JULY 21, 2025: COWBOYS TO WATCH

Rough Stock Events – Bareback, Saddle Bronc and Bull Riding

We think today’s bareback riding is worth the price of a ticket! And the competition could be a game changer for a number of those contestants. The 2014 – 2016 Cheyenne Frontier Days champions are all on the roster.

Richmond Champion won the title here in 2014, the first year that he qualified for one of nine Wrangler National Finals Rodeos (NFR). Champion is 25th in the world standings and needs to get some big checks to make his 10th trip to compete at rodeo’s championships in Las Vegas next December.

Tanner Aus won this rodeo in 2015 and Orin Larsen in 2016. Aus is 16th in the world while Larsen is currently 28th. Then there are newcomers Waylon Bourgeois and Nick Pelke, who are inside the top 15 and looking for their first NFR qualification. Throw in Tucker Carricato, who won two National High School Rodeo Finals titles representing the Cowboy State and his traveling partner, Roedy Farrell. Eyes will also be on Wacey Schalla as he competes in bareback riding and bull riding looking for that all-around champion saddle and trophy package awarded here. Any of the other bareback riders have an opportunity to win, and they are likely to be some upsets in this event today.

Last year’s CFD bull riding champion T.J. Gray is fifth in the world standings, and the smiling Oregonian would like to be the first competitor to win back-to-back titles in this decade. Gray finished ahead of Wacey Schalla, who will do everything in his power to be at the top of the leaderboard. The success that these two men had in Frontier Park last year helped them qualify for their first NFR. Wacey is also coming off of a big win at the Calgary Stampede and leads the world standings.

The first time Ky Hamilton came to the U.S., he was in junior high and had qualified for the finals. Since then, he has competed successfully at every level and earned the buckle in Frontier Park in 2021. A year later he won the world championship. Ky is sixth in the world standings and very likely headed to his fifth NFR.

There are two Wrights in today’s field of saddle bronc riding, Statler, the youngest of Cody’s boys and Ryder and Stetson’s brother, and Spencer Wright who is an uncle. Spencer was the best saddle bronc rider in the world in 2014 and would like nothing more than to beat his nephews in Frontier Park. There is a slew of NFR qualifiers in the mix, and this is another event that will be worth watching.

Timed Events – Steer Wrestling, Team, Tie-Down, Breakaway Roping and Barrel Racing

The headers and heelers are going to be slinging their ropes today, and times should be fast with this field. The past two years, Tyler Wade and Wesley Thorp have finished their seasons at the top. Tyler also has a championship here. He won here in 2016 heading for Dakota Kirchenschleger. Wesley has three gold buckles in the heeling and two of those were won with Tyler.

There is another world champion earning team here today in Aaron Tsinigine and Jeremy Buhler. Tsinigine of the Navajo Nation won the heading in 2015. Buhler was part of the first team roping world champions representing Canada in 2019. And we can never count out header Luke Brown, who has been to the NFR 15 times and won this rodeo in 2015. Luke is roping with Trey Yates, the 2019 heeling champion here. Trey has been to the NFR three times.

It doesn’t matter how many world titles you have or other rodeos that you have won, the steers don’t care about a cowboy’s resume. If they did, they would all pack their bags and leave if they saw Tyler Waguespack coming. Tyler has qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo ten times and left with the gold buckle that says you are the world champion half of those. But he has never won this rodeo. He was out a good part of 2024 with a torn bicep tendon. He had a season-ending surge that saw him back in Las Vegas last December where he finished 14th. He is completely back to form and hoping to add a CFD title to his rodeo resume.

Andrea Busby checked a big item off of her bucket list in 2022 when she earned the championship here. It’s always a goal for anyone who enters, but for Andrea, who grew up on a Wyoming ranch, it was very special. Even though she lives in Texas now, Wyoming is in her blood. Cheyenne Frontier Days might be in Jordon Briggs’ blood. Her mother Kristie Peterson won this rodeo four times and three consecutive from 1996 – 1999 with Jordon watching. Last year, Jordon was on stage as the barrel racing champion, and it was a full circle moment.

Katie Jolly tied for first in the Qualifying round in the breakaway with a 4.2 to already earn $4,142 here. The ranch-raised cowgirl knows how to rope and ride and is hoping to put it all together here again today. Over 20 years ago, the dynamic team roping duo of Speed Williams and Rich Skelton won the title here. Now, their children are competing, and it’s no surprise to anyone that Speed’s daughter Hali Williams is making her own name in the arena. Hali will also be one to watch in the breakaway roping today. Jordan Hollabaugh was the very first breakaway champion crowned in this arena. Her name was Fabrizio at the time, and she was wearing her future husband, Raymond Haollabaugh’s Cheyenne Frontier Days tie-down roping buckle. Now she is one of six women to have earned one.