BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
Jeremy Buhler has emerged as an early frontrunner on the heel side of the World Standings, amassing an impressive $87,618 in earnings this season and holding onto the No. 1 spot since March.
Behind Buhler is Buddy Hawkins, who trails by about $23,000, but after Hawkins things get very close in the PRCA Heeler World Standings as No. 3 and No. 15 are separated by just $25,000.
1. Jeremy Buhler - $87,618
Almost two-thirds of Buhler’s earnings this season have come from RodeoHouston, but the 2016 World Champion has found plenty of success elsewhere as well. He and partner Rhen Richard also pulled in at least $4,000 at La Fiesta De Los Vaqueros (Arizona), the Clark County Fair and Rodeo (Nevada) and the Clovis Rodeo (California), all of which are PRCA Playoff Series Rodeos.
2. Buddy Hawkins - $64,256
Hawkins leads the PRCA Total Qualified Times and has six wins on the season - three in Oklahoma, two in Texas (including Fort Worth) and one in California. Hawkins has held steady in the No. 2 spot since the end of RodeoHouston in March.
3. Levi Lord - $53,729
Lord has impressed this season registering more time of 4.5 Seconds or Faster and more Go-Round Wins than any other heeler so far. He and partner Dustin Egusquiza took first in San Antonio and also won two smaller rodeos in Texas - Rio Grande Valley and the PPCLA PRCA Rodeo.
4. Justin Davis - $51,777
The California cowboy is looking to make his second career NFR and first since 2009 and has done so by racking up two big paydays during the Texas Swing. Davis and partner Nelson Wyatt took second in both Fort Worth and Houston, which combined to pay a total of $(). In June, the pair added more than $4,000 for another second place finish, this one at the Santa Maria Elks Rodeo (California).
5. L.J. Yeahquo - $44,587
Yeahquo is one of two heelers to win at least three PRCA Playoff Series Rodeos so far this season as he and brother JC were victorious at Rodeo Rapid City (South Dakota), the Dixie National (Mississippi) and San Angelo. In June, Yeahquo already has three checks of at least $1,000.
6. Junior Noguiera - $43,377
The two-time reigning World Champion made the Finals in Denver, Fort Worth and San Antonio to kickstart the season. Other big paydays have come from second place finishes at the Rio Grande Valley Rodeo (Texas) and Coleman PRCA Rodeo (Texas) and a third place finish at the Clark County Fair and Rodeo.
7. Billie Jack Saebens - $40,926
Looking to get back to the NFR for the first time since consecutive appearances in 2016 and 2017, Saebens got off to a great start by winning more than $4,000 at the Prairie Circuit Finals in October. He and partner Jake Clay then won a round in Denver, split second in Fort Worth and then made $6,500 in San Antonio to set up their Summer Run. After San Antonio, Saebens reached as high as No. 2 in the PRCA World Standings.
8. Cole Curry - $40,451
Curry’s season can be summed up by two things - Florida rodeos and RodeoHouston. In the Sunshine State, he has won the Bright Field Day and Rodeo and also finished second at the Silver Spurs Rodeo and All-Florida Championship, all of those rodeos took place in February and all of them paid at least $2,000. At RodeoHouston, he took home third and won $16,000 total.
9. Wesley Thorp - $36,517
The veteran of seven straight NFRs is in position once again. During the Texas Swing, Thorp made the Finals of Fort Worth, banked $8,500 in Houston and made the Finals of the San Angelo Cinch Chute Out.
10. Jonathan Torres - $35,377
Torres has cracked the Top 10 again after making his first NFR in 2022. Roping with NFR qualifier on the headside Coy Rahlmann full time now, Torres has already won three rodeos in June and jumped eight spots since the beginning of the month.
11. Ross Ashford - $34,237
Ashofrd and partner Jr. Dees have won two PRCA Playoff Series Rodoes this year - the High Desert Stampede (Oregon) and Clovis Rodeo (California) - both of which paid them $3,300 and $9,500 respectively. After taking all of May off, Ashford has returned by finishing in the Top 5 in three rodeos already in June.
12. Patrick Smith - $32,592
Despite being ranked No. 12, the 13-time NFR qualifier is in the Top 5 among heelers in Qualified Time Percentage, Average Time and 4.5 Second or Faster Runs. Smith and partner Tanner Tomlinson benefited from a Texas Swing where they made the Finals of Fort Worth, Houston and Austin.
13. Corey Hendrick - $31,141
Hendrick cashed in close to $7,000 in October to get a headstart on the 2023 season. Since then, he finished third at La Fiesta De Los Vaqueros and the Buffalo Bill Rodeo (Nebraska) and fourth in San Angelo and the Woodward Elks Rodeo (Oklahoma).
14. Caleb Hendrix - $30,840
Hendrix has made a charge as of late by adding close to $10,000 across five rodeos in June. The big month have helped him from No. 19 to No. 14 as the 23-year-old looks to crack his first NFR.
15. Paden Bray - $29,994
Bray won $7,750 in Houston, $4,800 in San Angelo and $3,000 in Clovis to make up a majority of his money this season.
16. Travis Graves, $29,636
Graves has had two nice stretches lately in both May and June. On the Weekend of May 20, he finished second at the Redding Rodeo (California) and won the Wild Rogue Pro Rodeo (Oregon). On the Weekend of June 11, he won the Livermore Rodeo (California) and finished second at the Eastern Oregon Livestock Show.
17. Dillon Graham - $29,118
Graham has won two rodeos in Canada this season also made about $2,000 in Red Bluff and $3,000 in Clovis.
18. Jake Long - $28,915
Long is the only heeler other than Yeahquo to win three PRCA Playoff Series Rodeos this year, doing so with two different partners. With top finishes at the Sandhills Stock Show and Rodeo (Texas), National Western Stock Show and Rodeo (Colorado), Parker County Sheriffs Posse Frontier Days (Texas) and Woodward Elks (Oklahoma), Long has an impressive resume this season.
19. Tyler Worley - $28,286
Worley won the Texas Circuit Finals and Rodeo Austin with two different partners. He also finished third in the Average to take home just over $4,000 in Redding.
20. Hunter Koch - $28,250
Hunter Koch’s second place finished at Rodeo Austin and the Rio Grande Valley Rodeo make up more than of his earnings this season. He also brought in $4,600 at the Clark County Fair and Rodeo and $2,900 at the Clovis Rodeo.
Standings are via ProRodeo.com and are accurate as of 9 AM ET on Friday, June 23.
