NFR Star Quality Horses Show Up With Top-Ranked Steer Wrestlers

Meet the top 15 bulldoggers, their mounts, and hazers headed to the 2025 NFR.

Will Lummus | Fernando Sam-Sin

Every year the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) brings an incredibly talented group of steer wrestlers. This year we are focusing on the horses that will be with these big men, and the horses are just as talented as the men who are riding them. Every one of these qualifiers would tell you that the horse matters as much or more.

Who is Riding Swamper?

The big man Will Lummus is heading to the bright lights and big city, ranked in the No. 1 position after winning $195,116 this season. Lummus will be riding Swamper, registered as“Off The Fence”, owned by Broom Tree Ranch LLC.

Swamper was voted second for the AQHA Nutrena Horse of the Year in 2025 by his peers. Winsten McGraw will be hazing on his haze horse Lucky, registered as “Hes a Lucky Charm“.

The Byhalia, Miss., cowboy is on his eighth NFR qualification, looking to win his first world title. In 2021, Lummus won the prestigious NFR average title.

Lummus has a nearly $30,000 lead over the remaining pack; however, with each round paying over $35,000, it only takes one night to reset the leaderboard. Truthfully, the race for the world title is far from over.

Along with Lummus, Swamper, Lucky, and Winsten will be backing in the box with five-time world champion Tyler Waguespack, "Wags".

Wags enters Las Vegas in the No. 8 position with $135,824 in money won. He has won two NFR average titles and an astounding 18 rounds at the NFR. He remains, as always, a contender for a world title as well.

The No. 9-ranked steer wrestler, Dakota Eldridge, will be competing in his 12th NFR, which is the most NFR appearances in the field this year.  He, too, will be aboard Swamper with Winsten beside him, assisting as his hazer riding Lucky. Eldridge has earned an impressive $124,916 in 2025.

AQHA Horse of the Year Banker Assists Several Talents

Baker City, Ore., cowboy Jesse Brown is making his sixth straight NFR appearance. This year, he comes to the Thomas & Mack in the No. 2 position. Brown will be aboard the 2025 AQHA Nutrena Horse of the Year Banker. AQHA registerd, “Tell Em PYC”, owned by Justin Shaffer, has assisted Brown in earning $162,157 this season. Shaffer will serve as the hazer with his horse, Delemonte, “Strawfly Miracle”.

Banker will be using his skills to not only bring Brown to the bank, but Justin Shaffer and Tucker Allen will be aboard him as well. Shaffer is attending his second NFR in the No. 3 position and Tucker is making his second appearance in Las Vegas ranking No. 5.

Justin will haze for Tucker, then they will swap sides, where Tucker will jump on Delemonte to haze for Shaffer.

Shaffer will bring Stingray, “Tuff Rey” as a backup hazing horse. Banker’s brother, Teller “Telle Em Corona,” who made his pro rodeo debut this year, assisting in getting the rig to the pay window multiple times, will be attending as a backup bulldogging horse.

With Banker mounting the No. 2, 3, and 5-ranked steer wrestler, there is no doubt he will be a monumental part in chasing a world title.

The Famous NFR Veteran 'Crush'

Rowdy Parrott won $150,877 to secure the No. 4-ranked position in the regular rodeo season, which helped him cross the $1,000,000 mark in career earnings. The Louisiana cowboy will be mounted on the infamous Crush, “Finding Meno” owned by TC Equine LLC. 

Crush was voted third for the AQHA Nutrena Horse of the Year. Rowdy’s brother, Remey, will be hazing on "JC" for Parrott and Crush. As Rowdy heads into his 5th NFR, expect him to be a huge contender in both the rounds and the average.

Crush is a NFR veteran and is no doubt a great pick to ride in the famous yellow arena. When Stetson Jorgensen’s main mount Mable sustained a minor injury, taking her out of the rodeo, he didn’t hesitate to use Crush this year at the finals. Kyle Irwin will be hazing for Stetson on his horse Bruno, “Watch me Be Great”.

Jorgensen is attending his 6th NFR in 2025, ranked No. 7 with $136,029 in earnings. He will also bring along Fling, “Night Fling” for a backup steer wrestling horse. Jorgensen’s backup haze horse will be Jasper.

Ty Erickson will not only be bringing his horse for Rowdy and Stetson, but he also gets to back into the box this December on Crush for his 10th NFR appearance. Erickson is the 14th ranked bulldogger for 2025. Erickson will keep things consistent and have Remey Parrott haze on JC for him as well.

World Champion Struxness Will Pair Up With 'Ice'

Ranked sixth in the world, the reigning world champion steer wrestler, J.D. Struxness will be making an attempt at a repeat in 2025. Struxness has seven NFR qualifications under his belt thus far in his career. J.D. will be riding his horse Ice.

Other Equine Talents To Watch

We will get to see the fabulous mare Monroe, “Pixi Golden Streak“ owned by Ringo Robinson back in the Thomas & Mack with the talented Kyle Irwin this year. The APHA mare has always been a standout in the T&M and we do not expect anything less this year.

Irwin originally had planned to bring back Baby, “Baby Done Country” Sam Dixon’s horse to the finals, but after tragically losing her, he contacted Ringo to bring the blonde bombshell back to the big show.

Irwin is ranked No. 10 and he is here for his seventh NFR. He will bring one of the best hazers known to the industry, Tyler Pearson, to haze for him. Pearson will ride Irwin’s horse Bruno.

The only Canadian cowboy in the pack of steer wrestlers, Scott Guenthner, secured his NFR spot after winning the 2025 Calgary Stampede. Guenthner will bring NFR veteran horse Eddie, “Eds Famous Bar” owned by Tanner Milan as his main mount. Eddie is the 2023 AQHA Nutrena Horse of the Year.

Bridger Anderson comes into the finals No. 12 after he won $109,328 in season earnings. Anderson is bringing his horse Whiskers to steer wrestle on and he has secured Tyler Pearson and one of the winningest haze horses of all time Metallica, “All Fame No Shame”. The grey gelding is iconic in the T&M hazing for multiple world champions, millions of dollars, and more round wins you can count. This will be Bridger’s third NFR.

The 13th-ranked bulldogger headed to Sin City is NFR Rookie Chance Howard. Howard earned his back number after a big check from Sioux Falls this fall. He will be mounted on his horse that he trained in 2021, Train, “RC Train to Shawnee”. Travis Burgett will be hazing for Howard on his horse Gilley.

Another NFR Rookie completes the field of 15 steer wrestlers. Gavin Soileau, from Bunkie, La., secured the final NFR position with just over $1,500 more than the No. 16 position. He will be riding his horse Dash, “VF Hez on Fire”. Both Soileau and Dash might be rookies in Las Vegas, but they made a solid choice by bringing the veterans Tyler Pearson and Metallica to have on their right.

Just under $90,000 separates Will Lummus in position No. 1 and Soileau, ranked No. 15. That may sound like quite a gap, but with each round win paying over $35,000, and the average paying over $94,000, the steer wrestling world title is anyone's to take home.

2025 NFR Steer Wrestling World Standings

1. Will Lummus - $195,115.71
2.   Jesse Brown - $162,156.51     
3.    Justin Shaffer - $155,773.24
4.   Rowdy Parrott - $150,867.62
5. Tucker Allen - $150,867.48
6.    J.D. Struxness - $138,672.06               
7.   Stetson Jorgensen - $136,028.71                
8.  Tyler Waguespack - $135,824.23  
9.  Dakota Eldridge - $124,916.06                  
10.  Kyle Irwin – $113,220.46
11.  Scott Guenthner - $112,607.29       
12. Bridger Anderson - $109,327.58     
13. Chance Howard - $108,298.10       
14. Ty Erickson - $105,960.29          
 15. Gavin Soileau - $105,898.52             

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