BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
Rhen Richard still has a commanding lead in the PRCA World Standings, and Nelson Wyatt and Andrew Ward are both within $22,000 of him, slowly but surely making up ground. Behind those two is Dustin Egusquiza and after Egusquiza, things get tight. The headers ranked fifth through 20th are all within $20,000 of each other with the Summer Run underway.
1. Rhen Richard - $86,066
Richard was greatly aided by his $50,000 win at RodeoHouston, but even if he and partner Jeremy Buhler would’ve came up empty in the Short Round, he’d still be ranked No. 9. Richard’s other successes this season have been a second place finish in the Average at the Clark County Rodeo (Nevada) and Clovis Rodeo (California), the latter of which was the last time he roped in a PRCA rodeo.
2. Nelson Wyatt - $65,493
Wyatt ranks in the Top 5 among headers in average time, Go-Round wins and runs of 4.5 seconds or faster so far this season. During the Texas Swing, he and Justin Smith finished second in San Antonio and Houston. After some spring struggles, Wyatt has pulled in three checks worth $1,400 or more so far in June.
3. Andrew Ward - $64,256
The 2021 NFR Average Champion has collected well paying wins at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, Red Bluff Round-Up (California) and the Ram Prairie Circuit Finals (Oklahoma) so far this season. His 10 Go-Round wins are tied for the most among headers alongside Nelson Wyatt.
4. Dustin Egusquiza - $53,729
Egusquiza and Levi Lord were the champions of San Antonio which contributed about 40 percent of his season earnings so far. The five-time NFR qualifier leads the PRCA in 4.5 Second or Faster runs and also ranks third in Go-Round Wins.
5. J.C. Yeahquo - $44,587
J.C. and twin brother L.J. have almost exceeded their career earnings ($52,844) just this season so far. They have won three PRCA Playoff Series Rodeos - Rapid City (South Dakota), Dixie National (Mississippi) and San Angelo - which ranks first.
6. Kaleb Driggers - $43,378
The reigning World Champion does not have any rodeo wins this season, but ranks first in the PRCA Qualified Time Percentage, second in Average Time and third 4.5 Second or Faster Runs. His biggest paydays this year have come from a second place finish at the National Western (Colorado), fourth place finish in Fort Worth, a Semifinal win in San Antonio and a third place finish at the Clark County Fair and Rodeo.
7. Cody Snow - $42,054
Snow is in position for his eighth straight NFR qualification. He and partner Wesley Thorp made their money from third place finish in Fort Worth, two round wins in Houston, a second place finish at the Clovis Rodeo and a Finals appearance at the San Angelo Cinch Chute Out. Snow is in the Top 7 in the PRCA in Go-Round Wins, Average Time and Total Qualified Times.
8. Marcus Theriot - $40,451
Theriot is notably ranked in the Top 10 on just 19 qualified times all season, the lowest of any cowboy inside the Top 20. He has been able to do that because his Average Time of 6.19 seconds ranks first and 10 of those qualified times have resulted in checks of $3,000 or more.
9. Coy Rahlmann - $35,160
After not rodeoing from May 7 until June 3, Rahlmann returned to the road in style by winning () in the first three weekends of the month and moving from No. () to (). His biggest June check was $() for winning the Eagle Rodeo (Idaho).
10. Jr. Dees - $34,237
Dees is tied for second among PRCA headers with two PRCA Playoff Series wins, those coming at the High Desert Stampede and Clovis Rodeo. On the Weekend of June 11, Dees won more than $6,000 between the Parker County Sheriffs Posse Frontier Days (Texas) and the Sisters Rodeo (Oregon).
11. Tanner Tomlinson - $32,592
The reigning NFR Average Champion has shaved more than a second off of his Average Time and increased his Qualified Time Percentage by 15 percent so far this season alongside partner Patrick Smith. The pair have just one win, however, coming at Old Fort Days (Arkansas) on June 3.
12. Jake Clay - $31,792
The 24-year-old won almost half of his money from a second place finish in Fort Worth but has only pulled two checks since April 16.
13. Derrick Begay - $30,959
The nine-time NFR qualifier is one of three headers with two PRCA Playoff wins, his coming at the Guymon Pioneer Days (Oklahoma) and Clark County. Begay walked away from both of those with at least $5,000. Begay has just 22 qualified times all season.
14. Hagen Peterson - $28,764
Peterson has won over $7,000 in June and jumped 11 spots since the start of a month in a tightly packed teens and 20s in the team roping. Peterson has pulled in four checks of $1,000 or more already in June. However, Peterson’s most profitable rodeo this season came all the way back in November at the Turquiose Circuit Finals, where he won all three rounds and the Average to bank more than $9,000.
15. Kreece Thompson - $28,543
Thompson has placed in the Top 6 of four rodeos and collected more than $7,000 to go from No. 26 to No. 15 in the first three weekends of June. Thompson has also won a round at the Red Bluff Round-Up and finished second in roudnds in Clark County and the Oakdale Saddle Club Rodeo (California).
16. Luke Brown - $28,250
The 13-time NFR qualifier has made a majority of his money from three rodeos this season - Austin, Clark County and Clovis. Austin was the highest paying of the bunch as he left with more than $11,000 for a second place finish.
17. Brenten Hall - $28,123
Hall made more than half of his money this season between RodeoHouston and the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo. In Houston, he earned $15,250 for a fourth place finish while in San Angelo, he collected $4,836 for a second place finish in Round 2.
18. Dawson Graham - $27,237
Graham has won two rodeos in Canada this season also made about $2,000 in Red Bluff and $3,000 in Clovis.
19. Jeff Flenniken - $27,133
Flenniken’s biggest moneymaker this year was his win at Rodeo Austin for which he was rewarded more than $12,000. He also won rounds in San Antonio and Redding (California).
20. Tanner James - $25,908
James made the Finals in San Antonio and San Angelo before shifting his attention to his home state of California, where he has made more than $8,000 since April 27.
Standings are via ProRodeo.com and are accurate as of 6 PM ET on Sunday, June 18.
