We are nearing the end of the 2022 regular season and there is still plenty to be sorted in the Bareback Riding World Standings. Heading into the final days, Jess Pope still holds a small lead over Cole Reiner.
Here is a look at the current Bareback Riders who are looking to qualify for the 2022 NFR and how their month of September has gone to this point.
1. Jess Pope, $159,259
Jess Pope has spent the majority of the season in the No. 1 spot, but due to an injury that cost him the month of July, his lead is nearly gone. Pope had a solid showing at the Pendleton Round-Up where he won the opening round with an 88-point ride and earned over $6,000 in total at the rodeo.
2. Cole Reiner, $154,750
Reiner took advantage of Pope’s injury in July and closed the gap between the two with several big wins. His success continued in August where he most recently earned over $3,000 at the Lion’s Dixie Roundup thanks to an 85.5-point ride.
3. Caleb Bennett, $144,130
Bennett will be heading to his tenth career NFR and is in search of his first Gold Buckle. Bennett earned over $8,000 in one week in mid-September after finishing inside the top four in four consecutive performances.
4. Tim O’Connell, $137,759
O’Connell’s regular season came to an end at the end of August due to injury. He is set to make his return at the 2022 NFR.
5. Rocker Steiner, $134,327
Steiner had a slow month of September, cashing just three checks early in the month. He has not visited the pay window since a fourth-place finish at the Lewiston Roundup.
6. R.C. Landingham, $130,523
Landingham is heading to his fourth-career NFR and has a chance at the best finish of his career. He is making the most of every ride, as he has just six rides over the last month, but in three of those rides, he earned over $2,700.
7. Tanner Aus, $126,563
Aus is in the middle of a rough stretch of riding. He has failed to earn over $1,000 at a rodeo in his last five rides dating back to the first week of September.
8. Kaycee Feild, $126,454
There are very few firsts for Feild at this point in his career, but he did add another first to his resume in Pendleton. Feild took the rodeo after a 90-point ride in the finals, and for the first time was named the champion of the Pendleton Round-Up.
9. Leighton Berry, $126,273
Berry placed second at the Pendleton Round-Up after going 87.5 points in the final round on True Grit. The 2022 NFR will be the second of his young career after finishing the 2020 season in the ninth position as well.
10. Cole Franks, $113,736
Franks took the Tri-State Rodeo with an 89.5-point ride and followed that up with a round win at the Washington State Fair Pro Rodeo with an 87-point ride. The two wins earned him over $7,000 and helped solidify his spot in the 2022 NFR.
11. Tilden Hooper, $110,063
Hooper was on the outside looking in just a few weeks ago, but a great stretch of riding has him inside the top 15. Hooper won over $3,000 at the Washington State Fair Pro Rodeo and followed that up with a win at the New Mexico State Fair and Rodeo where he earned another $3,000.
12. Clayton Biglow, $109,350
Biglow has not competed since mid-September where he placed fourth at Utah’s Own Rodeo, earning just over $1,000.
13. Orin Larsen, $107,979
Larsen had a strong showing at the Pendleton Round-Up where he placed second in the opening round with an 86.5-point ride and placed third in the finals after an 87-point ride. In total, Larsen won over $5,000 at the rodeo.
14. Garrett Shadbolt, $102,051
Shadbolt was out for much of August and is now fighting to stay on the right side of the bubble. He only has five rides in September and has won just over $1,000 in those rides.
15. Ty Breuer, $95,521
Breuer placed third at the Lion’s Dixie Roundup with an 85-point ride and earned just under $2,500.
16. Wyatt Denny, $92,876
Denny has not earned a check over $1,000 in his last eight performances but is still just a few thousand behind Ty Breuer. He will need a strong finish to qualify for the 2022 NFR.
17. Chad Rutherford, $89,661
Rutherford took the Buffalo Pro Rodeo and earned over $1,000, but it may be too little too late as he is $6,000 behind the 15 spot.
