.5 on Kirsten Vold Rodeo Company’s Spicy Chicken. The two wins added $7,500 to his earnings.
| World Rank | Name | Earnings |
| 1. | Keenan Hayes | $216,386 |
| 2. | Leighton Berry | $145,829 |
| 3. | Kade Sonnier | $137,588 |
| 4. | Tim O’Connell | $132,179 |
| 5. | Clayton Biglow | $129,940 |
| 6. | Cole Reiner | $127,010 |
| 7. | Orin Larsen | $123,714 |
| 8. | Rocker Steiner | $121,240 |
| 9. | Jayco Roper | $110,343 |
| 10. | Jess Pope | $109,322 |
| 11. | Kaycee Feild | $108,901 |
| 12. | Tanner Aus | $107,474 |
| 13. | Richmond Champion | $103,552 |
| 14. | Dean Thompson | $89,003 |
| 15. | Sam Petersen | $88,144 |
| 16. | Taylor Broussard | $86,193 |
| 17. | Jacob Lees | $83,147 |
| 18 | Mason Clements | $81,486 |
| 19. | Cole Franks | $81,214 |
| 20. | Jacek Frost | $80,109 |
Standings current as of prorodeo.com on August 30, 2023 at 2:00 PM EST.
