Playoffs Points vs. Earnings: Big Opportunities for Bull Riders at Puyallup

The Playoffs Series will drastically impact the NFR race, and with the field set for Puyallup, we are taking a deeper look at the bull riding standings.

Clayton Sellars | Fernando Sam-Sin

The field is set for Puyallup, Wash., one of the most critical stops along the 2026 Playoffs Series Tour. Athletes earned their positions by racking up points at Playoffs rodeos throughout the season, and the cutoff for Puyallup was August 24.

We have taken a deep dive into bareback riding and saddle bronc riding, so let's take a look at bull riding and how the points compare to the World Standings.

The Playoffs Series

Trevor Reiste claiming the Puyallup win in 2025 | Fernando Sam-Sin/@fsamsin

Prior to the past few years, the Playoffs Series concluded in Puyallup. When the Governor's Cup in Sioux Falls, S.D., was added to the schedule, Puyallup became another key stop along the way.

There are more Playoffs rodeos following Puyallup, but as the first major event with a cutline, the Washington event will help determine which cowboys and cowgirls have a shot to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo (NFR). 

The Playoffs Series is tracked through points, based on a complex percentage earning structure. Whether the rodeo is a single round, tournament, or average style factors in.

Playoffs points are what qualify athletes for Puyallup and Sioux Falls, but the monetary earnings of the World Standings are what secure their positions for the NFR.

In short: the points standings are totally separate from the World Standings, where we focus on the top 15 athletes in each event, ranked by money earned. Those monetary earnings include Playoffs Series rodeos and smaller rodeos not included in the Playoffs. 

The Playoffs Series is also important to money earned, because qualifying for these rodeos is crucial, as they offer some of the biggest payouts of the entire season.

If an athlete is within the top 15 of the World Standings but was not able to capitalize on Playoffs rodeos, they may be outside of the top 23 in the Playoffs Series points. 

The top 23 from the Playoffs Standings and NFR Open winners in each event are invited to Puyallup.

If an athlete is on the bubble or outside the top 15 and did not qualify for Puyallup, they have their work cut out for them for the next 30 days.

Bull Riding

It has been an unbelievable year of bull riding, and the immense gap in the standings proves it.

1. Noah Lee — $328,972.14
2. Tristen Hutchings — $286,046.47
3. Luke Mackey — $222,196.23
4. Hudson Bolton — $203,210.65
5. Stetson Wright — $199,167.00
6. Hayden Welsh — $196,446.50
7. T.J. Gray — $193,762.36
8. John Crimber — $162,321.02
9. Lane Vaughan — $157,610.52
10. Qynn Andersen — $150,391.31
11. Cooper James — $139,889.07
12. Jake Gardner — $132,682.74
13. Braxton Whitesell — $130,936.22
14. Colten Fritzlan — $126,804.07
15. Josh Frost — $117,734.24
16. Cullen Telfer — $115,644.41
17. Tristan Mize — $112,917.63
18. Clayton Sellars — $112,565.06
19. Mason Moody — $111,903.40
20. Koby Jacobson — $110,383.65
21. T Parker — $105,617.04
22. Jace Trosclair — $105,088.39
23. Colton Byram — $104,822.87
24. Eyer Morrison — $99,456.04
25. Grady Young — $95,355.92
26. Bryce Jensen — $94,348.18

From the World Standings, only three cowboys inside the top 15 will not ride in Puyallup: John Crimber, Cooper James, and Jake Gardner.

Young gun John Crimber only purchased his PRORODEO card in February 2026, so he was playing catch-up without the luxury of limited-entry rodeos that many of his peers qualified for. He is the "safest" of the three in terms of a 2026 NFR bid, currently ranked No. 8, and $50,000 above the top 15 cutline.

It is worth noting that Crimber is only one hole out, as he was No. 24 in the Playoffs Standings as of August 24. If there are any medical releases or draw-outs, he could move onto the Puyallup roster.

Several more cowboys are within striking distance of the top 15, but did not qualify for Puyallup: Mason Moody, T Parker, Colton Byram, Grady Young, and Bryce Jensen. These cowboys will have to capitalize at other rodeos in the next 30 days to try and boost their earnings.

Perhaps the most unique statistic of bull riding is the number of cowboys outside of the top 15 in the World Standings who qualified for Puyallup: Dawson Branton, Dakota Hill, Dalton Allred, and Billy Quillan. Though these cowboys are long shots for NFR qualifications, they can set up their next season at these major playoff events.