Team Roping Underdogs Set World Standings Standard After RODEOHOUSTON

RodeoHouston is one of the biggest stages that rodeo athletes see throughout the season. With a payout of over $2.2 million, a cash prize here will surely shake up the world standings. Now, the champions are set in stone and some underdogs have taken the lead in team roping.

Rice and Freeman Land On Top

Korbin Rice stepped into the arena this season with something to prove. Since joining the PRCA in 2023, the cowboy has yet to see a qualification for the National Finals Rodeo. But, as the season continues, he is proving to be one to beat, now sitting at No. 1 in the world standings with $79,836.

It was ultimately his performance in Houston that pushed him to the top. The header was paired with Cooper Freeman during the shootout round and they dominated with a 4.6-second run, taking home the win and $65,000 each.

The win puts him ahead of Jake Smith (No. 2) by more than $30,000, a gap that will only get harder to close for those behind Rice as the season continues. World champion Kaleb Driggers sits in No. 3 and there is less than $2,000 separating him and Smith.

Out of everyone in the top five, including Bubba Buckaloo (No. 4) and Dustin Egusquiza (No. 5), Rice is the only cowboy reaching for his first NFR qualification. Now that he’s at the top of the leaderboard, he’ll have to continue to run hungry if he wants to stay in the lead.

This position is huge for Rice as he has never been ranked before, so landing in the No. 1 spot will surely be a confidence boost heading into the summer months.

Summer Rodeos Could Shake Things Up Again

As a heeler, Freeman has never seen the Thomas & Mack arena either, so when the two were paired together, no one thought they could achieve such a feat as winning RODEOHOUSTON. As fate would have it, the pair now sit in the first place spot, Freeman also pulling ahead of Douglas Rich (No. 2) by more than $30,000 as well.

Former world champion heeler Junior Nunes Nogueira is holding strong in the No. 3 spot, with Trent Vaught in fourth. $6,000 separates the two cowboys in the standings, which could mean a world of difference come October. Cole Curry rounds out the top five, less than $1,000 behind Vaught.

With the amount of cash earned at RodeoHouston, it puts the winners in a totally new playing field. Two cowboys who have never seen the top 10 are now leading by a mile thanks to their win at one rodeo. While this puts them well ahead of their competitors, they will have to continue to be at the top of their game if they want to both secure a trip to the NFR.

It’s typical to see winners from Houston go on to Las Vegas, so these two underdogs could be well on their way, but summer rodeos will level the playing field and only those with the stamina to win can make the top 15