Where Are 2024 Rough Stock World Champions As 2025 NFR Kicks Off

Today we take a deep dive into the 2024 gold buckle winners and where they are now, with the 2025 NFR looming on the horizon.

Ryder Wright | Nathan Meyer Photography

With the 2025 National Finals Rodeo set to begin in just a few days, we wanted to take a look at the 2024 World Champions and where they are now. Who has a chance to repeat their efforts and who ran into issues in 2025?

All-Around

Shad Mayfield | Nathan Meyer Photography

It was a photo finish for the 2024 All-Around Cowboy World Championship. Coming down to the wire in Round 10, Shad Mayfield knew what he needed to do to take home the gold buckle. Mayfield squeaked in, just four-tenths of a second under the time he needed to be to take the win. This marked his first All-Around title.

This year, it looks like the battle will come down to two rough stock cowboys- Stetson Wright and Wacey Schalla. While both are bull riders, Wright will compete in the saddle bronc riding and Schalla the bareback riding. Currently, Wright leads the way by roughly $30,000. When the rounds will pay more than that in Las Vegas, a lead can be dissolved in a hurry.

Bareback Riding

Dean Thompson | Nathan Meyer for Rodeo On SI

Another event that came down to the performances on the final night, the bareback riding was a nail-biter. Dean Thompson was fourth in the World Standings when the night began and came out as the No. 1 man, taking home his first gold buckle. Finishing second in Round 20 and winning the average pushed him over $113,000 in earnings on the final night alone. He finished the season with $412,121 in total earnings.

Thompson is returning to the NFR this year, currently ranked No. 8 with $166,536. While Rocker Steiner may be tough to get around, already over $303,000 in season earnings, there is so much money on the table throughout these 10 rounds that it is truly any man's game and Thompson very much stands a chance to repeat his gold buckle feat.

Saddle Bronc Riding

Ryder Wright | Yfat Yossifor / San Angelo Standard-Times

Ryder Wright currently sits in the same place he left off last year: No. 1 in the World. In 2024, he earned his third gold buckle after splitting the win in Round 10 of the NFR. He banked over $228,000 throughout the 10 days in Vegas, placing in eight of the 10 rounds, finishing his year at $479,957.

Wright is once again No. 1 at $293,000. He had an oustanding season in 2025, but Damian Brennan is not far behind at $278,153. Dawson Hay, Zeke Thurston, Kade Bruno, and Brody Wells have all earned over $200,000 this season and we know how quickly those numbers could change with so much money up for grabs every night.

Bull Riding

Josh Frost | MEEGAN M. REID/KITSAP SUN / USA TODAY NETWORK

Josh Frost knew heading into Round 10 of the 2024 NFR that the gold buckle was almost certainly his. After riding seven of his 10 bulls and earning over $169,000 in round money, Frost bagged his first World Championship.

Frost will not be returning to the 2025 NFR. Shortly after he returned home from his big win, Frost had shoulder surgery that benched him for much of the 2025 season. We have no doubt we will see him back to his winning ways in the future.

The lead this year currently belongs to All-Around contender, Wacey Schalla. Schalla is only 20 years old, but has been to the NFR once in this event already (2024) and is quickly becoming a seasoned veteran.

It should be an interesting 10 days in Las Vegas, with the winner of each round banking over $36,000 and the Average win paying $94,000. Will we see any back-to-back World Champions?

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