Rodeo Recap: June 17 – June 23

Fun Fact

It’s estimated the Reno Rodeo draws over 140,000 fans to the rodeo each year, generating approximately $42 million to the local economy!

Bareback: R.C. Landingham

4x NFR qualifier R.C. Landingham sits atop the leaderboard after the first few days in Reno.

Landingham was third in the first round with an 86.5-point ride, then won the second round after scoring 87 points on Rosser Rodeo’s, Cowboy & Kids. At the moment, Landingham has a solid lead; Cooper Cooke is in second and trailing by nearly eight points with 166 on two head.

Landingham is currently leading the Reno Rodeo Bareback Average with 173.5 points on two head!

Saddle Bronc: Ryder Sanford

The West has been treating Ryder Sanford, a southern cowboy from Louisiana, very well the last two weeks.

Sanford, who qualified for his first NFR last year, is fresh off a big win in Vernal, Utah last weekend. Since then, Sanford rode for 85.5 points and third place in Reno Rodeo’s first round, then was fifth in the second round after an 82.5-point ride. Sanford leads the average by two points ahead of 4x NFR qualifier Dawson Hay.

Sanford is currently leading the Reno Rodeo Saddle Bronc Average with 168 points on two head.Barrel Racing: Leslie Smalygo – 17.05 seconds!

Steer Wrestling: Tucker Allen

California’s Tucker Allen has yet to win a rodeo in the 2023-2024 season, but he may just have a shot at winning Reno Rodeo, a win that would rocket him upwards in the standings and increase his odds at qualifying for his first NFR.

Allen tied for fourth place in the first round with a 5.1 second run, then won the second round after shaving a whole second off his time at 4.1 seconds. Allen now finds himself at the top of the average race, just two-tenths of a second ahead of second place.

Allen is currently leading the Reno Rodeo Steer Wrestling Average with 9.2 seconds on two head!

Team Roping: Pedro Egurrola and Cory Petska

Wyoming header Pedro Egurrola and Arizona veteran heeler and 15x NFR qualifier, heeler Cory Petska tied for fifth place in both rounds in Reno so far. The pair’s consistency now leads them the average in the Team Roping, four-tenths of a second ahead of second place.

Egurrola/Petska are currently leading the Reno Rodeo Team Roping Average with 10.7 seconds on two head!

Tie Down: Shad “Money” Mayfield and Michael Otero

It should be no surprise to anyone who’s been following rodeo this season who is leading the Tie Down average in Reno: Mr. Shad “Money” Mayfield of course. The World Champion is almost $45,000 ahead of second place in the Tie Down World Standings and is now seven-tenths of a second ahead of second in Reno’s Tie Down average standings. Mayfield didn’t make the money in Reno’s first round, but won the second with a 7.5 second run. 

Interestingly enough, while Mayfield currently leads the Tie Down World Standings, Michael Otero, currently 50^th in the world (ranks below 50 are not published), is also tied for first in the Tie Down at Reno.

Mayfield and Otero are currently leading the Reno Rodeo Tie Down Average with 17.6 seconds on two head! 

Barrel Racing: Toria Madsen

Winning the second round in Reno seems to be the lucky formula for winning the average race, and Idaho’s Toria Madsen did just that.

Madsen placed sixth in round one, running a 17.76 pattern, then won the second round with the rodeo’s fastest time yet this year at 17.19 seconds. After said two rounds, Madsen leads Reno Rodeo’s average race in the barrels, 0.13 seconds ahead of second place.

Madsen is currently leading the Reno Rodeo Barrel Racing Average with 34.95 seconds on two head!

Bull Riding: Chase Dougherty

Oregon’s Chase Dougherty hasn’t been back to the Thomas & Mack since 2018, his first and only NFR qualification. This season, he’s well positioned to go back, and winning Reno would certainly help that endeavor. Dougherty covered All In Pro Rodeo’s, Midnight Train for 88 points to put him at the top of Reno Rodeo’s Bull Riding leaderboard. The race is tight, however, with an 87-point ride in second and an 86.5 in third.

Dougherty is currently leading the Reno Rodeo Bull Riding Average with 88 points!

Breakaway: Bradi Good

Texas’s Bradi Good qualified for her first NFBR last year. So far this season, Good has made an appearance at 30 rodeos and earned over $30,000 to position her 12^th in the Breakaway World Standings.

Reno Rodeo is her 31^st rodeo of the season, and a paycheck signed there could seal the deal on a second trip to Las Vegas.

Good’s first round win in Reno with a 2.3 second run helped boost her to the top of the Average race, a slim two-tenths of a second ahead of World Champion Jackie Crawford who’s tied for second.

Good is currently leading the Reno Rodeo Breakaway Average with 5.5 seconds on two head!

Tie Down: Ty Harris & Jake Pratt – 7.7 seconds

5x NFR qualifier and Texas cowboy, Ty Harris and Washington’s Jake Pratt tied for the win and a $3,100 check this weekend in Santa Ynez.

Harris has been in the Top 15 since his win at RODEOHOUSTON, and Santa Ynez is his first win since. At last year’s NFR, he won a mild $30,000, finishing the year with $170,000 in earnings. With three months left to go in the season, Harris has already won $100,000 and is perfectly positioned for his sixth consecutive NFR.

Harris is currently 2^nd in the 2024 Tie Down World Standings!

Bull Riding: Tyler Bingham & Clayton Sellars – 81.5 points

3x NFR qualifier and father-to-be, Florida’s Clayton Sellars rode for the win with 81.5 points this weekend in Santa Ynez on Empire Rodeo’s, Hammer Lane.

3x NFR qualifier and Utah cowboy Tyler Bingham did the same on Legacy Pro Rodeo’s, King Tut. For their win, each earned a check worth over $3,200. Both Bingham and Sellars did not make the NFR last year. Sellars has had an impressive 2024 season and with one more solid check, Bingham too could be inside the Top 15 and on his way to another NFR qualification.

Sellars is currently 2^nd in the 2024 Bull Riding World Standings!

Bareback: Keenan Hayes – 88.5 points on Big Stone Rodeo Inc’s, Mayhem

Reigning World Champion Keenan Hayes set a record last year for most money won in an event in a single season both before and including the NFR.

Going into the 2023 NFR, Hayes earned a record $265,896. At the NFR itself, he won nearly $170,000 for a record total season earnings of $434,000. Hayes’s list of 2024 wins is equally as impressive and he once again finds himself at the top of the World Standings. Now, he adds Prineville, Oregon’s Crooked River Roundup after covering Big Stone Rodeo Inc’s, Mayhem for 88.5 points and a check for about $4,300.

Hayes is currently leading the 2024 Bareback World Standings! 

Saddle Bronc: Damian Brennan – 87 points on King Rodeo and Wentz Bucking Bulls’, Gone Girl

NFR qualifier and Australian cowboy Damian Brennan has been a consistent name in the money in the Saddle Bronc riding at many rodeos this season. He won RODEOHOUSTON, Mississippi’s Dixie National and the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo.

2023 was Brennan’s first NFR. There, he earned almost $167,000 to finish the 2023 season fifth in the world. Now, after an 87-point ride on King Rodeo and Wentz Bucking Bulls’, Gone Girl in Prineville, Oregon and another $4,000 check, Brennan is certainly well on his way to a second appearance in Las Vegas, and maybe, his first world title.

Brennan is currently leading the 2024 Saddle Bronc World Standings!

Breakaway: Josie Conner – 2.3 seconds

The Crooked River Roundup was Louisiana cowgirl and 2x NFBR qualifier Josie Conner’s 30^th rodeo of the 2023/24 season. 2022 was Conner’s first NFBR qualification; that year she finished 15^th in the world. Last year, she finished 14^th. This year, Conner is sitting pretty toward the middle of the Top 15, and a $5,300 check for a 2.3 second run and the win in Prineville certainly helped her standings.

Conner is unofficially 6^th in the 2024 Breakaway World Standings!

Bareback: Rocker Steiner – 88.5 points on Legacy Pro Rodeo’s, Fire Man

This weekend at Pleasant Grove, Utah’s Strawberry Days Rodeo, 2x NFR qualifier Rocker Steiner covered Legacy Pro Rodeo’s, Fire Man for 88.5 points, earning himself the rodeo win and a $3,000 check. Steiner himself is on fire, man: this is his third rodeo win three weekends in a row.

Steiner is currently 4^th in the 2024 Bareback World Standings!

Barrel Racing: Hailey Kinsel – 17.23 seconds

4x World Champion, NFR Average champ and 7x NFR qualifier Hailey Kinsel has become a household name with rodeo fans.

At last year’s NFR, Kinsel became one of a select few $2 million WPRA cowgirls. So, it feels just about right Kinsel came out on top this weekend in Utah, running a 17.23 for the win and $3,500 in earnings.

Kinsel is unofficially 12^th in the 2024 Barrel Racing World Standings!

Bull Riding: Josh Frost – 91 points on Legacy Pro Rodeo’s, No. 019

Utah’s own, 4x NFR qualifier Josh Frost took home the win in the Bull Riding this weekend in Pleasant Grove.

There’s nothing sweeter than winning in front of a hometown crowd, and now, with the addition of his win at the Strawberry Days Rodeo, Frost has done so four times. Something about riding in his home state must bring an extra edge for Frost. This weekend, he rode for a stellar 91-point ride on Legacy Pro Rodeo’s, No. 019.

On top of being in contention for his fifth Linderman Award, a prestigious title awarded to the contestant who earns the most in three events (at least one roughstock and one timed event), Frost is on his way to his fifth NFR qualification.

Frost is currently 4^th in the 2024 Bull Riding World Standings!