NFR Preview: Bareback Rider Mason Stuller Has Battled His Way To First NFR Bid

The 2026 rodeo season has come to an end and the top 15 athletes in each event are set in stone. While some are no strangers to the National Finals Rodeo (NFR), others are taking on the beast for the first time. At No. 15 in the bareback world standings, Mason Stuller now has his first chance at claiming the world title.

Stuller's First NFR Season

Since joining ProRodeo in 2023, the 22-year old cowboy out of Veneta, Oregon has been battling his way through the rankings to land where he is now. After finishing at No. 26 last season, he came back for blood this year and ended up right where he wanted to be.

With five rodeo wins under his belt this season, Stuller has accumulated $133,837, giving him some solid wiggle room as he was $11,000 ahead of the No. 16 cowboy at the end of the season. Now, with months to prepare for the Thomas & Mack Arena, Stuller will have to come in hot in order to move up in the standings and have a chance at earning the title.

His final win of the season happened in late September, which ultimately pushed him over the edge and into that No. 15 spot. He won the Sheriff's PRCA Rodeo with an 87-point ride for a check of $6,521. He was on a roll that week as that wasn’t the only check he earned to round out the season.

Super Charged Late-Season Run

Just in the last month of the season, Stuller pulled in 10 checks to add to his prize pot for a total of $27,335, one of the biggest earning months of any cowboy for the year. It was this red hot run that put him in contention for the NFR, and his hard work paid off as he cleared his way to Las Vegas.

With an average ride score of 85.5, Stuller finds himself on par with some of bareback riding's best athletes. As of now, he’s only a point behind Bradlee Miller’s average score of 86.67-points. Despite them being matched in skill, Stuller will still have his work cut out for him if he wants to close the gap between him and No. 1 Miller’s $303,910.

Coming fresh off an amazing summer, this cowboy will have to hold on to this momentum if he wants to find success in the Thomas & Mack Arena. While things can be intimidating to an NFR rookie, when he first sees his name up in lights, the NFR is the true testament to just how much grit a cowboy can have.

Stuller may have a huge feat ahead of him in the bareback arena, but it’s clear he is not one to back down from a fight.

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