With the Texas Swing and winter run officially underway, the bareback riders got off to a hot start pushing arena records and cashing in early to set the pace. The young guns are once again staking their claim while veterans are proving that they are not done yet.
World Champion Tim O’Connell and nine-time National Finals Rodeo cowboy Orin Larsen are two standout competitors that we are used to seeing in the winner’s circle at some point during the Texas Swing. Both are sidelined with injuries leaving openings that every other bareback rider is looking to capitalize on.
Denver and Fort Worth Champions have been crowned and the race is on for 2024.
No. 1 Keenan Hayes, $35,531
After making history in Las Vegas as the first ever Resistol Rookie bareback rider to win a Gold Buckle, Hayes has kept a lead foot down pulling a check at every rodeo he has been to since including the Montana States Circuit Finals and New Years Eve Buck & Ball (Wyoming). He advanced to the Final Round in both Denver and Fort Worth, making his highest marked ride so far in the Fort Worth Semifinals. It was a 91-point ride made on Macza Pro Rodeo’s Sideshow, which he followed up with an 89 for third in the Short Round.
No. 2 Bradlee Miller, $31,654
Miller’s success in November and December catapulted him into a great position going into the winter run. He cashed in a total of $9,895 at the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo after getting two Go-Round wins and finishing second in the Finals. He kicked off his Texas Swing by making the Semifinals in Fort Worth thanks to a win in the Wildcard Round.
No. 3 Cooper Cooke, $30,377
Cooke finished just outside the Top 20 in the World last season and this year, he is setting himself up for more. After claiming the Wilderness Circuit Finals (Utah) win and cashing in an early $9,820 he went on to the Chase Hawks Rough Stock Rodeo (Montana) to be 87 and add another $7,770 to his earnings. In Denver, he advanced to the Finals to finish third before placing in two Go-Rounds of Fort Worth and finishing in the money at Rodeo Rapid City (South Dakota).
No. 4 Rocker Steiner, $28,000
Steiner took time off over the holidays after finishing his 2023 season as the No. 5 ranked cowboy in the world. His return came at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo where he reminded everyone that he is hungry to win them all. Two 90+ point rides, one being one point off of the arena record and Steiner walked away from Dickies Arena a two-time champion. His $28,000 has all come from Fort Worth alone.
No. 5 Taylor Broussard, $26,421
The Louisiana bareback rider got a head start on the 2024 season before the calendar turned. A win at the Bucking Battle in Bismark (North Dakota) in mid-October courtesty of an 85-point ride on Dakota Rodeo’s Clyde for $6,400. He took the momentum and ran cashing in in Florida and Indianapolis before he picked up the Southeast Circuit Finals (Florida) win for a total of $9,321. He had success in Denver as well as a Go-Round win in Fort Worth to top it off.
No. 6 Garrett Shadbolt, $25,755
Shadbolt’s 2024 season started with a win in Hempstead, Texas at the Waller County Fair & Rodeo as he made an 85.5-point ride on Paint the Town of Pete Carr Pro Rodeo. He picked up a huge win when he cinched the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo title in Denver for the second straight year. He swept his bracket, the Semifinals and then made an 86.5-point ride in the Finals to win it all. It was a $12,183 win.
No. 7 Dean Thompson, $20,401
Placing in the money at the Wilderness Circuit Finals (Utah) gave Thompson just enough momentum to do the same at the Chase Hawks Rough Stock Rodeo (Montana) with an 84.5-point ride on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Pressure Cooker. It was then his time to shine in Fort Worth when he advanced to the Finals and he drew Macza Pro Rodeo’s Stevie Knicks to be 91.5 points for $12,000.
No. 8 Weston Timberman, $18,604
The current No. 1 Resistol Rookie is hustling as he sits inside the Top 10 in the World. Since January, the Montana cowboy has racked up $14,606 between just two rodeos. Success at the Montana Circuit Finals kickstarted it all while he swept the Cinch Worlds Toughest Rodeo in Winston-Salem to collect the rest along with the first Resistol Rookie of the Week title at The Cowboy Channel.
No. 9 Leighton Berry, $18,309
With just six rodeos under his belt for this season, Berry is off and running towards the top. Placing consistently at the Texas Circuit Finals, he added over $2,000 to his earnings in October, but his biggest paydays came from up north. He split the win at the Chase Hawks Rough Stock Rodeo in December with 87 points for $7,770 while the win at Rodeo Rapid City during February’s first weekend was all his to the tune of 88.5 points and $5,534.
No. 10 Cole Franks, $15,546
Franks started the season with a bang when he rode Renovo Night Gazer for 91 points at the Heart O’ Texas Fair & Rodeo. It was worth over $2,000 and he carried that momentum into the Cinch World’s Toughest in Indianapolis. From there, he picked up his second big win at the New Years Eve Buck & Ball. An 87-point ride on Muddy Creek Pro Rodeo’s Black Mamba was worth almost $5,500 in Gillette, Wyoming.
No. 11 Nick Pelke, $15,062
Consistency has been key for Pelke early on. The second-year veteran’s performance at the Cinch Worlds Toughest in Indianapolis got him a win at his second event of the season in November. Sticking with success in the Midwest, Pelke left the North American Championship Rodeo (Kentucky) with $6,799 added to his earnings. A second Cinch Worlds Toughest Rodeo in Des Moines ended with a win before he placed in Round 2 of his bracket in Fort Worth.
No. 12 Clay Jorgensen, $13,602
Jorgensen’s Badlands Circuit Finals (North Dakota) got his season up and running and it started with redemption in Round 2 when he covered Bailey Pro Rodeo’s Colorado Bulldog for 85.5 points to win the Go-Round. He went on to place second at the Bucking Battle in Bismark with an 84-point ride on another Bailey Pro Rodeo bucking horse, Candy Coated.
No. 13 Ty Pope, $13,523
The younger Pope brother has made an appearance at just two rodeos and is sitting pretty in the World Standings. Winning one Go-Round in Denver was good for almost $4,000. And he also placed in two others, including the Finals. He left there with almost $6,000 to his name and he hit the Texas Swing running. He advanced to the Finals in Fort Worth where he finished fourth.
No. 14 Sam Petersen, $13,394
The Montana cowboy’s season started out right with success in his home state at the NILE Prorodeo and $2,000 coming his way. It was the New Years Eve Buck & Ball that came next with a payday. An 86.5 on Burch Rodeo’s Fire Iron landed him second in the Finals in Wyoming. From there, a pair of 88.5-point rides advanced him to the Finals in Fort Worth where he finished third and added $4,500 to his name.
No. 15 Tim Kent, $13,301
The oldest cowboy in the Top 15 is Kent coming in at 37 years old and he is keeping up with the young guns of the sport. His trip to the First Frontier Circuit Finals (Pennsylvania) earned him every penny of his $13,301. He picked up two out of three Go-Round wins and the Average title.
No. 16 Ben Kramer, $13,246
North Dakota’s Kramer had success starting with the Badlands Circuit Finals and carrying on to the Cinch Worlds Toughest Rodeo in Indianapolis. A Go-Round win and the Average win at the Circuit Finals landed him on top of the money earners with $6,126. The Cinch Worlds Toughest added another $2,000 thanks to an 85-point ride.
No. 17 Waylon Bourgeois, $13,134
Although Bourgeois has stayed close to home going to rodeos in Louisiana and Florida, he still finds himself on the cusp of the Top 15. A win in Arcadia came with $2,000 before Bourgeois was the second highest money earner at the Southeastern Circuit Finals with $7,940. He has found his way to the pay window on three occasions since.
No. 18 Tanner Aus, $13,041
Aus’ success started in Kentucky at the North American Championship Rodeo. The Average was his and came with a payday of $3,547. Aus also picked up checks when he placed second in Round 1 and won Round 2 of the Cinch Worlds Toughest Rodeo in St. Paul, Minnesota, one of the few chances for him to rodeo in his home state.
No. 19 Clint Laye, $11,855
Two rodeos have heavily added to the Canadian bareback rider’s 2024 success. Starting with the New Years Eve Buck & Ball when an 83.5 on Burch Rodeo’s Hell’s Fire was good enough for $1,200. From there, Laye’s performance at the National Western landed him in the Finals and he left Denver with almost $4,000.
No. 20 Jacek Frost, $11,786
A big win in his home state of California is what kicked off Frost’s season with $2,434 from the Industry Hills Charity Pro Rodeo. Since then, his rides at the California Circuit Finals landed him No. 1 in the Average there and he also picked up over $4,000 at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo.
Standings current as of PRCA on Wednesday, Feb. 7 at 2:40 PM EST.
