BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
In every past rodeo season, this week would typically serve as a lull between Pendleton and the last event of the year, whether it’s called the Tour Finale or Governor’s Cup, Chad Berger changed all of that in 2024.
Instead of a break, the temperature of the rodeo season ratcheted up even more in September with the first-ever North Dakota Roughrider Cup, which boasted a payday of more than $500,000.
- Steer wrestler Tyler Waguespack has jumped 28 spots since his return from a bicep injury at the beginning of August. When Waguespack returned from a bicep injury that kept him out for a majority of June and July, the five-time and three-time reigning World Champion was No. 41 in the World. However, since Aug. 1 he has won nearly $60,000, a quarter of it coming with his exclamation point over the weekend - a 3.4 to win the Roughrider Cup. Waguespack is No. 13 in the World and within $85,000 of No. 1 Dalton Massey. The last three years, Wags has earned an average of $171,000 at the NFR.
- TJ Gray is the new No. 1 in the PRCA Bull Riding World Standings. Josh Frost held on to the top spot for about three months and it has since changed hands three times in the last three weeks. Gray rocketed to No. 1 after a win at the Roughrider Cup and since Aug. 6, he is 20-of-32 with six Go-Round Wins. Even more recently, he is 6-of-8 with more than $35,000 banked in the last two weekends. The 23-year-old showed what he can do when healthy for a full season and with over $230,000, he will likely be the top man entering Vegas.
- Saddle bronc rider Damian Brennan enters the final week of the season with a decent chance to break Sage Newman’s regular season earnings record. After a third place finish at the Roughrider Cup and a win at the River City Rodeo in Omaha paid him more than $13,000 combined, Brennan now has earned $238,269 this season. The regular season earning record from Newman was $253,190 in 2022. Perhaps more important to Brennan, he is now $19,000 clear of Kade Bruno, whom he has wrestled all summer long for the No. 1 ranking. Brennan’s last 20 rides have all been 82 points or more and he has made more than $60,000 in the last six weeks.
- Rookie bareback rider Weston Timberman scores second straight big win. Timberman won Pendleton with 89 points in the Finals and upped his game even more, conquering Stevie Knicks for 91 points to win the one-header. Over the last two weekends, Timberman has gone from No. 9 to No. 6 in the World with the two wins paying him about $29,000 combined. He has three rides of 89 points or more in his last three outs after having two all season prior to that.
- Clay Smith/Coleby Payne both cracked the Top 10 after a pair of 4.3-second runs over the weekend. Those two 4.3s won them $8,213 in North Dakota and $2,336 in Nebraska and moved both men up five spots in the World Standings. They are safely in the NFR and have had a peculiar go of it lately. They have just five qualified times in their last 13 runs, however, all five are 4.6 seconds or faster. It goes to show there are many ways to get the job done.
- Saddle bronc rider Statler Wright picked up his highest paying of 16 wins this season at the Roughrider Cup. Wright snagged the victory as one of the last cowboys out in the entire rodeo. He won $17,935 for his ride on Squatch Blossoms and clearly solidified himself as a Top 10 bronc rider entering his first NFR, his 16 wins put him only behind Brody Cress this season.
- Bareback Cole Reiner has cracked the Top 10 after being on the bubble a few weeks ago. At the beginning of September, Reiner sat in dangerous territory at No. 14 in the World. He has responded with checks at eight different rodeos and an additional $25,000 in the bank to move up to No. 10 in the World and put a fifth straight NFR in clear view. Over the last two weekends, Reiner is averaging 85.7 points.
