Bull Rider Tristan Mize Eyes First NFR Qualification After Career-Best Season

Bull riders are some of the toughest athletes in rodeo, and while this event may not have the same kind of longevity as others, those who step into the arena make it count. Tristan Mize entered ProRodeo for the first time a decade ago, and is now on his way to his first ever qualification for the National Finals Rodeo.

Career-Defining Season

At No. 15, Mize is sitting at the highest spot in the world standings he’s seen so far in his career. The cowboy is on a roll as he’s earned himself $106,837 so far and is only gaining. He took home five rodeo championships including the the Bell County PRCA Rodeo early in the season and recently the Rodeo of The Ozarks where he won big thanks to an 88-point ride.

That momentum was only building over the summer as just a week prior to the Ozarks, Mize won the West Of The Pecos Rodeo with a ride of 90.5 points. It wasn’t his first time finding this kind of success in the arena so far this season either. In April, he nailed down a season-high 91.5-point ride at the Clovis Rodeo Xtreme Bulls to earn a second place finish.

Mize has been working toward this kind of season his entire career. For the last 10 years, the cowboy has come close to the NFR, but was never able to hold it in his grasp. In his debut season, he landed just outside of the top 15 at No. 17 and things only got tougher from there for Mize.

Working Towards The Top

By 2019, he again couldn’t solidify a spot at the top finishing at No.27, and the years following he didn’t break the top 100 before deciding to step out of the arena from 2022 to 2024. It was that break that must have turned things on their head for the cowboy, as now he is competing the best he ever has.

Mize has worked his way back up, and in 2025 he earned six rodeo titles including the Texas Circuit Finals and the Golden Spike Rodeo. It was these performances that earned him his best spot since 2017 at No. 20 and despite not landing in the top 15, he clearly came with something to prove after last season.

This cowboy has marked himself as one to watch as we head into the final two months of the regular season. While he hasn’t competed since early July, Mize will have to find success in the upcoming weeks if he wants to surpass Braxton Whitesell ($110,185) at No. 14 and secure his first trip to the Thomas & Mack arena come December.

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