2026 The American Rodeo Champions Crowned, $2 Million Bonus Awarded

The richest one-day event in rodeo has concluded, and it was a wild ride. Competitors of all ages, and from a wide variety of backgrounds, have been working for years to earn a spot in the Championship Round of The American Rodeo.

In 2026, a $2 million bonus was paid out to the athletes who qualified as "contenders." This award was in addition to the $100,000 first-place check in each event.

On Friday night, the field of 15 contenders in each event was narrowed to five. Those five returned on Saturday, competing against the top five in each event in the 2025 WPRA and PRCA World Standings. From that round of 10, the top four competed in the Championship Round, where dreams came true for cowboys and cowgirls.

Full results and payout can be found here.
** denotes $2 million bonus winner

Bareback Riding

Defending The American Rodeo Champion and reigning PRCA World Champion, Rocker Steiner, made an epic ride aboard Pete Carr Pro Rodeo's Resistol's Secrets Out. Scoring a whopping 90.5 points, he earned his second consecutive win in Globe Life Field for $100,000.

1. Rocker Steiner / 90.5
2. Jess Pope / 87.25
3. R.C. Landingham / 85.75
4. Keenan Hayes / 84.5

Breakaway Roping

The first cowgirl to rope in the Championship Round knew she had a chance at that $2 million contender bonus, and she came out guns blazing. In a lightning-fast 1.71 seconds, Rickie Fanning became the first athlete of the day to earn a piece of the grand prize. When the dust settled, she took home $766,666.

1. Rickie Fanning / 1.71 **
2. Madison Outhier / 1.94
3. Rylee George / 11.70
4. Josie Conner / NT

Team Roping

Calm, cool, and collected paid off for a pair of veterans in team roping. Clint Summers and Jade Corkill became first-time The American Rodeo Champions with their time of 4.83 seconds.

1. Clint Summers / Jade Corkill / 4.83
2. Andrew Ward / Jake Long / 4.94
3. Cory Kidd / Carson Johnson / 8.72
4. Dustin Egusquiza / JC Flake / NT

Saddle Bronc Riding

With a stacked roster, fans were shocked to see two rides result in "no score." The last cowboy to ride, Sage Newman, knew what he had to do to claim his second The American Rodeo win. At 89.25 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Larry Culpepper, Newman became the second athlete of the day to earn a share of the $2 million bonus.

1. Sage Newman / 89.25 **
2. Zeke Thurston / 84
3/4. Statler Wright, Brody Cress / NS

Steer Wrestling

It was hard to tell who was more excited — Gavin Soileau or his fellow competitors, after his 3.79-second run topped the leaderboard. The flawless run earned him the third, and final, share of the $2 million bonus.

1. Gavin Soileau / 3.79 **
2. Tucker Allen / 3.83
3. Rowdy Parrott / 3.86
4. Don Payne / 5.45

Tie-Down Roping

Kincade Henry made the fastest run of his career and broke the record inside Globe Life, when he went 6.57 seconds in the Championship Round. As always, he gave credit to his great horse, Mario, who will be getting the summer off after a lucrative winter run.

1. Kincade Henry / 6.57
2. Joel Harris / 7.02
3. Riley Webb / 8.33
4. Cory Solomon / 10.48

Barrel Racing

If we had to place a bet, our money was on Hayle Gibson-Stillwell. Buncha Dinero ("Piper") is incredible in such a wide variety of setups and running from the back in Globe Life, she nailed the first barrel for a speedy 15.428-second run and the $100,000 win.

1. Hayle Gibson-Stillwell / 15.428
2. Heidi Gunderson / 15.489
3. Blake Molle / 15.583
4. Dusky Lynn Hall / 15.694

Bull Riding

The most unpredictable event in rodeo lived up to its name and only one man covered his bull in the final round of three athletes. The cowboy who went 89 points for the win? Not a surprise. Stetson Wright was the last cowboy to ride and earned his third The American Rodeo win.

1. Stetson Wright / 89
2/3. Wacey Schalla, Luciano de Castro / NS

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