Rocker Steiner Hot on Wacey Schalla's Heels in Bareback World Standings

As the regular season of rodeo charges on, the frontrunners to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo are making themselves known. In the bareback riding, the Top 15 is full of past NFR qualifiers and World Champions, but a few fresh faces have broken their way into the top.

Wacey Schalla, the 20-year-old phenom who has already qualified three times to the NFR, leads the bareback standings. Schalla's first NFR qualification came in the bull riding, and he made a competitive run for the All-Around title in 2025, but fell short to Stetson Wright.

Schalla started his career as, "a bull rider who gets on bareback horses," as many announcers phrased it. However, in 2025, he took on that narrative and became a force to be reckoned with in both events.

With a win on Calgary Stampede's Disco Party at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo and his recent success at RODEOHOUSTON, Schalla has worked his way to No. 1 in the bareback riding standings with $93,477 won. There are still a lot of rodeos left, but Schalla is essentially a shoo-in for the finals with such a massive amount of early winnings.

What's less secure, is Schalla's claim on the No. 1 spot. 2025 Bareback Riding World Champion, Rocker Steiner, trails Schalla by less than $3,000, and he is hot off of a massive win at RODEOHOUSTON.

Now that Steiner has tasted a gold buckle, it will likely be difficult for Schalla to fend him off for long.

A few new faces have joined NFR talks, including Luke Thrash (No. 9) and Mason Stuller (No. 10). The two cowboys are the only ones among the current Top 15 who have yet to qualify for the NFR.

Thrash, who has steadily ranked within the top 40 for the past few years, hasn't had much of a headline win so far this season. While he has won steady checks at RODEOHOUSTON and a round win in San Antonio, the Texas cowboy's season has been noticeably absent of any major checks. Instead, his early-season success at the Southeastern Circuit Finals and several other rodeos has put him into the top of the standings.

Thrash will need to keep things rolling, as he is surrounded by several cowboys who are also deadset on making the finals, including Jess Pope (No. 7), Cooper Cooke (No. 8) and Tilden Hooper (No. 11).

A cowboy everyone should definitely keep an eye on is 2023 World Champion, Keenan Hayes (No. 12). Hayes missed the 2025 season with a groin injury, but he came back on fire and won two of the first rodeos after his return.

Hayes will no doubt be eager to make up for lost time and should be a major contender as the season progresses.

PRCA Bareback Riding World Standings as of 2/24/2026

Wacey Schalla $93,477
Rocker Steiner $90,734
Bradlee Miller $84,592
Jacob Lees $59,134
R.C. Landingham $47,968
Cole Reiner $40,231
Jess Pope $39,707
Cooper Cooke $37,070
Luke Thrash $37,070
Mason Stuller $34,900
Tilden Hooper $33,202
Keenan Hayes $31,236
Sam Petersen $28,402
Kade Sonnier $27,756
Leighton Berry $27,575