How Did the 2025 Stock of the Year Do During Round 5?

The TV pen brought out the 2025 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Stock of the Year, here's how they did.

Magic Touch 2025 Bull of the Year | Matt Sharping

While every round of the National Finals Rodeo has its own kind of magic, filled with bucking horses and bulls that have earned their spot alongside the best cowboys in the world, Round 5 showcased something extra. The TV pen brought out the 2025 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Stock of the Year, creating a stage where the season’s most decorated animal athletes matched up with the top cowboys rodeo knows.

What Happened With the Stock of the Year During Round 5?

Virgil | Nathan Meyer Photography

You hear it all the time, but with Lunatic Heaven from Brookman Rodeo, it’s true; she just keeps getting better every time the chute opens. Rockier Steiner paired up with her for the top ride of the night, surpassing the field by a quarter of a point to mark 89 points and earn a check worth $36,668.

Lunatic Heaven has been solid all season long, averaging 42.75 points in 2025, and tonight she added her third-highest mark of the year. She carried Kade Berry to 91.50 points to win Cheyenne Frontier Days , and she helped take Jacek Frost to 91.50 points in Puyallup, Wash., a ride that pushed him toward qualifying for his first NFR.

During saddle bronc riding, one of the most anticipated draws of the night came when Virgil was out and matched with nine-time NFR qualifier Brody Cress. They didn’t take the round win, but Virgil brought out the riding style and timing that Cress is known for. They scored 89.5 points, finishing just half a point behind first.

With the announcement of Virgil’s retirement, the rodeo world held its breath for eight seconds, watching one of the greatest ever to buck make his second-to-last trip.

Last but not least, Magic Touch of Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics made his NFR debut as Bull of the Year alongside his partner, Jesse Petri. Magic Touch is known for an average stock score of 44.75 points and leaving the chute turning away from the bull rider’s hand, setting up a challenging eight seconds for Petri.

While the ride may not have gone Petri’s way, Magic Touch proved exactly why he’s the best of 2025.

The tenth and final round of the 2025 NFR will bring these three animals back under the bright light of Las Vegas with a new set of competitors who will get their chance at them. It will be one more opportunity for both the cowboys and the stock to showcase their talent to thousands of rodeo fans. 

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