These Timed Event Cowboys Could Be the Biggest NFR Dark Horses of 2025

The NFR is set to kick off on Thursday and some could play spoiler this year.

Riley Pruitt at the Governor's Cup in Sioux Falls, South Dakota | Nathan Meyer Photography

The 2025 National Finals Rodeo is almost here, and in these uncertain times, with the EHV-1 outbreak, there has been a massive focus away from the other half of the equation, the contestants. While every precaution has been taken to protect the equine athletes, it seems that everyone can relax a little bit and focus on the two-legged.

The record breaking payout that will be awarded this year means that nobody is out of the running for the gold buckle no matter how far back they currently sit from the No.1 spot. There are some very familiar faces who sit at the top of the leaderboards right now in the men's timed events, but anyone is capable of playing spoiler in the next 10 days.

Contestants Worth Gambling On

Nathan Meyer Photography

Riley Webb is gunning for his third consecutive world title in the tie-down roping and is the easy frontrunner with nearly $50,000 between him and the No. 2 man, Shad Mayfield, but with over $36,000 a night going to the go-round winner, it is anyone's game.

It is hard to imagine a previous NFR average champion being deemed a "dark horse", but Riley Pruitt iIt is for sure one as that was nearly a decade ago, and this will be his first trip back to the finals since 2019. This is arguably the best horsepower he has had, and counting him out would be a mistake.

There are a pair of first-time qualifiers in the steer wrestling, Chance Howard and Gavin Soileau, but one didn't make the push into the top 15 until the final weekend, Soileau. What an underdog story would that be for the former collegiate national champion to make the jump from No.14 to first in 10 days time.

Time and time again, the Louisiana native posted runs under the four-second barrier this season, four of which came in the last two weeks of September, to bid his first trip into the Thomas & Mack.

Keep in mind there is over $118,000 in the pot each night:

• 1st $36,667.95
• 2nd $28,979.51
• 3rd $21,882.48
• 4th $15,376.88
• 5th $9,462.70
• 6th $5,914.19

Then by the end of the week the big moves will be made as the average winner will take home over $94,000.

• 1st $94,035.54
• 2nd $76,292.99
• 3rd $60,324.69
• 4th $44,356.39
• 5th $31,936.60
• 6th $23,065.32
• 7th $15,968.30
• 8th $8,871.28

It is hard to call anyone who is competing at the Thomas & Mack an underdog, but there are quite a few who have yet to win a gold buckle, but that doesn't mean their time isn't coming, and that includes both Pruitt and Soileau.

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