BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
If you thought this year’s muddy World Title races would get more clear after Round 9, you would be mistaken. Things are as close as they’ve been all week in several events heading into Saturday’s 10th and final performance.
To start things off in the bareback riding, Jess Pope made another big ride with his third score of 89.5 points or more of the NFR to win Round 9, his second one of 2024.
Pope is projected to finish sixth in the World and the Gold Buckle race got even murkier. With a split of third place on Friday night, Bradlee Miller is now the Projected World Champion with Rocker Steiner second, Dean Thompson third, and Keenan Hayes fourth.
In steer wrestling, reigning World Champion Tyler Waguespack got his first Go-Round win of 2024 while Will Lummus jumped back over Cash Robb in a see-saw World Title race. Robb dropped three spots to No. 5 in the Projected World Title race. Rowdy Parrott, who now leads the NFR Average, is No. 2, Dakota Eldridge is No. 3, and JD Struxness is No. 4.
If the NFR were nine rounds, we’d have split World Champions in the team roping for the first time since 2019 thanks to Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin’s 3.8-second run to win Round 9.
As it stands right now, Proctor would win the World Champion on the head side and Wesley Thorp would repeat as the World Champion heeler. Medlin is the second-ranked heeler by about $3,000 and Thorp’s partner Tyler Wade is projected to finish as the No. 2 header.
In saddle bronc riding, Lefty Holman got his first Go-Round win of the NFR with 88.5 points on Tickled Pink, while Ryder Wright placed third and moved up in the NFR Average thanks to Kade Bruno buckoff to take a slight edge over Wyatt Casper into Round 10 in the Projected World Standings.
Joel Harris continued to have an impressive NFR tie-down roping debut as he turned in a 7.2 to win Round 9, but the bigger story was Shad Mayfield needing a second rope on Friday night. With his 14.9-second run, he dropped three spots in the NFR Average, making it very difficult to catch Riley Webb.
Webb, who was 8.4 and one spot out of the money in Round 9, is now in a position where a qualified time in Round 10 will deliver him back-to-back World Titles.
Of all the events, barrel racing took the most dramatic turn on Freaky Friday. After winning five rounds in a row to take firm control of the Gold Buckle race, Kassie Mowry downed a barrel in Round 9 and left the door open for Hailey Kinsel. And her and Sister sprinted through it.
Kinsel won her fourth Go-Round of the 2024 NFR by clocking a 13.48 and has now set up a situation where whomever has the fastest time between her and Mowry Saturday night wins the World Title.
Veteran Tyler Bingham won more than $37,000 for his 88.5-point ride on Hell Yeah Roscoe to win Round 9. At the top of the leaderboard, Cooper James bucked off, which made it impossible for him to catch Josh Frost. It will be a coronation for Frost on Saturday night. He is your 2024 PRCA Bull Riding World Champion.
BAREBACK RIDING
Round 9: 1. Jess Pope on Resistol’s Secrets Out, 89.5 points, $33,687; 2. Cole Reiner, 86.5, $26,624; 3. (tie) Richmond Champion, Bradlee Miller and Rocker Steiner, 86, $14,308 each; 6. Dean Thompson, 85.5, $5,433; 7. (tie) Cole Franks and Keenan Hayes, 84.5 each; 9. (tie) Leighton Berry, R.C. Landingham and Jacob Lees, 83.5 each; 12. Weston Timberman, 82.5; 13. Garrett Shadbolt, 81.5; 14. Cooper Cooke, 77; 15. Taylor Broussard, NS.
World Standings: 1. Rocker Steiner, $379,879; 2. Bradlee Miller, $350,213; 3. Keenan Hayes, $303,068; 4. Dean Thompson, $299,106; 5. Jess Pope, $275,050; 6. Weston Timberman, $237,451; 7. Cole Franks, $223,089; 8. Leighton Berry, $215,012; 9. R.C. Landingham, $209,040; 10. Cole Reiner, $185,524; 11. Jacob Lees, $178,518; 12. Cooper Cooke, $177,502; 13. Richmond Champion, $167,400; 14. Taylor Broussard, $158,335; 15. Garrett Shadbolt, $147,096.
STEER WRESTLING
Round 9: 1. Tyler Waguespack, 3.5 seconds, $33,687; 2. (tie) Dakota Eldridge and J.D. Struxness, 4.0, $23,364 each; 4. Rowdy Parrott, 4.1, $14,127; 5. Jesse Brown, 4.2, $8,693; 6. Stetson Jorgensen, 4.3, $5,433; 7. Will Lummus, 4.6; 8. Dalton Massey, 4.7; 9. Tucker Allen, 5.0; 10. (tie) Don Payne and Cash Robb, 5.2 each; 12. Justin Shaffer, 5.5; 13. Scott Guenthner, 16.1; 14. Ty Erickson and Tyler Pearson, NT.
World Standings: 1. Dakota Eldridge, $287,798; 2. J.D. Struxness, $274,446; 3. Will Lummus, $237,622; 4. Jesse Brown, $224,865; 5. Dalton Massey, $217,956; 6. Rowdy Parrott, $216,956; 7. Cash Robb, $201,152; 8. Scott Guenthner, $198,787; 9. Stetson Jorgensen, $198,526; 10. Ty Erickson, $172,141; 11. Tyler Waguespack, $167,585; 12. Don Payne, $159,279; 13. Justin Shaffer, $157,365; 14. Tucker Allen, $144,368; 15. Tyler Pearson, $130,112.
TEAM ROPING
World Standings (Headers): 1. Tyler Wade, $334,856; 2. Coleman Proctor, $296,736; 3. Kaleb Driggers, $280,000; 4. Dustin Egusquiza, $278,925; 5. Clint Summers, $241,982; 6. Andrew Ward, $224,822; 7. Brenten Hall, $221,511; 8. J.C. Yeahquo, $214,808; 9. Cody Snow, $194,065; 10. Erich Rogers, $167,757; 11. Clay Smith, $159,487; 12. Jake Smith, $144,800; 13. Derrick Begay, $143,322; 14. Cyle Denison, $138,372; 15. Luke Brown, $134,482.
World Standings (Heelers): 1. Wesley Thorp, $334,856; 2. Junior Nogueira, $291,126; 3. Logan Medlin, $283,502; 4. Levi Lord, $278,925; 5. Jake Long, $245,420; 6. Kaden Profili, $222,684; 7. Kollin VonAhn, $213,624; 8. Buddy Hawkins II, $203,302; 9. Hunter Koch, $196,076; 10. Coleby Payne, $168,601; 11. Paul Eaves, $168,356; 12. Jonathan Torres, $155,959; 13. Tanner Braden, $154,519; 14. Douglas Rich, $144,800; 15. Travis Graves, $129,106.
SADDLE BRONC RIDING
Round 9: 1. Lefty Holman on Tickled Pink, 88.5 points, $33,687; 2. (tie) Statler Wright and Ryder Wright, 86, $23,364 each; 4. Damian Brennan, 84, $14,127; 5. Dawson Hay, 83.5, $8,693; 6. Ben Andersen, 83, $5,433; 7. Wyatt Casper, 80.5; 8. Zeke Thurston, 80; 9. Brody Wells, 79; 10. (tie) Sage Newman and Kolby Wanchuk, 76.5 each; 12. Zachary Dallas, 74.5; 13. Brody Cress, 68.5; 14. Kade Bruno and Logan Hay, NS.
World Standings: 1. Ryder Wright, $435,132; 2. Damian Brennan, $360,941; 3. Wyatt Casper, $352,941; 4. Brody Cress, $325,774; 5. Zeke Thurston, $320,002; 6. Lefty Holman, $281,578; 7. Statler Wright, $274,286; 8. Kade Bruno, $255,959; 9. Dawson Hay, $248,596; 10. Brody Wells, $229,206; 11. Sage Newman, $218,406; 12. Kolby Wanchuk, $171,386; 13. Zachary Dallas, $146,220; 14. Logan Hay, $144,041; 15. Ben Andersen, $142,718.
TIE-DOWN ROPING
Round 9: 1. Joel Harris, 7.2 seconds, $33,687; 2. (tie) Tuf Cooper, Ty Harris and Quade Hiatt, 7.5, $20,285 each; 5. Haven Meged, 7.6, $8,693; 6. Zack Jongbloed, 8.2, $5,433; 7. Riley Mason Webb, 8.4; 8. Hunter Herrin, 8.8; 9. Shane Hanchey, 9.0; 10. Dylan Hancock, 9.6; 11. Kincade Henry, 11.2; 12. Shad Mayfield, 14.9; 13. John Douch, 18.3; 14. Cole Clemons and Marty Yates, NT.
World Standings: 1. Riley Mason Webb, $380,129; 2. Shad Mayfield, $356,658; 3. Haven Meged, $332,370; 4. Ty Harris, $327,427; 5. Joel Harris, $255,039; 6. Shane Hanchey, $218,647; 7. Dylan Hancock, $213,086; 8. Tuf Cooper, $208,803; 9. Zack Jongbloed, $208,495; 10. Marty Yates, $207,434; 11. John Douch, $191,341; 12. Kincade Henry, $174,322; 13. Quade Hiatt, $166,496; 14. Hunter Herrin, $162,796; 15. Cole Clemons, $122,111.
BARREL RACING
Ninth round: 1. Hailey Kinsel, 13.48 seconds, $33,687; 2. (tie) Carlee Otero and Leslie Smalygo, 13.56, $23,364 each; 4. Andrea Busby, 13.58, $14,127; 5. Ashley Castleberry, 13.63, $8,693; 6. (tie) Emily Beisel and Shelley Morgan, 13.67, $2,717 each; 8. Tiany Schuster, 13.71; 9. Halyn Lide, 13.73; 10. Lisa Lockhart, 13.78; 11. Kassie Mowry, 18.35; 12. Wenda Johnson, 18.72; 13. LaTricia Duke, 18.77; 14. Abby Phillips, 18.83; 15. Dona Rule, NT.
BULL RIDING
Round 9: 1. Tyler Bingham on Hell Yeah Roscoe, 88.5 points, $37,219; 2. Trevor Reiste, 87.5, $30,155; 3. Wacey Schalla, 83.5, $23,635; 4. TJ Gray, 81.5, $17,659; 5. Dustin Boquet, Chase Dougherty, Josh Frost, Tristen Hutchings, Cooper James, Trey Kimzey, Jeter Lawrence, Clayton Sellars, Jordan Spears, Jace Trosclair, Hayes Weight and Creek Young, NS.
World Standings: 1. Josh Frost, $390,496; 2. TJ Gray, $329,191; 3. Cooper James, $301,211; 4. Jace Trosclair, $285,993; 5. Hayes Weight, $283,242; 6. Tristen Hutchings, $268,314; 7. Wacey Schalla, $257,887; 8. Jeter Lawrence, $256,341; 9. Clayton Sellars, $252,140; 10. Tyler Bingham, $215,487; 11. Trey Kimzey, $210,991; 12. Trevor Reiste, $207,889; 13. Chase Dougherty, $196,204; 14. Jordan Spears, $194,331; 15. Creek Young, $131,609.
