July 17-26, 2026
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July 17-26, 2026
Rough Stock Events – Bareback, Saddle Bronc and Bull Riding
Saddle bronc riding fans have been on the edge of their seats through all of Cheyenne Frontier Days and are in for a treat again today. The youngest boys in Cody Wright’s family, Stetson and Statler are both in the mix. Stetson needs to do well here to move inside the top 15 in the world standings.
Stetson is currently 15th in the world and Statler is 10th. Stetson needs to earn money to qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in both of his events, saddle bronc riding and bull riding. Statler wants to be the second member of his family to earn a title at Frontier Park. Stetson was the all-around champion here in 2019, 2021 and 2023, the bull riding champ in 2019 and 2023 and saddle bronc in 2021 and 2022.
Brody Cress is also on a mission. The local favorite is hoping to become the first man in the history of events here to win four saddle bronc riding titles. The rodeo officially began in 1897, and saddle bronc riding was one of the first rodeo competitions held. Cress grew up right here in Laramie County and for him to win four titles would be amazing. He will need to be among the top six finishers today. Also watch for Ian McGivney from Kaycee who went to college in Cheyenne and Brody Wells from Powell who competed at his first NFR last December.
There are two former CFD champs in the bareback riding, Richmond Champion who won it in 2014 and Clay Jorgensen, the champion last year. They are going up against the world standings leader, Rocker Steiner and last year’s world champion, Dean Thompson.
Ernie Courson is always a crowd favorite in the bull riding. When he has a good ride, he will find a spot on the fence, climb up and do a back flip in the arena. He got to do that twice here, once during the rodeo and once during the Xtreme Bulls competition. Courson has been close to qualifying for the NFR, but injuries have kept him outside the top 15. A win here at Cheyenne could be life-changing for him. He is inside the top 50 and could move up significantly. Courson travels across the country with his family and has sons who want to follow in his footsteps.
No one wants to win a bull riding championship here any more than Trey Kimzey. His older brother, Sage, competed here for years and even though he won seven gold buckles for being the best, Sage never got to be on stage here. Clayton Sellars is also waiting for his first win here. He is 13th in the world standings and needs to stay among the top 15 to qualify for his fifth NFR. Sellars is bicoastal with a place in Florida and California. His wife, Billie, is saddle bronc rider Lefty Holman’s sister, and they have a baby boy named Pancho.
Timed Events – Steer Wrestling, Team, Tie-Down, Breakaway Roping and Barrel Racing
Breakaway roping might be the toughest timed event of Semi Final 2. World number 1 Taylor Munsell who has qualified for every National Finals Breakaway Roping (NFBR) since 2021 leads the field along with four-time and reigning world champion Kelsie Domer. Danielle Lowman, a proud member of the Navajo Nation who attended Dine College, has made three trips to the NFBR and five to the Indian National Finals Rodeo. She recently joined the PRCA so that she can compete in team roping in her circuit, an event she started competing in at age 10.
Also roping today are Maddy Deerman who is fifth in the standings, former high school champion Quincy Sullivan and three others ranked in the top 35. Sierra Spratt may live in Arizona now, but she is a Wyoming girl who grew up in Shoshone.
The tie-down roping features 2022 CFD co-champion Cory Solomon, an NFR veteran, and former world champion Tyson Durfey who is back in championship form after a short retirement. Recent high school graduate Kyan Wilhite was the National High School Champion last year.
Eli Lord won the CFD steer wrestling title in 2019 and proved that was no fluke by winning it again in 2023. Today’s roster also includes 2022 World Champion Jacob Edler and NFR veterans Tristan Martin and Riley Duvall. Duvall and his 20-year-old cousin Nathan, who both are competing today, are part of a steer wrestling dynasty that started in the 1960s with Riley’s grandfather Bill and his world champion great-uncle Roy. Roy who was CFD champion in 1967 with Bill as hazer.
Team roping will feature four former CFD champions, none of whom are roping with the same partner that they won with here before. The 2015 CFD champ Luke Brown is heading for 2019 CFD winner Trey Yates. 2018 champion heeler Joseph Harrison has teamed with fellow Oklahoman Bubba Buckaloo while 2023 champion header Billy Bob Brown is roping with fellow Texan Blaine Vick. Also in the field is Jeremy Buhler who was the first Canadian heeler to qualify for the NFR and the first to win a world championship. Buhler is roping with Aaron Tsinigine who was the first Navajo to earn a heading world title.
The barrel racing features three former CFD champions. Three-time world champion Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi won the title here in 2007, the year she won her first world championship. Lisa Lockhart, who has more career earnings in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association than any other barrel racer, took home the championship package in 2015, and Shali Lord was co-champion with Nellie Miller during the infamous hailstorm on Championship Sunday in 2019. Tonozzi is second in the 2025 standings and Lockhart is 15th.
Emilee Pauley of Wall, South Dakota, is hoping the family success at the “Daddy of ‘em All” extends to barrel racing. Her father, Bud Pauley, won the saddle bronc riding at CFD in 1985 and her brother, Jesse Bail, won that event in 2011 in Frontier Park.
Rough Stock Events – Bareback, Saddle Bronc and Bull Riding
The field is as stacked in bareback riding as in any event. A couple of former CFD champions, Orin Larsen (2016) and Kade Sonnier (2023) and former world champion Jess Pope lead a group that includes five of the top 15.
Wacey Schalla’s bid for the 2025 All-Around World Championship could get a big boost if he does well in the bareback riding. The number 1 bull rider in the world standings did not qualify for the semifinals in that event, but he’s second in the all-around and 22nd in the bareback riding.
A pair of Wyoming bareback riders – Tuker Carricato of Saratoga and Myles Carlson of Evanston – should have the crowd’s full support today. Carricato is a two-time national champion at the high school level and is excited to be riding here with guys that he has looked up to.
Ryder Sanford holds the CFD record in saddle bronc riding, set when he won the championship here in 2023. He’d love to repeat, but to get to Championship Sunday he’ll need to do well in a field that includes four-time world champion Zeke Thurston and the 2nd, 3rd and 4th ranked bronc riders in the world standings – Canadian Dawson Hay (whose dad Rod won the title here over 25 years ago), Australian Damian Brennan and Idaho’s Kade Bruno – plus three other Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) qualifiers.
The bull riding roster includes two cowboys who did not make the initial cut for CFD and were walk-up replacements at the last minute. Louisiana’s Walon Buquoi and Texan Tyce Willis both capitalized on the opportunity in the Quarter Finals and, with continued success, have a good chance to make the finals.
Tristen Hutchings has finished among the top 5 in the world for the past two seasons and is currently ranked third in the world bull riding standings.
Hayden Welsh of Gillette has already become a crowd favorite at Frontier Park this year and is hoping to follow in his dad Bobby’s footsteps. (Bobby Welsh qualified for the NFR seven times.) The Cheyenne championship never happened for Bobby, so for a Welsh to win it would be gratifying for the whole family. Thayne Elshere of Hereford, S.D., was also inspired by his family. His father JJ Elshere rode saddle broncs at the NFR many times and his cousin Cole Elshere had success in both saddle bronc and bull riding. Don’t count out Hayes Weight who finished second in the world last season.
Timed Events – Steer Wrestling, Team, Tie-Down, Breakaway Roping and Barrel Racing
The tie-down roping features reigning CFD and world all-around champion Shad Mayfield who could make history as the first roper to win back-to-back championships in Frontier Park. Aiming to spoil that is a field of top ropers, including two-time world champion Riley Webb and 2004 world champion Monty Lewis. Also among today’s ropers are three others in the top 15 – John Douch, Kyle Lucas and Riley Pruitt. All three of them have champion mentors – five-time world champion Joe Beaver, seven-time NFR qualifier and 1985 CFD champion Joe Lucas, and 1990 world champion Troy Pruitt, respectively.
New Mexico’s Rooster Yazzie has a chance at the CFD all-around, steer wrestling and team roping titles. He has already won money in both events, is in the steer wrestling today, and will rope tomorrow. Paul Melvin’s father Marty Melvin was all-around champion at CFD in 1983, and Paul would love to bring home a second title for the family from Frontier Park. Cash Robb, 22, already has one NFR under his belt, and he won the coveted average title in Las Vegas last year. Kyle Irwin has been to six NFRs and won the average there in 2022.
A pair of Oklahomans, Mason Appleton and Rance Doyal, set a new PRCA record in team roping of 3.2 seconds at Nampa, Idaho, last month. Although the start of the cattle are given here means times are much longer, they are capable of winning under any circumstance. Reigning world champions Tyler Wade and Wesley Thorp are among today’s teams. Wade won the title here in 2016 with Dakota Kirchenschlager. Nelson Wyatt and Jonathan Torres, a pair of NFR veterans, were featured on ESPN’s SportsCenter last night when the iconic news show broadcast live from CFD.
Four-time World Champion Hailey Kinsel headlines a stellar field of barrel racers. She won the CFD championship in 2021. Also competing today is Sue Smith of Blackfoot, Idaho, who won CFD in 2023 and holds the arena record at 16.89. South Dakota’s Summer Kosel and her horse Apollo tied the fastest time of this year’s rodeo yesterday with a 17.00. They set the arena record here in 2022 and broke their own record in 2023 which held for two runs until Smith broke it.
Anita Ellis, also of Blackfoot, Idaho, may be the hottest barrel racer in the world right now. She rocketed from 32nd in the standings to 5th on the strength of winning everything she could, including the championship at the Calgary Stampede early this month.
Jordan Jo Hollabaugh won the inaugural breakaway roping at CFD as Jordan Jo Fabrizio. Since then, she has married former CFD tie-down champion Raymond Hollabaugh and is known for her breakaway roping podcast “In the Loop.” Hope Thompson qualified for the National Finals Breakaway Roping in 2020 and wants to be back there this year. A win here could boost her chances of returning to breakaway’s world championship. Oklahoma college cowgirl Hannah Giger has already won more than $7,800 at Frontier Park this year. She won one pool of the qualifying round with a time of 3.5 seconds then won her quarterfinals with a 4.6.
Rough Stock Events – Bareback, Saddle Bronc and Bull Riding
We expect the saddle bronc riding to be very exciting today. It’s hard to imagine that Zeke Thurston has never been interviewed as the champion here in that event. He has won four world titles and earlier this month won the Calgary Stampede for the fourth time. He is currently fifth in the world standings. He is nearly assured an 11th trip to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR), and he would like to go to Las Vegas in December with the Cheyenne title on his rodeo resume. His father, Skeeter Thurston, won the Rookie Bronc Riding here in 1982.
Fellow Canadian, Dawson Hay is currently 2nd in the world standings and like Zeke, has never won a title here. Dawson’s father, Rod Hay, won the saddle bronc riding in 2000, and Dawson would love to add his name to the champions list at Frontier Park. The third Canadian in this set is another NFR qualifier, Kolby Wanchuck who is 13th in the world standings.
The final Wright to make an appearance in the saddle bronc riding is the oldest of Cody’s boys, Rusty Wright. He has struggled with injuries and hasn’t qualified for the NFR since 2020. He is currently 21st in the world standings and is hoping to move into the top 15 and ride against his three brothers in Las Vegas. Any money he wins here will help him achieve that goal.
Tim O’Connell knows exactly how hard it is to win a championship in this arena. He’s done that three times, in 2017, 2021 and 2022. The three-time world champion has struggled with injuries and is currently unranked in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world standings. A win here could change that and set him up for success in 2026.
Jacek Frost just won the NFR open in Colorado Springs’ Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo, the first national title of his career. The first year that Jacek competed here, he was also competing at the National High School Finals Rodeo in 2022. He has momentum on his side now and will be ready to show the fans here his winning ways.
They rode eight bulls yesterday, and the best six punched their tickets to the Semi-Finals. The remainder are trying to add their names to that list today, including Ruger Piva who was the champion here in 2018.
Timed Events – Steer Wrestling, Team, Tie-Down, Breakaway Roping and Barrel Racing
We have seen fast breakaway roping at Frontier Park already this year, and today’s field promises to add to that. National Finals Rodeo barrel racer Kassidy Dennison won the breakaway roping at the National High School Finals Rodeo in 2010 before she started running barrels in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association. Dennison advanced out of the Qualifier and is one of three women from the Navajo Nation in today’s field. That list also includes National Finals Breakaway Roping qualifier Danielle Lowman and Bailey Bates.
Suzanne Williams was raised on ranches in Nevada, was twice the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association women’s all-around champion, and now is a rodeo coach at Lassen College in Susanville, California. She is the youngest of six children and the only girl in her family, so growing up, she did everything she could to keep up with her brothers. That serves her well in the rodeo arena and in raising a family.
Since Shad Mayfield won the tie-down roping at Frontier Park last year, he went on to earn the most prestigious title in all of rodeo – world champion all-around cowboy. That was his second gold buckle. He also won the tie-down roping in 2020. He won the Calgary Stampede and is at the top of the world standings. His goal is to get back to the NFR in Las Vegas, have a big lead and a good showing and let the competition and his fans know just how badly he wants to win.
Riley Pruitt hasn’t been to the NFR since 2019 and is ready to get back and compete in the tie-down roping for the third time. Riley won the Qualifier here and has already added $5,315 to his checking account. He is currently 7th in the world standings after winning the NFR Open, and we look for him to be fast today.
Veteran team roping header Clay Smith has a new heeler that is quickly gaining a reputation as a demon in the roping pen. Smith is roping with Nicky Northcott, the son of world champion heeler Steve Northcott. Smith won the title here in 2021 roping with Jade Corkill. Nicky can’t wait to add his name to champion lists across the country.
Levi Rudd won the steer wrestling here in 2018 when it was a muddy mess, and it didn’t bother him a bit. He’s hoping to get a good steer today and have a repeat. Levi is currently 35th in the world, and he won’t let last night’s rain stop him from doing his job if we base that on past experience.
Summer Kosel loves Cheyenne Frontier Days and so does her horse Apollo. They set the arena record here twice before Sue Smith’s run in 2023. And while she has had a lot of success in Frontier Park, she has yet to make the victory lap as the champion. Neither has reigning world champion Kassie Mowry or the sensational Anita Ellis who won the Calgary Stampede. And we can’t count out Leslie Smalygo who made a big impression here in 2022, dyed her hair and ran like her hair was on fire. Barrel racing is going to be worth watching for sure.
Rough Stock Events – Bareback, Saddle Bronc and Bull Riding
We expect another great day of bareback riding this afternoon. While we have a star-studded lineup, the only former CFD champion on the roster is Clayton Biglow, who won the title in 2019 and went on to win his first gold buckle that year. He also tied for the championship here in 2023. A lot happened between those two titles: Clayton got married, became a dad and is carrying on the tradition of raising the next generation of cowboys.
The next generation of bareback riders is all looking for successful rides today. Weston Timberman, who won the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) in 2023 and 2024 and qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo last year as well as the reigning college champion Cooper Filipek are in the mix. Filipek won that title in June representing Wyoming’s Gillette College.
Also riding today are the 2022 world champion Jess Pope and NFR qualifier Garrett Shadbolt. Jess is currently sixth in the world standings. Garrett has a bit of an advantage at third place and took some time off to be at home when his wife, Katie, gave birth to their fourth child and third girl, Prairie Ann.
Ruger Piva’s favorite rodeo is Cheyenne Frontier Days because it is the first big rodeo where the bull rider got a big check. He joined the PRCA in 2016 and won the bull riding here two years later. He won the title at Wyoming’s Cody Stampede, and if he were to win another title in the Cowboy State, he might just look for some property to invest in. There are several newcomers on the list who are hoping for those big checks that jump start a career.
The saddle bronc riding is stacked with talent with six NFR qualifiers, some contenders and a former world champion and CFD champ. Jacobs Crawley won the title here in 2016 and earned his first world championship the same year. Of the 12 competitors on today’s roster, six are among the top 15 in the world standings including Wyoming’s own Brody Wells who competed at his first NFR last December.
Timed Events – Steer Wrestling, Team, Tie-Down, Breakaway Roping and Barrel Racing
We have another all-around candidate competing in the steer wrestling and team roping today. Eli Lord competed in those two events on Tuesday and advanced in the steer wrestling. Today, Rooster Yazzie is among the steer wrestlers and then will do the heading for Shawn Murphy. He would love to represent the Navajo Nation on stage on Sunday as a champion here. Erich Rogers won the title here in 2017 heading for Cory Petska. This year he is roping with Kollin VonAhn who was the champion heeler here in 2015.
Jace Mayfield had success here a year ago and wants to build on that this year. Mayfield is the grandson of world champion Frank Shepperson and nephew of NFR qualifier Les Shepperson. He recently competed at the College National Finals Rodeo, competing for Central Wyoming College at Riverton, where he finished as the reserve champion all-around cowboy.
Tucker Allen qualified for his first NFR last December and is looking for his first steer wrestling gold buckle. Allen won RodeoHouston last March, moved to the top of the world standings with that and has remained in the top spot since then. Allen also does the hazing for other competitors. He is known for his horsemanship and cowboy try, two things that serve any competitor well here.
San Angelo, Texas, has become known as the tie-down roping capital of the world, and Dylan Hancock is solidifying the moniker. Dylan was one of three competitors from the town to compete at last year’s NFR. Hancock is on the roster today and hoping to take a title from the “Daddy of ‘em All” back home to celebrate his cowboy skills.
Sierra Spratt may list San Tan Valley, Arizona, as her home, but really the breakaway roper is a Wyoming Cowgirl. She grew up near Shoshoni, Wyoming, then attended Cal Poly State University and earned her master’s degree in communications. Along with competing at rodeos, she is also a broadcaster and television producer for Teton Ridge, owner of the Cowboy Channel.
Hope Thompson didn’t grow up in a rodeo family but has been making a living with a rope through breakaway competitions and clinics. She qualified for the National Finals Breakaway Roping in 2020. She is just outside the top 50 in the world standings, and a win here could change her whole season.
Today’s barrel race has two major family connections. Taylor Baize, a rising star, is competing in the same arena her father won the bull riding title over 20 years ago. Casey Baize won that title in 2003.
Kelly Yates watched her brother J.D. Yates win the steer roping here in 1994, then the all-around awards in 2016. Three years later, her nephew, Trey Yates, J.D.’s son, won the team roping with Dustin Bird. Kelly would love to add her own name to the list of Cheyenne’s champions and continue the Yates legacy in Frontier Park.
Rough Stock Events – Bareback, Saddle Bronc and Bull Riding
If yesterday’s bull riding was any indication of what is in store for today, look out. We had 18 contestants and 12 of them got scores. The six high scores advance to the Semi Finals, and the rest of the field is trying to score high enough today to secure their spots. Hayes Weight, the number four man in the PRCA’s world standings, was at the top of the board with an 87. Last year’s bull riding champion here, TJ Gray, had an 82 yesterday and that was not high enough to advance. He is hoping to be among the top six today.
These bull riders are all pulling double duty as they are competing in Cheyenne Frontier Days’ first-ever Xtreme Bulls Monday and Tuesday night. Someone could go down in history as champion at both events.
In 2023, there was a three-way tie for the bareback riding champion, and fans got to see Kade Sonnier, Cole Reiner and Clayton Biglow share the stage. Today, Kade and Cole are both in the field. The win at Frontier Park helped all three of these men qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo that year. It would certainly help them in their quest to be in Las Vegas in December again this year. Kade is 12th in the world standings and Cole is 24th. Winning at Frontier Park was especially gratifying for Cole who is a native Wyoming cowboy.
That was also the year that Ryder Sanford set a new saddle bronc riding record at Frontier Park with a 92.5-point ride. That score got him the championship saddle and winner’s package and helped him qualify for his first NFR. Sanford will be here today hoping for a repeat, but he has a bunch of Canadians who also want to be at the top of the leaderboard. Of the 12 riders here today, seven are neighbors from north of the border. That list includes several NFR qualifiers and one Canadian with Wyoming ties. James Perrin, from Maple Creek, Saskatchewan, won the saddle bronc riding at the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) representing Casper College.
The 2024 CNFR champion Gus Gaillard is 16th in the saddle bronc riding world standings. A year ago, Gaillard was competing for Tarleton State University. Now, he’s hoping to do well enough to advance to the Semi Finals here, earn a big check and move inside the top 15 in the world standings. If that happens, he will be competing at his first NFR.
Timed Events – Steer Wrestling, Team, Tie-Down, Breakaway Roping and Barrel Racing
Nobody has had more success in this arena in team roping than heeler Jade Corkill. The event has been a regular part of the rodeo competition since 2001, and Corkill has earned titles here three times with three different headers. His first title here came in 2009 with Chad Masters. Then he won in 2013 with Clay Tryan and in 2021 with Clay Smith. This year he advanced out of the Qualifier with Clint Summers doing the heading. Jade took a break from rodeoing but is back big time. He and Clint recently won the Cody (Wyoming) Stampede and are currently ninth in the world standings.
Hayes Smith knows about winning in this arena and his memories are very fresh. He won the rodeo last year heading for Justin Davis. This year, Hayes has Jason Duby as his heeler. Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nunes Nogueira are always crowd favorites and that should be true in Cheyenne today. Kaleb and Junior have won two gold buckles together, and fans love it when this duo does their thing together. Junior is known to lay back on his horse when he ropes well, and he has never had the opportunity to do that in front of a crowd in Frontier Park.
Eli Lord knows how to win at Frontier Park, and he is looking good for an all-around title here this year. He won the steer wrestling in 2019 then came back and did it again in 2023. It was no fluke for the South Dakota talent. This year, he placed second in the steer wrestling Qualifier and has already earned over $4,000. Along with the steer wrestling, Lord is also heading in the team roping for Jason James today.
Anything can happen in the steer wrestling here and often does. A lot of first-time contestants are hoping to add their names to the Semi-Finals qualifiers, and several of them have the opportunity today, including, Cinch Painter, who competed at the CNFR in June and Traver Johnson, who is leading the Resistol Rookie of the Year standings.
Sue Smith won this rodeo two years ago and is back ready for another title. Currently 30th in the world standings, if she has another run here like she did in 2023, she could move up in the standings and have the opportunity to compete at the NFR in December. Smith is a cancer survivor who is known for her grittiness, work ethic and ability to uplift others. LaTricia Duke and Halyn Lide both qualified for the NFR last year and would like to be there again. LaTricia is 16th in the world standings. Halyn has more ground to make up at 41st.
Shelby Boisjoli-Meged made history in breakaway roping as the first winner at the Calgary Stampede. She is hoping to keep that momentum going and add a CFD title to her resume. She currently leads the world standings and is in contention for her second world title. She will be competing today with Wyoming cowgirl Haiden Thompson who has had a very successful college career. She tied for first place in the breakaway roping qualifier with a time of 4.2 seconds. Thompson’s younger sister Hadley just won the breakaway, goat tying and women’s all-around titles at the National High School Finals Rodeo.
Not only are contestants hoping to be among the top fifteen in the world standings that qualify for the NFR, but many of them are also trying to be inside the top 40 so they can compete at limited-entry building rodeos next winter. Having a good winter can jump start a contestant’s season and give them momentum before they ever get to Cheyenne to compete at the “Daddy of ’em All.”
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.
Rough Stock Events – Bareback, Saddle Bronc and Bull Riding
A year ago, bareback rider Clay Jorgensen had the biggest win of his career in Frontier Park. He rode Summit Rodeo’s horse Game Trail for 90 points to win the championship at the “Daddy of ‘em All.” Jorgensen earned $11,729 here and finished the season in 24th place, the highest of his career, which began in the PRCA in 2020.
The win here competing against the best in the business gave him both confidence and momentum. Clay is currently ranked 14th in the world standings, and if he is inside the top 15 at the end of September, he’ll be headed to his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR). Another big win here would certainly help him accomplish that.
There are seven spots in the Semi Finals left for this group of bull riders after five were successful on Saturday. Stetson Wright was so close, bucking off less than one-quarter second short of the required eight. Look for him to make up ground today. He is also competing in saddle bronc riding. Stetson is second in the world standings in bull riding and just outside the top 15 in saddle bronc. He has an opportunity to change that today and be back in Las Vegas at the NFR competing in two events and looking for his sixth all-around world championship.
En route to those titles, he has earned seven titles at Frontier Park. Two in each of his disciplines and three times as the all-around. He will join his older brother Ryder Wright today in the saddle bronc riding. Ryder is a reigning and four-time world champion. He’s watched his brother make the victory lap around this arena, but never had the opportunity to do it himself. He is hoping to change that this year and increase his lead in the world standings.
Along with cheering for Wyoming’s Brody Cress yesterday, fans made the most noise for bull rider Ernie Courson Jr., who won the day with an 88-point ride. After a successful ride, Ernie’s signature celebration includes a back flip off of the fence. Fans were waiting for that yesterday, and with any luck, will get to see it again today. Courson is matched up against Night Prowler, a young bull from Stace Smith Pro Rodeo that has yet to be ridden. Courson’s got momentum on his side, and we hope he gets to do another back flip today.
Timed Events – Steer Wrestling, Team, Tie-Down, Breakaway Roping and Barrel Racing
Shy-Ann Jarrett has been a support system for her husband Ryan Jarrett, the 2005 world champion all-around cowboy, for years. She has also competed but often stayed close to home to take care of animals and their daughter. This year she is venturing out a little more and has entered the breakaway roping and barrel racing when she can. One of those rodeos is right here.
Shy-Ann will compete in the breakaway roping today and is hoping to accomplish something that her husband never has – win a championship at Frontier Park. She nearly qualified for the Quarter Finals in the barrel racing as well, but a five-second penalty for a downed barrel cost her. If that wouldn’t have occurred, she would be in the Quarter Finals in both events and would be eligible for the all-around title.
Another all-around cowgirl from Wyoming is also in today’s breakaway roping. Willow Wilson from Baggs competed in the team roping with her husband TW. She had enough success in the Qualifier to make it back for today’s breakaway roping but won’t be after an all-around championship this year.
In June, Rylee George tied for the championship at the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, and now she wants to add another Wyoming title to her resume. Rylee is attending East Texas A&M University located at Commerce. She is a graduate student working towards her master’s degree in ag science. She qualified for the National Finals Breakaway Roping last year and is hoping to return to Las Vegas this December. A win here would certainly help. She is currently 14th in the world standings.
Joseph Harrison won this rodeo in the team roping in 2018 heeling for Chad Masters. This year he won the qualifier here with Bubba Buckaloo with a time of 5.6 seconds. That has added nearly $5,000 to their checking accounts already. Joseph spends most of his time training rope horses and competing with them at futurities. He is currently 38th in the world standings, so if he does well here, he might consider going to more rodeos hoping to qualify for his seventh NFR.
Shali Lord has always loved this rodeo. The Colorado ranch wife is used to wide-open spaces, and the barrel racing here is full of those in comparison with many other rodeo arenas. Lord tied for the title here in 2019 with world champion Nellie Miller. Winning is always a highlight, and Shali would love to add her name to the record books again.
Steer wrestling today is going to showcase the legacy that the Duvall family has in this arena as well as rodeo across the nation. Riley Duvall is the latest generation to make his mark. His great-uncle Roy Duvall won this rodeo in 1967. Roy’s brother Bill was Riley’s grandfather and probably hazed as many steers in Frontier Park as any other human. Bill hazed for Roy when Roy won here and in later years hazed for Riley’s father, Sam. Sadly, Bill passed away recently, and Riley is making his way to Cheyenne from his grandfather’s funeral.
Doing well here would not only help Riley, who is 15th in the world standings, it would also be a great tribute to a man who exemplified all that is good in our world.
Rough Stock Events – Bareback, Saddle Bronc and Bull Riding
World champions and former CFD champions are going head-to-head today to see who will rise to the top. There are five bareback riders in the field who have ridden for gold buckles, and one of those is wearing his. Dean Thompson was the best in the world in 2024 and is trying to earn his second world championship. Cooper Cook qualified for his first NFR last December and just had the biggest win of his career at Calgary. Also in the mix is the very flamboyant Rocker Steiner, who made his debut at Frontier Park in the mini bareback riding as a teenager. Steiner is currently leading the world standings and finished as the reserve world champion last year.
Stetson Wright has won more CFD titles than any of this year’s competitors. He was the all-around champion in 2019, 2021 and 2023, the bull riding champ in 2019 and 2023 and saddle bronc in 2021 and 2022. Wright was injured for all of 2024, and his comeback has him leading the PRCA’s world all-around standings and second in the bull riding. That’s the event we will see him in today. Also, look for the 2016 CFD champion Roscoe Jarboe to make some moves in section one. Colten Fritzlan also is a comeback kid and NFR qualifier in the second section.
Wyoming’s own Brody Cress will be among the saddle bronc riders today. Cress won three consecutive titles here from 2017 – 2019. However, last year’s CFD was likely his favorite. He and his wife Sierra welcomed baby boy Roweler to the family, and the 2024 Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo was Roweler’s first. They have travelled this year as a family and love making new memories. Hopefully, they will include winning more here.
Lefty Holman might have the winningest smile in rodeo, and he’s had a lot to smile about too. He has qualified for the NFR four times and finished as the reserve world champion in 2022. He has never won Cheyenne, but his grandfather John “Witch” Holman was the rookie champion here in 1947. Lefty and his wife, Hailey welcomed a daughter to their family, and one of the traditions they keep is taking time to pray together before Lefty gets on a bucking horse.
Timed Events – Steer Wrestling, Team, Tie-Down, Breakaway Roping and Barrel Racing
To say that today’s barrel racing is stacked might be an understatement with four NFR qualifiers and three former CFD champions. Leading the pack is Hailey Kinsel and her great mare, DM Sissy Hayday, aka “Sister” who won the qualifying round here with a blazing time of 17.18 seconds. They have already earned over $7,000. They are joined by 2015 champion and fan favorite, Lisa Lockhart as well as Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, who was the champion in 2007. Also in the mix is Wenda Johnson, who is looking for her first title here.
Tie-down roper Marcos Costa loves this rodeo. When he first came to the United States from his native country of Brazil, this was one of the first big rodeos he earned a major check at. Then he went on and became the first Brazilian to earn an individual world championship. Marcos has been waiting to win this rodeo since he became a member of the PRCA over 10 years ago.
Watch for Cory Solomon to be going for the green today. Cory wears green, the color of money, and he hopes to earn his share here. The 2024 tie-down roping champion here is 18th in the world standings and needs to move inside the top 15 to qualify for his 11th NFR. A big win here would certainly help.
Billy Bob Brown had the biggest win of his career in Frontier Park in 2023 when he got to make the victory lap as the champion header. He has a new roping partner in Blaine Vick this year, and the duo has similar mindsets and goals. The ranch-raised cowboy loves the big open feel of Cheyenne’s arena and would like nothing more than to rope for a second title here this year.
Chad Masters and Cory Petska have both won this rodeo, but if they repeat this year, it will feel like new. Chad won it as the header in 2009 and again in 2018. Cory won it the year before that in 2017. They both have gold buckles to their credit and are among the legends of the heading and heeling. They have been friends for a long time and roped together before, but this is the first time at Cheyenne Frontier Days.
Breakaway roper Coralee Anderson’s family is very well-known among Wyoming’s rodeo elite. Her maiden name is Spratt, and her grandfather Bill Spratt won the steer roping here in 1976. Coralee is the sixth generation to be on that ranch, and she sure would like to add her name to the rodeo legacy.
Kenzie Kelton is another cowgirl adding to her family’s legacy. Her father Chance Kelton was the steer roping champion here in 2010 and has qualified for the NFR in the heading. Kenzie, like Coralee, was raised on a ranch and riding and roping have been part of their lives from the get-go.
A young North Dakota bareback rider spurred to the top and won Cheyenne Frontier Days on a proven bucking horse brought to the Sunday Finals by J.D. Hamaker’s Summit Pro Rodeo based near Centennial, WY. Clay Jorgenson was the only man to click for 90 points on a bareback horse at ‘The Daddy’ this year.