Badlands Circuit Finals Spotlight Athletes Who Could Shake Up Pro Rodeo

The Badlands Circuit Finals wrapped up with some of the best performances of the season for some athletes, and a shake up for some who took home the top prizes.

Shane O'Connell | Tom R. Smedes/Special to RGJ, Tom R. Smedes/Special to RGJ

The rodeo season is wrapping up quickly as athletes across the country are heading into their region's circuit finals. It was no different in Minot, North Dakota as the Badlands Circuit Finals came to a head over the weekend. 

Athletes each brought their best performances, but only some went home winners. With a total payout of over $233,000, this final rodeo weekend is crucial to those looking to add to their end -of-season earnings. Winners of each event took home over $3,000. 

The bareback riders came in hot with only one point separating the first and second place winners. Shane O'Connell emerged on top with 250 points on three head, Clay Jorgenson was behind him with 249 points. However, in the circuit standings, Jorgenson sits at No. 4 while O’Connell comes in at No. 6. After their performances in Minot, we’ll see where things shake out for the riders. 

Saddle bronc riding was a different story as the first place prize went to someone leagues ahead of their opponents on the scoreboard. Easton West at No. 9 in the standings scored 256.5 points on three head while John Thelen and Thayne Elshere tied for second with 242.5 points. 

The best saddle bronc rider in the circuit, Cash Wilson, didn’t have the best weekend as he came in fourth. He watched as Thelen (No. 5) and Elshere (No. 8) surpassed him on the scoreboard over the weekend. Surely not his storybook ending to the season, but Wilson still remains over $4,000 ahead of the No. 2 spot in the standings. 

Season Best Performances Came Out of The Badlands Circuit Finals

Barrel racers took to the arena and shook things up in North Dakota, some of the lowest ranked athletes proved themselves to be contenders. Molly Otto was the first place winner, with 41.02-seconds in three rounds, she sits at No. 7 in the rankings and surpassed riders ahead of her at the final rodeo of the season. 

Despite being at No. 1 in the rankings, Summer Kosel didn’t even see the top 4. Emilee Pauley (No. 5) got second with 41.03-seconds, just milliseconds away from the first place spot. Raelin Jurgens left it all out in the arena. At No. 12, she blazed into third place with an average of 41.25-seconds in three rounds. 

Bull riders came to prove themselves this weekend. Some of the athletes in the bottom half of the top 10 showed out with some of the best performances of the weekend. Jestyn Woodward who sits at No. 8 won first with 256.5 points on three head, proving to be some of Woodward’s best rides of the season. 

Thayne Elshere also saw the bull riding arena. He took home second with only 167 on two head. He sits at No. 9, but we’ll see if these performances moved both him and Woodward up in the standings. 

With the 2025 season coming to a close, these Badlands athletes proved to be some of the best in the sport. Their showout this weekend officially marked some as ones to watch ahead of 2026, as they head into another season of pushing for an NFR run. 

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