Last Chance at RODEOHOUSTON Finals: Wild Card 1 Winners Moving On

At RODEOHOUSTON, athletes have already competed through three rounds in their Super Series. For those ranked in the top four in each event, they moved on to the Semi-Finals. With both rounds of the semis complete, part of the roster for the Finals is complete. The six competitors in each event who did not qualify for the Finals have one last chance to punch their ticket.

There are two Wild Card Rounds, where the stakes are high. With $65,000 on the line in the RODEOHOUSTON Finals, these athletes put it all on the line in Wild Card 1, to earn a spot in Sunday's competition. The winner in each event from Friday night's competition will move on to the Finals.

Tie-Down Roping

Tuf Cooper took a commanding lead in the tie-down roping, to earn the win by over four seconds. Tuf's father, Roy Cooper, won RODEOHOUSTON twice in his career, but the title is one of few that has evaded Tuf. Despite his illustrious career, he has not yet captured the win in Houston. Will 2025 be the year he changes that statement?

1. Tuf Cooper, 8.4 seconds, $3,000
2. Brushton Minton, 12.5, $2,000
3. Logan Bird, $1,000
4. Joel Harris, 25.2, $750
5. (tie) Cash Hooper and Cole Clemons, NT

Bareback Riding

At just 21 years old, Mason Stuller is competing at his second RODEOHOUSTON. He bested some of the toughest veterans and young guns in the sport of bareback riding in the Wild Card Round. With an 86.5-point ride aboard a great horse, Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Night Faded, Stuller will ride at least once more in Houston in the Finals.

1. Mason Stuller, 86.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Night Faded, $3,000
2. Weston Timberman, 81, $2,000
3. Waylon Bourgeois, 75, $1,000
4. Tanner Aus, 72, $750
5. R.C. Landingham, 71

Team Roping

Another win taken by a huge margin, Lightning Aguilera and Patrick Smith daylighted the competition by over five seconds. A new pairing in the team roping for 2025, this one has already proven to be a great matchup. Neither of these cowboys have a RODEOHOUSTON title to their name, yet, despite multiple National Finals Rodeo qualifications for each cowboy. Perhaps this new team will make their mark in Houston history on Sunday.

1. Lightning Aguilera/Patrick Smith, 4.9 seconds, $3,000 each
2. Tyler Tryan/Denton Dunning, 10.0, $2,000
3. (tie) Kellan Johnson/Carson Johnson, Tee McLeod/Sid Sporer, Coy Brittain/Colton Brittain and Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord, NT

Saddle Bronc Riding

Currently ranked No. 6 in the World Standings, Weston Patterson is having the best season of his career. The Kansas cowboy has had a great winter so far and added to it with a big win on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Big Bang. With an 84-point ride, he took the win and will be back again on Sunday at his chance for $65,000.

1. Weston Patterson, 84 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Big Bang, $3,000
2. Zeke Thurston, 78, $2,000
3. Logan Cook, 77, $1,000
4. Cole Elshere, 75.5, $750
5. (tie) Dawson Hay and Jesse Kruse, NS

Steer Wrestling

After qualifying for his first NFR in 2024, Tucker Allen has not backed off in 2025. He has had another great winter, steadily winning and placing. Currently ranked No. 9 in the World Standings, a qualification back to the Finals in Houston could be a season-altering event for Allen.

1. Tucker Allen, 5.2 seconds, $3,000
2. Chance Howard, 5.7, $2,000
3. Dakota Eldridge, 7.0, $1,000
4. Gavin Soileau, 14.0, $750
5. Scott Guenthner, 14.3
6. Riley Duvall, NT

Breakaway Roping

In an incredibly tight finish, Shayla Hall emerged victorious by one-tenth of a second in the breakaway roping. She will compete again on Sunday in the famed Houston finals, as she chases her first RODEOHOUSTON Championship.

1. Shayla Hall, 2.9 seconds, $3,000
2. Madison Outhier, 3.0, $2,000
3. Macy Young, 12.6, $1,000
4. (tie) Braylee Shepherd, Aspen Miller and Willow Wilson, NT

Barrel Racing

After an uncharacteristic run in the Semi-Finals, Hailey Kinsel and Sister were back on top in the Wild Card. It was a very tight round, with little more than one-tenth of a second separating the top three places.

1. Hailey Kinsel, 14.65 seconds, $3,000
2. Andrea Busby, 14.72, $2,000
3. Halyn Lide, 14.77, $1,000
4. Sissy Winn, 14.94, $750
5. Tayla Moeykens, 15.14
6. Megan McLeod-Sprague, 15.17

Bull Riding

Jackson Ward made a huge move in the bull riding, taking the win with an 84-point ride on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Pickle. The 21-year-old from Kansas will compete in the RODEOHOUSTON Finals on Sunday.

1. Jackson Ward, 84 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Pickle, $3,000
2. (tie) Clayton Sellars, Tyler Bingham, Brody Yeary, Hawk Whitt and Jake Gardner, NS