Pre-NFR Analysis: Cowboys in Contention for 2024 Bareback Riding World Championship

One of the tightest races of the season, the bareback riding has been on fire over the past few years with young guns who came into professional rodeo blazing. Who stands to challenge for the World title?

Teal Stoll | Dec 4, 2024

Rocker Steiner at the 2023 NFR / Hillary Maybery for Rodeo on SI

The 2024 NFR

With rounds paying over $30,000 and the average paying over $80,000, the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo will undoubtedly cause some major shakeups in the World Standings. Nearly $500,000 will be up for grabs in each event during the ten rounds in Las Vegas and that amount of money means no one is safe in the standings. Only $104,000 separates first to fifteenth currently in the bareback riding.

The Cowboys

Sitting first in the World is Rocker Steiner and something tells me it will be hard to take that position away from the electric young cowboy. Last year, he earned over $122,000 at the NFR, winning three rounds with a score of 87 points or higher. He also placed in five rounds. Steiner has been on fire this year, with $233,319 in season earnings. A second place finish at the Governor's Cup in Sioux Falls, S.D., the final weekend of the regular season was enough to push him into first in the World.

Not far behind Steiner is Keenan Hayes in second with $219,083. Hayes also had an outstanding 2024 season, following his breakout season in 2023. Last year, he became the first rookie in history to win the PRCA Bareback Riding World Championship. Placing in five rounds and winning the tenth round with a 90-point ride, Hayes proved that he could show up under the pressure. Undoubtedly, he won't go down without a fight as he seeks his second consecutive gold buckle.

The remainder of the top five are seperated by only $1,500. Leighton Berry ($172,955), Dean Thompson ($172,196), and R.C. Landingham ($171,420) are all within two round wins ($60,000) of Rocker Steiner. Jess Pope is close behind them, with $168,154.

Sitting seventh in the World is 2024 Rookie of the Year, Weston Timberman. He has earned $154,100 this year. Three round wins would move him to the top of the World.

The bareback riding was one of the tightest races all year and at the end of the regular season, it remained that way. Positions 8-13 are seperated by less than $2,500. These cowboys could all climb the standings substantially with an average win and/or some round money.

Essentially, I don't feel like we can count anyone out in this year's race. With the highest payouts we have ever seen at the NFR, it will be a race until the tenth round and the average money will be critical to this race. We have seen some crazy happenings at the National Finals Rodeo in the past and you just never know what may happen. It will be exciting to see which cowboy comes out on top with a gold buckle, when the dust settles.

Published Dec 4, 2024

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.