Razor-Thin Margin Decides Saddle Bronc Semifinals Qualifiers in Denver

The NWSS brought extreme action for the fans in Bracket No. 3 where slim margins determined qualifiers.

Ryder Sanford | Fernando Sam-Sin

The third of eight brackets in the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo in Denver, Colo., has concluded, and three athletes in each discipline are now headed to the Semi-Finals. All three rounds of the Semi-Finals will take place on Jan. 20, and the Finals will follow on Jan. 21.

Bracket 3 was full of close-calls and dramatic finishes as rodeo athletes battled it out for a chance at the title in Denver.

Roughstock Semi-Finals Qualifiers

In the bareback riding, Carson Hildre took the top spot in the average for Bracket 3, spurring On Your Own of Cervi Championship Rodeo for 85.5 points in the second round. He finished with an aggregate score of 169 points on two horses, which will advance him to the Semi-Finals.

Joining Hildre in the Semifinals will be Sage Allen and Luke Thrash. Allen finished in the No.2 spot in the average with 163 points on two horses. He took the win in Round 1 with an 85-point ride on Cervi Championship Rodeo's Jelly Bean.

After a dominant ride in Round 1, Ryder Sanford held on for the saddle bronc average win with 163 points on two horses. Sanford's 87-point ride aboard Cervi Championship Rodeo's Dogstar is the highest-marked saddle bronc ride of the 2026 National Western Stock Show and Rodeo so far.

Also advancing in the saddle bronc riding is the young gun, Gus Gaillard, who finished just a half-point behind Sanford with 162.5 points on two horses. The third qualifying spot fell to Tanner Butner with 161 points on two horses.

Colton Fritzlan landed atop the tough-as-nails bull riding in Bracket 3 with 167.5 points on two bulls. Fritzlan will be joined in the Semifinals by Hayden Welsh and Cullen Telfer.

20-year-old Welsh, who won more than $147,000 on his permit last year, was awarded a reride bull and took full advantage by finishing No.2 in the average with 161 points on two bulls.

Timed Event Semifinals Qualifiers

It was a brutal showing across the board in the Bracket 3 steer wrestling, as only two steer wrestlers stopped the clock on both steers. Jake Holmes took the average win with 9.5 seconds on two steers.

Joining Holmes is brothers, David and Sam Gallagher. David Gallagher finished strong in Round 2 with a 4.8-second run to make him 11.3 seconds on two steers and the No. 2 man in the average. Sam Gallagher bounced back from a no time in the first round and slammed his second steer in 4.0 seconds to narrowly qualify for the next round of competition.

The tie-down roping ended in dramatic fashion as the last man to go, Travis Staley, clocked the fastest time of the night to jump to the No.1 spot in the average. As the last roper to compete, Staley knew he only had to be faster than 11.2 seconds to qualify for the Semfinals. However, rather than play it safe, Staley blasted his calf and clocked an 8.6-second run to win Round 2 and the average.

Ace Reese and Bryson Sechrist will join Staley in the Semifinals.

Jamie Olsen came out swinging in Round 1 of the barrel racing with a blazing 15.18-second run. She came back and finished strong in the second round and finished with an aggregate time of 30.48 seconds on 2 runs.

Leslie Smalygo and Emily Ward will join Olsen in the Semifinals following steller performances from both barrel racers. Smalygo's first run was slightly off-pace, but she clocked a 15.17-second run in Round 2 to move her into qualifying position.

Jesse Jolly and Cody Lane finished No. 1 in the team roping average with 14.6 seconds on two steers. Josh Kurfiss and Joey Menegatti clocked a 6.1-second run in Round 2 to finish No. 2 in the average with 17.6 seconds on two steers.

Joining the two pairs in the Semifinals is Clayton Van Aken and Porter Bryant, who's wild, but effective runs in the bracket will move them forward to the next round.

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