Multiple NFR Qualifiers Top Leaderboard in Odessa Through First Weekend

Once the National Finals Rodeo is complete, contestants get a small break before the winter season really gets underway. Well, the break is over and with the beginning of Odessa, Texas, the winter rodeo tour is officially started.

Odessa structures their rodeo a little different than most as it starts one weekend, then has a large session of slack during the beginning of the week and then takes a break until the rodeo finishes the following weekend.

The first weekend has been complete along with one session of slack. Here are the leaders so far and will now have to wait for the completion of the rodeo later this weekend.

Bareback Riding

Myles Carlson, from Evanston, Wyo. is sitting right on top of the leaderboard in the bareback riding. Carlson took on 'Witchcraft' from the Beutler and Son Rodeo string and earned 83-points.

NFR qualifier and current 2025 season leader, Bradlee Miller from Huntsville, Texas rode 'Cool Breeze' from Andrews Rodeo to mark 82.5 points and be sitting second overall.

'Rusty Monkey' also from Andrews Rodeo teamed up with 19-year-old phenom Wacey Schalla for an 81-point ride to be tied with Quintonn Lunsford who rode 'Dodge Avenger' from Beutler and Son for the third and fourth spots.

Steer Wrestling

Louisiana continues to provide some of the best steer wrestlers in the world and it looks like 25-year-old Marc Joiner did things right on his run in Odessa. He is holding down the top spot with his 3.9-second time.

Gary Gilbert of Paradise, Texas started off his winter run with a 4.0-second run to hold down number two in the standings so far.

Finishing out the top three in the big man's event is former NFR qualifier, Jason Thomas from Benton, Arkansas. He turned in a time of 4.3-seconds and will hope to be fast enought to collect some of the coveted winter money.

The first round of the steer wrestling will end on Wednesday, January 8 in the morning slack with about 22 guys left to give it their best shot. Then the order will be reversed and all of the cowboys will get a chance at a second steer.

Team Roping

The team ropers will kick off their first rodeo action in the slack Wednesday morning and then finish the second round through the performances. Rodeo On SI will provide more coverage as the event continues.

Saddle Bronc Riding

A very familiar name is 'right' on top of the leaderboard, which is something most fans have grown accustomed to. Statler Wright scored 88.5-points on Diamond G Rodeo's 'To The Limit' and is looking stellar to come away from Odessa with a substantial deposit in his World Standings account.

Mitch Pollock from Winnemucca, Nevada who qualified for the 2019 NFR rode 'Lindsey's Thunder' from Diamond G Rodeo for the full eight seconds to earn 84.5 points and be sitting second.

Brody Cress rounds out the top three after he scored 84-points on 'Smoke Jumper' from Beutler and Son Rodeo. Cress has been to the NFR seven times and is starting off the 2025 season looking to make it eight. He has already banked $14,154 in earnings for his World Standings.

Tie-Down Roping

Some of the tie-down ropers have already made two runs and hold an average time at the Sandhills Stock Show and Rodeo.

Brey Yore made his way from Rupert, Idaho to be the best on two so far. With a time of 9.5 seconds in the first round, Yore earned $1,219 for the fifth place spot. He came back and tied his second calf in 8.9-seconds which gave him a combined time of 18.4-seconds and placed him on top of the list for the average.

Tom Crouse from Gallatin, Missouri put together two solid runs that totaled 18.6-seconds and is holding down the number two spot overall. Crouse was a little long in round one with his 10.1-second run but still good enough to earn a small check of $222 for eighth. In round two, Crouse came back and was much faster with his 8.5-second time.

Garrett Jacobs is currently third in the average with a 19.3-second total, but there are a lot of stellar calf ropers left to go. Jacobs was a consistent with his runs at 9.7 in round one and then 9.6 in round two. Time will tell on the average check but Jacobs already earned $886 in round one.

Taking a look at the Round No. 1 completed results, here are the money winners:

1. Michael Otero, 8.6 seconds, $2,548
2. Shad Mayfield, 8.7, $2,216
3. Hagen Houck, 8.8, $1,883
4. Colton Greene, 9.1, $1,551
5. Brey Yore, 9.5, $1,219
6. Garrett Jacobs, 9.7, $886
7. Britt Bedke, 10.0, $554
8. Tom Crouse, 10.1, $222.

Breakaway Roping

As usual, the breakaway ropers lit up the arena with their smoking fast times. The best of the best gathered and their talent is unmistakeable.

Karen Little from San Saba, Texas was the fastest girl in town with her 1.8-second run.

Taylor Munsell, NFR qualifier, was right behind Little when she roped her calf in 1.9-seconds.

There is currently a tie for third and fourth with Payton Scalzo and Jordi Edens who both roped their calves in 2.0-seconds flat.

Showing just how tough the breakaway roping has become, the top ten times on the leaderboard so far are split by only one-half second.

Barrel Racing

With well over 100 entries in the barrel race, this is a star-studded affair. The barrel racers all receive just one run instead of two like some of the other timed events.

After three performances and the entire slack complete, Pawhuska, Oklahoma's NFR qualifier, Wenda Johnson leads the pack. She completed the pattern in 14.79-seconds which was just ahead of Sharin Hall who stopped the clock at 14.80.

Katie Halbert is making a comeback in 2025 after her horse suffered a severe injury that put a halt on their 2024 season. Halbert and her mount look strong so far and are winning third thus far with a 14.89 second run.

Very close to the lead and finishing out the top six are Stephanie Fryar, Cassidy Dean and Julie Plourde who all turned in 14.90-second runs.

Bull Riding

The Beutler and Bros Rodeo string brought their elite line of bulls to Odessa and the results show that fact. The top 12 spots in the standings so far have been their bulls.

Pinedale, New Mexico brought Vinell Mariano in the bull riding and the 24-year-old performed. He rode 'Shake N Bake' for 86-points to be the clear leader so far.

Colten Fritzlan took on 'Black Panther' and made the whistle to put 81.5-points on the board and hold down the number two position.

Kobe Whitford and 'Dracula' finish out the top three after their combined efforts posted an 80-point score.

There is still a long list of talent left to ride so all of these scores and positions are in danger of being moved, but nevertheless, these athletes have all started out their new season with success.