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Rodeo Daily

Meet the High Money Earners Highlighting the Lucrative Cowboy Christmas Run

The first two weeks of July held some of the biggest paydays of the entire season, and the World Standings drastically changed in several events.
Teal Stoll|
Michelle Alley
Michelle Alley | Fernando Sam-Sin

The Fourth of July run, known as Cowboy Christmas, is directly followed by the iconic Calgary Stampede, resulting in a massive two weeks for professional rodeo athletes. 

With some of the longest hauls and biggest payouts of the entire season, these two weeks hold some of the most well-known rodeos in the world. For cowboys and cowgirls pursuing a National Finals Rodeo (NFR) qualification in 2026, these huge paydays can be make-or-break. 

Two and a half months remain in the season, and every dollar counts, as the races continue to get tighter. 

These are our very unofficial calculations, but with such an impressive number of athletes banking tens of thousands of dollars within a few days, we wanted to recognize their efforts.

We focused on earnings from Ponoka (Alberta), Greeley (Colo.), St. Paul (Ore.), Cody (Wyo.), Oakley (Utah), Prescott (Ariz.), Mandan (N.D.), Livingston (Mont.), Killdeer (N.D.), Belle Fourche (S.D.), Red Lodge (Mont.), and Eugene (Ore.) for our calculations.

Bareback Riding

Keenan Hayes rides bareback horse
Keenan Hayes | Fernandon Sam-Sin/@fsamsin

Keenan Hayes made waves in his rookie season, making history as the first rookie to win a PRCA Bareback Riding World Championship. His performance so far in 2026 has helped him climb to No. 5 in the World Standings, and as the high-earning star of Cowboy Christmas, Hayes has now banked $114,376 in season earnings.

1. Keenan Hayes $26,166
2. Orin Larsen $21,749
3. Jess Pope $20,316
4. Leighton Berry $19,389
5. Kade Sonnier $18,178

Steer Wrestling 

Cowboy Christmas brought a major boost for eight-time NFR qualifier Will Lummus. He has now climbed to No. 20 in the World Standings and is within striking distance of the top 15.

1. Will Lummus $23,711
2. Scott Guenthner $23,431
3. Tristan Martin $20,740
4. Ty Erickson $18,433
5. Cash Robb $15,416

Team Roping

Another duo who needed a boost in the standings, Cody Snow and Lane Mitchell, banked over $30,000 during Cowboy Christmas. Snow is now No. 17 in the World, and Mitchell is No. 23.

1. Cody Snow and Lane Mitchell $30,192
2. Ketch Kelton and Denton Dunning $29,248
3. James Arviso and Levi Lord $22,395
4. Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira $22,375
5. Riley Minor and Brady Minor $21,341

Saddle Bronc Riding

A successful Cowboy Christmas run brought Q Taylor to No. 7 in the World in a tight race. Taylor seeks his second NFR qualification in 2026, and a successful month of July is helping to make that a reality.

1. Q Taylor $29,513
2. Tanner Butner $22,797
3. Cash Wilson $21,892
4. Jake Finlay $19,798
5. Zeke Thurston $18.778

Tie-Down Roping

Riley Webb and Josie Conner
Riley Webb and Josie Conner both finished as high money earners over the Fourth of July | Fernando Sam-Sin

In an unsurprising twist, reigning (and three-time) World Champion Riley Webb dominated the Cowboy Christmas run. He banked over $46,000 at seven rodeos. Webb successfully defended his high-money title from 2025. 

1. Riley Webb $46,698
2. Ty Harris $38,336
3. Shane Hanchey $33,440
4. Beau Cooper $26,997
5. Cory Solomon $22,445

Barrel Racing

Michelle Alley continues to pursue her first NFR qualification, and banking over $23,000 throughout Cowboy Christmas was another huge boost to her position in the World Standings. She is now No. 5, with $96,513 in season earnings at 25 rodeos. Calgary earnings are not included in this number.

1. Michelle Alley $23,615
2. Anneliese McCurry $14,106
3. Makenzie Mayes $13,603
4. Raelin Jurgens $13,453
5. Lanita Peirce $13,301

Breakaway Roping

2025 Resistol Rookie of the Year Haiden Thompson highlighted the week, banking over $24,000. She has moved to No. 10 in the World Standings. 

1. Haiden Thompson $24,023
2. Jordi Edens-Mitchell $21,537
3. Falyn Thomson $17,703
4. Danielle Lowman $17,551
5. Josie Conner $16,337

Bull Riding

Noah Lee was the high money earner across all rough stock events, with $34,518 in earnings. The 18-year-old just bought his card in February and has taken the professional rodeo world by storm. He won the St. Paul (Ore.) Rodeo, Livingston (Mont.) Roundup Rodeo, and split the win at the Cody (Wyo.) Stampede.

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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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