Bradlee Miller Dominates Bareback Riding Race as He Chases His First World Title

While most athletes are spending the last two weeks of the regular season fighting to secure their spot in the top 15, others are already gearing up to head to the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in December. One cowboy who’s maintained his place at the top nearly all season long is bareback rider Bradlee Miller, and he’s not slowing down until he’s crowned a world champion.

Miller Is Riding On High

Bareback riding is one of the most competitive events in rodeo, and the cowboys who enter the arena know how hard it is to land on top. At No. 1 in the world, Miller has had his dream season as he continues to widen the gap between him and Jacob Lees at No. 2.

With $278,728 earned this season, he’s leading the pack by nearly $60,000, compared to Lees’ $220,403. After finishing at No. 9 last year, the 23-year-old cowboy stepped into the arena with goas and determination, and he has shown he’s the best-of-the-best this year. He’s pulled in 10 wins so far this year, most of which have been at major rodeos.

His first title of the season happened at the Texas Circuit Finals in 2025 and he rode that momentum into the new year. He went on to win Rodeo Austin, the Calgary Stampede and the Utah Days of '47 Rodeo, bringing in huge cash prizes at each and that was just his early summer run.

Major Late-Summer Wins

Miller has put up an impressive late-season push as September has held some of his best rides yet. After slowing down in August he made a major turnaround at Walla Walla Frontier Days, taking home the win with an 87-point ride for $6,380.

His performance in September is one for the books as he’s secured a check nearly every single time he’s entered the arena this month. He clinched another check for over $7,000 due to his win at the Tri-State Rodeo and just a day later he scored another round one win at the legendary Puyallup Rodeo. His rides there earned him another $9,115 overall.

It’s clear that Miller is at the top of his game right now. His average ride score on the season is 87.75, with at least one 90-point ride under his belt. In comparison, Lees is averaging 86.6-points per ride and Kade Sonnier (No. 3) averages 84.83 points. Which just shows how impressive Miller’s season truly has been.

After earning two qualifications for the NFR already in his career (2024-2025), he is now ready to clinch his third straight trip to the Thomas & Mack Arena and finally take home that world title.

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