Cheyenne Success Continues as Kade Sonnier Chases Third NFR Qualification

The Louisiana bareback rider got off to a solid start at Frontier Days on Sunday, the latest in a string of big rides that has him climbing the PRCA World Standings.

Kade Sonnier's first ride at Cheyenne Frontier Days went for 88 points, earning him a spot in the semifinals later this week. | Bailey Ford/@bailey.ford.photography

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Landmarks across the high plains of America are easy to spot against the expansive horizon. But one will always stand above the others for Kade Sonnier. 

In 2020, the Carencro, La., bareback rider was rolling down Interstate 25 with a college teammate, bound for Cody, Wyo. The duo were going to take part in the Cody Night Rodeo, an ongoing summer event that allows up-and-coming roughstock riders to cut their teeth ahead of professional careers. 

With the July sun setting behind the Rocky Mountains in front of them, Sonnier saw the glow of an illuminated sign off the interstate. Behind it, the rising stands of an arena grew larger. The contrast of light on dark with the last rays of daylight beaming through caught his eye. Frontier Park, the home of Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days, loomed out his windshield. It’s a moment Sonnier still recalls vividly. 

“We passed it on the interstate; the sun was right behind the sign, and I was driving. I was like, ‘One day I’m going to win that rodeo.’ It was just those moments, right?” Sonnier said with a smile, recalling the drive. “I got to get on a lot of horses up (at the Cody Night Rodeo) and on my way back down we passed (CFD) again and I had that same feeling.”

Those passing thoughts have felt more like a premonition in the years since, as Sonnier continues to find success at the Daddy of ’Em All. 

On Sunday, Sonnier opened his time in Cheyenne with an 88-point ride against Brookman Rodeo’s Untouchable. It was the third-best score of the round, ensuring him a spot in the semifinals on Friday. 

That result was Sonnier’s latest in a string of successful rides at one of ProRodeo’s biggest summer showcases. 

Kade Sonnier is aiming for his second CFD title along with a third trip to the NFR this December. | Bailey Ford/@bailey.ford.photography

During his permit season in 2022, the Louisiana native took second in his opening set during his first appearance. The following year, he won his preliminary round before squeaking into the finals on a three-way tie for fifth. In the short-go, he and Clayton Biglow each went for 87.5 points to split the championship. While 2024 was uneventful, Sonnier bounced back in 2025 to win his opening set before finishing sixth in both the semifinals and short-go. 

The secret formula in Cheyenne is consistency. Sonnier admits he favors constant riding as opposed to one-off rodeos followed by downtime. CFD fits right into that pattern. 

“This is my favorite time of year. I ride better the more horses that I get to get on, which I think everybody else does too, but it’s just fortunate and it works out for me,” Sonnier said. “I’ve been fortunate to get on some really good horses here lately and have a lot of success, but in the last week or so, I’ve made a couple mistakes I don’t normally make. It’s just reminding me that rodeo is a humbling sport. You can be at the top one week and the very bottom of the next. I kind of had to go back to the basics and just remind myself mentally to take it day by day, have fun and soak it all in.”

The strong start at CFD is exactly what Sonnier needed as he continues to push for a third Wrangler National Finals Rodeo appearance. 

Coming into the week, he was sitting 11th in the PRCA World Standings with slightly more than $103,500. Recent results have certainly given him a boost as he took third at the Wet Mountain Valley Stampede Rodeo in Westcliffe, Colo., while earning round money at the NFR Open within the last few days. 

Along with two round payouts at the Calgary Stampede earlier in July, Sonnier has a lot of summer momentum on his side. Grabbing a $1,300 check from the first go and locking up a spot at the CFD semifinals is yet another step in his quest to get back to Las Vegas this December. 

“Obviously, I don’t want to be on the cutline, flirting with the bubble,” Sonnier said. “I don’t know exactly where I’m at (in the standings). I hear them every now and then from the announcer. I know I’m somewhere in the top 15. But our goal is to get in the top five heading into NFR and give ourselves a realistic chance of a world title.”