Rodeo Star Shad Mayfield Is Within Striking Distance of Another NFR

The two-time world champion tie-down roper was sidelined early in the season due to his injuries, but now he's making a comeback right as time in the regular season runs out.

Shad Mayfield | PRCA Facebook

There are still two weeks left in the 2026 regular rodeo season for athletes to make their mark and earn a spot at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in December. Tie-down roper Shad Mayfield faced a huge setback early in the season, but now he’s working to bounce back and secure his spot in the top 15 before time runs out.

Back and Better Than Ever

The two-time world champion was taken out of the arena early in the season to undergo multiple major hip surgeries after years of pushing through torn labrums and femoroacetabular impingement.

While he missed the first half of the season, he re-entered the competition at the Reno Rodeo in June, where he finished third, pocketing over $8,000 in his first weekend back. Since then, he has been fighting his way back to the top. 

Despite all his efforts, he still sits at No. 14 in the standings, just $3,000 away from being pushed out. As these athletes know, it only takes one check to shake up the world standings and change the course of a season. Now, he’s pocketed $118,226 on the season and is going to make the most of the last two weeks in order to clinch that spot in the Thomas & Mack. 

The legendary cowboy has faced adversity before this season, and that has never stopped him. After finishing as the reserve world champion last season, he underwent his first surgery, which was followed by his second just a few months later. After a slow start, he came back with something to prove at the beginning of the summer. 

Massive Comeback For The Cowboy

Shad Mayfield in the arena. | Nathan Meyer Photography

He quickly picked things up where he left off after Reno, clinching a second-place finish and a $10,000 check at the NFR Open at the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo. Just days later, he scored his first win of the season at the California Rodeo Salinas, pocketing another $10,000.

It’s clear that Mayfield had money on his mind as he returned and found success when it mattered most at those big summer rodeos. 

Mayfield has secured four other rodeo wins during his summer run in the arena. Most recently his run at the iconic Puyallup Rodeo scored him another check for over $10,000 after winning the first two rounds and placing fourth in the final. 

Although he’s at No. 14 right now, two weeks is plenty of time for this world champion cowboy to make his way back to the top. He’s riding on some great momentum right now, and if all goes well, Mayfield will give Riley Webb (No. 1) and Haven Meged (No. 2) a run for their money in Las Vegas come December.