Bubble Watch: Zac Dallas Continues Battle for Third NFR Qualification

Cowboys are running out of time in the 2026 professional rodeo season to earn enough cash to secure a spot in the top 15 and qualify for the National Finals Rodeo (NFR). Saddle bronc rider Zac Dallas is currently No. 16 in the world, fighting for his third trip to Las Vegas.

Fighting for Three in a Row

After two back-to-back qualifications, landing at No. 7 in 2025 and No. 14 in 2024, Dallas is hungry to prove he has what it takes to land at the top once again. With $124,202 earned so far, he trails Ben Andersen by $8,000 for No. 15.

The last two weeks of the season will be critical for the cowboy if he wants to make his third straight trip to Las Vegas. He had an incredible NFR last year, finishing third in the average with 843.75 points on 10 head. He pocketed $117,244 in Las Vegas alone.

Dallas has had another solid year in the arena so far. He’s pulled in his biggest successes throughout the summer run, with rodeo wins at the War Bonnet Round Up (Idaho Falls, Idaho) and the Elgin (Ore.) Stampede Xtreme Broncs.

Late Season Push

Dallas' most recent and one of his largest wins of the season was the Caldwell Night Rodeo at the end of August. He left Caldwell with over $13,000 to add to his prize pot after he won both the first round and the final round. It was here that he scored his best rides, with a 90-point ride in round one and a massive 92-point ride in the final to win it all.

He scored another check just days later at the Lake County Round-up in Lakeview, Ore., where he took home the crown with an 86-point ride, fresh off his fifth-place finish at Walla Walla (Wash.) Frontier Days. This made for a $4,000 weekend for the cowboy right when it matters most.

As he continues to do everything he can to get off the bubble, the cowboy will have his work cut out for him in the last few weeks. While he’s running out of chances to win enough cash to move into the top 15, he’ll have to make every ride count before October hits.

Fortunately for Dallas, he has already secured his spot at the lucrative CINCH Playoffs in Puyallup, Wash., which will be a critical event in the final weeks of the season.

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