BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
There is now almost $25,000 between World No. 1 Dustin Egusquiza and No. 2 Kaleb Driggers, the widest the gap has been between the two all summer.
Meanwhile, on the bubble, cowboys ranked No. 12-18 in the World Standings have combined for 48 NFRs.
1. Dustin Egusquiza, $187,772
Boosted by more than $12,000 for his win Pendleton, Egusquiza has lengthened his lead on Kaleb Driggers and the rest of the field. Earlier in September, he also won more than $3,000 at the Cinch Playoffs in Puyallup and the Lewiston Roundup (Idaho).
2. Kaleb Driggers, $163,953
The 11-time NFR qualifier has not won a check in the last four rodeos after placing in the Average in both Ellensburg and Walla Walla (Washington) to win $7,080 over Labor Day Weekend.
3. Tyler Wade, $146,500
The reigning World Champion has won $4,257 in September between Ellensburg and the West Texas Fair and Rodeo, where he and Wesley Thorp took second.
4. Coleman Proctor, $144,978
Proctor is well on his way to his fourth straight NFR and ninth overall and recently jumped from No. 8 to No. 4 in the World as he has won almost $40,000 in September thanks to a win at the Cinch Playoffs in Puyallup and a fourth place finish in Pendleton. He roped with Junior Nogueira, Kaleb Driggers’ usual partner, in Pendleton.
5. J.C. Yeahquo, $123,551
Yeahquo has won just $986 since Aug. 11 and has moved down two spots in the World Standings since then.
6. Clint Summers, $120,646
Summers earned solid paydays at the last two marquee rodeos by banking $3,576 in Pendleton and $4,951 in Puyallup. He is coming off of a 2023 season in which he finished second in the World and won four Go-Rounds at the NFR.
7. Brenten Hall, $119,678
Hall started the month of September off with the best possible a result, a win in Ellensburg. The next weekend, he and partner Kade Profili made a 3.7-second run to win Lewiston as well. He was No. 10 in the World to beging the month and has likely locked in his fourth career NFR appearance.
8. Jake Smith, $116,588
Over the second weekend of the month, Smith won $2,794 in Puyallup and $3,017 in Lewiston, where he and Douglas Rich made a 3.8-second run. Smith has finished Top 40 in the PRCA World Standings five times, but this will be the 31-year-old’s first NFR.
9. Luke Brown, $108,427
Brown has moved up nine spots in the last months to almost certainly make it 15 career NFRs. He has been propelled recently by $10,500 in Pendleton and $7,800 in Puyallup.
10. Andrew Ward, $107,208
Ward has been to three rodeos since winning more than $1,400 across three rodeos in the first weekend of September. He is hoping for a fifth stragith NFR berth.
11. Cody Snow, $105,048
A $7,500 haul at Pendleton boosted the seven-time NFR qualifier up three spots over the weekend. He and Hunter Koch also posted a 3.8 to finish second in Lewiston and took third at Lake County with a 4.4 earlier in September.
12. Derrick Begay, $104,389
Begay is coming off a weekend where he took second at the New Mexico State Fair and Rodeo and sixth at the Othello PRCA Rodeo (Washington) to add about $5,000 to his season earnings. He and partner Colter Todd are the reigning NFR Average Champions.
13. Erich Rogers, $104,132
Rogers had a good weekend by winning the West Texas Fair and Rodeo with a time of 9.4 seconds on two. That paid him $4,768 and also won $1,400 at the New Mexico State Fair and Rodeo. He and Paul Eaves also won the Lake County Round-Up on Sept. 2.
14. Clay Smith, $98,558
Smith is on the bubble looking for his 10th straight NFR and helped his case by finishing third at the Lion’s Dixie Roundup (Utah) and winning a round in Puyallup.
15. Riley Minor, $98,420
Minor is another veteran on the bubble and he is trying for a 12th NFR. He was aided to start September by a fourth place finish in Ellensburg that came with a $6,500 payday.
16. JR. Dees, $97,838
Dees won just over $6,500 in the first week of September, but has not made a trip to the pay window since.
17. Tanner Tomlinson, $96,940
Tomlinson won about $4,700, but has added just $566 since. He is still less than $2,000 away from a third straight NFR.
18. Nelson Wyatt, $93,775
Wyatt earned $2,800 in Puyallup by placing in two rounds, his only earnings since August 25.
19. Wyatt Bray, $92,652
Bray moved up from No. 22 entering Pendlton after he and his brother Paden finished second in the Finals and the Average to bring home more than $10,000. They also made the Finals in Puyallup and won the Tri-State Rodeo earlier in the month.
20. Jake Clay, $90,651
Clay used last weeend to win the Othella PRCA Rodeo and also finish second in Round 1 in Pendleton to move up one spot in the World Standings.
