Champion rodeo athletes crowned at National Western Stock Show
Marking the first major rodeo of the season, the National Western Stock Show (NWSS) provides rodeo athletes an opportunity for a big payday and the chance to jump out in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world standings.
On Jan. 26, the 16-day event wrapped up with Championship Sunday, where 12 of the best in each event competed in a winner-takes-all final round to earn the prestigious championship title and a paycheck of at least $4,000.
Bareback riding
After a first-place finish in the second round of the semi-finals, Bareback Rider Kooper Heimburg of Marshall, Mo. took home the coveted championship title, earning 87 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Pearl Harbor in the final round.
A single point separated the top two in the round, and Wyoming’s own Roedy Farrell of Thermopolis finished second with 86 points, followed by Orin Larsen of Inglis, Manitoba, Canada and Jayco Roper of Oktaha, Okla. in a two-way tie for third with 85.5 points.
Garrett Shadbolt of Merriman, Neb., who won the event back-to-back in 2023-24, rounded out the top five in the event this year after riding for 85.5 points in the final round.
Saddle bronc riding
Saddle Bronc Rider Zac Dallas of Las Cruces, N.M. had a strong finish at the 2025 NWSS, topping the leaderboard in the third round of semi-finals before earning 87.5 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Ricky Bobby for the win.
Dallas was followed in the final round by a pair of two-way ties.
Logan Hay of Wildwood, Alberta, Canada and Ryder Wright of Beaver, Utah tied for third place with 86 points, while James Perrin of Maple Creek, Saskatchewan, Canada and Lucas Macza of High River, Alberta, Canada tied for fourth with 85.5 points.
Bull riding
Tough competition continued in the rough stock events when Wacey Schalla of Arapaho, Okla. scored an impressive 90 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Vitalix Anthrax to win the bull riding.
Only four other riders covered their bulls during the championship round.
With 88 points, Stetson Wright of Beaver, Utah finished the night in second place, followed by T.J. Gray of Dairy, Ore. in third with 87 points; Sage Vance of Sidney, Iowa in fourth with 86.5 points and Tyler Kippes of Stephenville, Texas in fifth with 82 points.
Steer wrestling
The steers proved to be extra stiff competition during the bulldogging at the 2025 NWSS, and only four cowboys made qualified runs during the final round.
With a quick four seconds flat, Gavin Soileau of Bunkie, La. took home honors as the champion steer wrestler this year, while Livermore, Calif. cowboy Grant Peterson’s 4.2-second run earned him a second-place finish.
In a two-way tie with 4.8 seconds each, Ty Bauerle of Jourdanton, Texas and Kodie Jang of Townsville, Queensland, Australia ended third in the round.
Team roping
Team roping duo Luke Brown of Rock Hill, S.C. and Trey Yates of Pueblo, Colo. made a strong showing over the course of the 16-day event, finishing third in the first round with a time of 4.7 seconds and second in the first round of semi-finals with a time of six flat.
Things only went up from there when they made their best run – a time of 4.2 seconds – to win the final round and take home the championship title.
A slim 0.2 seconds separated the second-place team of Jake Smith of Broken Bow, Okla. and Douglas Rich of Herrick, Ill., with a time of 4.4 seconds, from the top of the leaderboard.
With a 4.6-second run, partners Kolten Schmidt of Barrhead, Alberta, Canada and Landen Glenn of McAlester, Okla. followed close behind in third place, while a 4.8-second run by Nelson Wyatt of Clanton, Alberta, Canada and Jonathan Torres of Ocala, Fla. earned a fourth-place finish.
Lightning Aguilera of Athens, Texas and Dustin Davis of Terrell, Texas rounded out the top five in the event with a run of six seconds flat.
Tie-down roping
Tie-down roping was arguably one of the toughest competitions of the night, with only 0.5 seconds separating the top four athletes.
Brushton Minton of Witter Springs, Calif. and Trevor Hale of Perryton, Texas both stopped the clock at 7.3 seconds in the final round for a two-way, first-place tie.
Riley Pruitt of Gering, Neb. followed close behind with a run of 7.5 seconds and a second-place finish, right in front of Mount Vernon, Ark.’s Roy Lee, who roped in 7.7 seconds and ended the night in fourth place.
With a time of 8.1 seconds, Brey Yore of Rupert, Idaho rounded out the top five in the event.
Barrel racing
In true cowgirl fashion, female rodeo athletes showed up for some tough competition as well.
Carlee Otero of Lipan, Texas was a force at the 2025 NWSS, finishing among the top three cowgirls in three separate rounds before taking home the championship title with a run of 14.71 seconds.
Jordan Driver of Garden City, Texas finished the 16 days off strong, winning the third round of the semi-finals with a 14.63-second run, then earning second-place honors in the final round with a 14.76-second run.
Other barrel racers on the leaderboard were Oceane Veilleux of Saint-Alfred, Quebec, Canada in third place with a time of 14.77 seconds, McKenna Coronado of Kanarraville, Utah in fourth place with a time of 14.78 seconds and Kristi Cole of Magnolia, Texas in fifth place with a time of 14.80 seconds.
Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
