Bubble Watch: Ben Andersen Eyes Fifth NFR Qualification With Late Season Push

Saddle bronc rider Ben Andersen is looking to secure his fifth qualification for the National Finals Rodeo, but the cowboy has his work cut out for him as he sits on the bubble at No. 16.

Ben Andersen at Reno Rodeo 2026 | Fernando Sam-Sin

The 2026 rodeo season is heating up fast as athletes are working to earn as much cash as they can to land in the top 15 of the world standings. Saddle bronc rider Ben Andersen has his work cut out for him, as he sits at No. 16 and is looking to secure his fifth qualification for the National Finals Rodeo (NFR). 

Nowhere to Go but Up

After landing at No. 14 last year with $228,562, he’s already looking strong with $86,002 earned so far this season. Andersen knows what it takes to slip into the top 15, as he’s scored a trip to Las Vegas every year since 2023 (his first was in 2021).

The cowboy has had a solid season so far, taking home two wins early in the season at the Rocky Pro Rodeo and the Lea Park Rodeo. He picked up momentum quickly this year, earning a round one win at RodeoHouston thanks to an 85-point ride.

By early summer, he took home the win at the Killdeer Mountain Roundup PRCA Rodeo in June. That ride earned him his biggest check so far at over $7,500, not to mention he scored his highest score of the season at 90.5-points on the back of Bill Fick Peak M from Pickett Pro Rodeo Co.

The 26-year-old cowboy from Eckville, Alberta, has been competing professionally since 2019 and hasn’t slowed down since. Andersen has consistently found a way to enter the Thomas & Mack Arena each year and leave richer than when he entered. 

Season High Scores

Andersen is a consistent athlete in the arena; while he may not find himself at the top of the leaderboard every time, he manages to pull in scores in the mid-80s at nearly every rodeo he enters.  He has a lot of ground to make up if he wants to catch those in front of him, but Andersen knows how to put in the work to land in the top 15.

At No. 16, Andersen is $6,000 behind Shorty Garrett at No. 15, and the two cowboys will likely battle it out until the very end to see who’s going to head to Las Vegas. Andersen is also up against some heavy hitters behind him, with Zachary Dallas (No. 17) and Statler Wright (No. 18) also looking to break out of the bubble. 

Andersen is currently competing at Cheyenne Frontier Days and the Ogden Pioneer Days Rodeo, so hopefully the cowboy can pull in some big wins to move him up in the leaderboard as time continues to fly during the summer season.