TJ Gray Set Thomas & Mack on Fire To Win Coveted 2025 NFR Ram Top Gun Honor

The NFR has come to a close and there is a new Top Gun.

TJ Gray riding a bull at the 2025 NFR | PRCA

This year's NFR has come and gone even though it felt like opening day was just yesterday. The world champions have all been crowned and average buckles have been given out. One accolade that is awarded is a competition against all 105 competitors across the seven events, the Top Gun.

The Top Gun award is given to the contestant who won the most money across any event throughout the last 10 days of action. It is important to note that this is only for a single event so the pair of cowboys competing in two, Stetson Wright and Wacey Schalla, cannot combine winnings from both.

The winner takes home a $20,000 voucher toward a vehicle from Bill Fick Ford, a PRORODEO truck package from AgTruck and a custom rifle from Horizon Firearms. Last year it was the world champion barrel racer Kassie Mowry, who was in the running once again, but ultimately it was TJ Gray in the final event that came from behind to earn this year's title.

Quick Look at Gray's Finals

This was just the 24-year-old's second trip to the National Finals Rodeo, and boy did he make an impact as the lone bull rider to cover 7/10 bulls. This effort won him the $94,000 average check and propelled him to a reserve world title.

• Round 1: 87 points, 3rd
• Round 2: 89, 2nd
• Round 3: NS
• Round 4: NS
• Round 5: NS
• Round 6: 86, 4th
• Round 7: 90.5, 1st
• Round 8: 90.75, 1st
• Round 9: 78.75, 4th
• Round 10: 88.5, 1st/2nd
• Average Place: 1st
• World Standings: 2nd
• Total NFR Earnings: $295,655

A Top Gun Race of the Ages

Nathan Meyer Photography

Going into Round 10, there were five cowboys who had amassed more than $170,000 won, none of whom were Gray: Stetson and Statler Wright in the saddle bronc, tie-down roper Joel Harris and the team roping pair of Johnathan Torres and Kolton Schmidt.

However, if an athlete didn't win the average it was easy to assume that they weren't going to beat out anybody who did . The record-setting payday was more than $94,000, meaning Harris and the two team ropers were taken out of the running.

Statler was the frontrunner going into the final three events as he took home a check in the round with an 87.5 point ride to secure the average and a world championship, bringing his NFR earnings over $274,000.

Mowry's hit barrel in the final round dropped her from first to fourth (a $50,000 hit barrel) as well as kept her out of a round check. Even though she still took home back-to-back world titles, her fate was not the same for the Top Gun honor.

Had Stetson stayed on his final bull of the night, it would have made this a close duel between Gray and Wright, as he would have been guaranteed a round check and moved up a few spots in the average.

Instead, Gray put the pressure on everyone as he has done for the entire second half of the NFR. Even though he didn't catch him in the world, he is a reserve champion. He showed perseverance and mental toughness after getting bucked off three straight early.

There were three cowboys to win over $500,000 by the time the year was done, and mind you, Gray had less than $200,000 going into his second NFR. He put everyone on notice, and if he keeps this momentum rolling going into 2026, there could be a new world champion at this time next year.

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