Puyallup Shifts Rough Stock World Standings, Who's Left With Chance At NFR

Puyallup may have been the last chance for some athletes to make the top 15, while others are looking to Pendleton for a final cash grab.

Wacey Schalla | Omar Ornelas/El Paso Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

The end of the 2025 rodeo season is racing towards a finish, with only a few rodeos left and Puyallup just finishing, athletes around the country are fighting to the finish line at the National Finals Rodeo.

In just a few short weeks, the top 15 riders from each rodeo event will be announced as competitors at the NFR, and there has been a shift in the world standings this week. 

Bull riding is one of the biggest money makers in rodeo. Currently Stetson Wright holds the No.1 spot in the world with almost $350,000 earned this season, but a bad injury at the Puyallup Rodeo could lead to a shift in where he stands ahead of the NFR. He’s fighting five broken ribs on his left side, as well as a punctured lung and pelvic injury but hopes to be healed in time to compete in December. 

Just $13,000 behind Wright is Wacey Schalla, he’s secured his spot in the top two, as Tristin Hutchings (No. 3) has nearly $78,000 to make up. The battle between Wright and Schalla will be fought for the rest of the year as the two will likely have their final face off in the Thomas and Mack arena for the world title. 

Two of the best athletes in the world won’t just see the bull riding arena. Also battling for the best all-around cowboy spot, Wright sits at No. 10 in saddle bronc riding, just ahead of his brother, Statler, while Schalla sits at No. 11 in bareback riding. 

The No. 15 and No. 16 spots in bull riding are going to come down to the wire, as Luke Mast (No. 15) leads Luke Mackey (No. 16) by barely $100. There’s a $20,000 between Mast and Qynn Andersen (No. 10) so the real struggle in the next few weeks will come from the athletes on the bubble who are trying to beat out No. 11 through No. 15. 

Bareback riding looks a bit different as Rocker Steiner (No. 1) sits $80,000 in front of Bradlee Miller at No. 2. Steiner has secured $253,498 this season, compared to Miller’s $183,785. Jess Pope (No. 3) is only $3,000 behind Miller but there’s almost a $20,000 difference from the third to the fifth spot, held by Sam Petersen (No. 4) and Garrett Shadbolt (No. 5). 

With a $11,000 difference between Waylon Bourgeois (No. 10) and R.C. Landingham (No. 15). Schalla is $3,000 away from making the top 10. Jacek Frost (No. 16) is only $2,000 away from stealing the 15th spot from Landingham. 

The Wright Brother's Are Dominating Across Rough Stock Events

Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The Wright brothers are dominating this year, as Ryder Wright sits at the top of the saddle bronc standings with $283,526 earned. $50,000 behind him is Dawson Hay at No. 2 where just $1,000 away is Damian Brennan at No. 3.

The battle between No. 2 and 3 will be hard fought as the season rounds out. Stetson Wright moved into the top 10, inching out his brother Statler (No. 11), there’s a $7,000 difference between the two. 

Lefty Holman had $4,000 to make up if he wants to make the top 15, he’s behind Ben Andersen. Essentially, no one else in the saddle bronc bubble has a shot of making the finals this year. 

With Pendleton coming up, this is the last chance for athletes to make it big in the 2025 rodeo season. With the top 10 basically secured in all events, the final battle for spots 11 through 15 will come down to the wire.