Rodeo Daily

California Circuit Finals Crowns Champions on New Year's Eve in Red Bluff

In California, rodeo athletes welcomed the New Year by wrapping up their 2025 year and kickstarting the 2026 season.
Teal Stoll|
Tom Crouse
Tom Crouse | Nathan Meyer Photography

California rodeo athletes rang in the new year in the arena dirt. Both the Year-End and Circuit Finals Average champions in each event punched their ticket to the NFR Open in 2026.

Bareback Riding

R.C. Landingham riding a bareback horse.
R.C. Landingham | Fernando Sam-Sin

R.C. Landingham made a clean sweep, tying with Clayton Biglow in Round 1, winning Round 2, Round 3, and the Average. He banked over $10,000 at the circuit finals and is also the Year-End Champion. Unofficially, Jacek Frost will join him at the NFR Open in 2026, finishing second in the season standings.

Steer Wrestling

Season leader Grant Peterson held onto the Year-End title, also winning the third round. The Average win went to Casey Harmon, who won Round 1, tied for the win in Round 2, and finished fourth in Round 3.

Team Roping

Blake Hirdes and Jake Edwards made a clean sweep, earning the Average and Year-End titles. The duo won Round 1, tied for second in Round 2, and finished third in Round 3. Unofficially, Cutter Machado and Dalton Pearce finished second in the Year-End standings and will also compete at the NFR Open in 2026.

Saddle Bronc Riding

Finishing second in Round 2 and winning Round 3, Lefty Holman claimed the Average title and $7,855 at the circuit finals. Coming in with a $10,000 lead in the season standings, Holman is also the Year-End Champion. Reed Neely unofficially finished second in the Year-End standings and will compete at the 2026 NFR Open.

Tie-Down Roping

It was a two-man battle, with Brushton Minton and Tom Crouse entering the finals separated by just $300. Crouse won Round 1 and Minton won Round 2 and Round 3. Minton ultimately topped the Average and Crouse finished second. Crouse also finished second in the Year-End Standings and, unofficially, punched his ticket to the NFR Open.

Barel Racing

The barrel racer and her bay horse race to the finish line
Hayle Gibson-Stillwell | Fernando Sam-Sin

Hayle Gibson-Stillwell topped Round 1 and won the Year-End Championship. Ann McGilchrist tied for third in Round 2, won Round 3, and topped the Average. She climbed to second in the Year-End Standings and unofficially will join Gibson-Stillwell at the NFR Open.

Breakaway Roping

Suzanne Williams was unstoppable, sweeping all three rounds and the Average. She also earned the Year-End Championship. Unofficially, Sutton Mang finished second in the Year-End Standings and will compete at the NFR Open.

Bull Riding

Aaron Williams dominated the Circuit Finals, winning $14,098. Winning Round 1, Round 2, finishing second in Round 3, and winning the Average, he earned the Year-End Championship. Colby Demo finished second in the Year-End standings unofficially, by just $200, and will join Williams at the NFR Open.

Full results can be found here and Year-End Standings are based on our unofficial calculations.

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Teal Stoll
TEAL STOLL

Teal Stoll is a lifelong Wyomingite from a working ranch family of several generations. Both sides of her family have deep roots in rodeo, as contestants and stock contractors. Teal grew up horseback and actively competes in rodeos and barrel races. She has degrees in both business and accounting, which she uses operating her own bookkeeping service. Teal enjoys spending time with her horses, training colts, and maintaining her string of athletes. When she isn’t at the barn, she can be found reading, doing yoga, or on her paddle board at the lake. Teal lives with her fiancee and a plethora of animals, because she can’t say no to a displaced critter with a sad story. When she isn’t on the road running barrels, she spends her time helping with day to day operations on the family ranch.

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