Which Underdog Could Come From Behind In 2025 NFR Bareback Riding Title Race?

With hundreds of thousands to potentially be earned at the NFR, it's anyone's game in the bareback riding race for the world champion title.

Mason Clements | PRCA File Photo by Mallory Beinborn

The National Finals Rodeo kicked off this Thursday (December 4th), and the best rodeo athletes from around the world are going head-to-head in the Thomas & Mack arena for the world championship title. The top 15 bareback riders are ready to take the biggest stage of their careers, but who’s most likely to come out on top? 

While it may be easy to bet on the top athletes in the game like Rocker Steiner (No. 1) and Sam Peterson (No. 2), the underdogs of the event usually bring their A-games to the arena in ways they haven’t earlier in the season. Something about the NFR inspires epic performances. 

Lower in the top 15 rankings, you have athletes like Wacey Schalla. He may sit at No. 13 in bareback riding, but he’s currently the best bull rider in the world, going into the NFR at No. 1 and sits at No.2 in the race for the all-around. Schalla is a top performer anywhere he enters the arena, and as of right now sits less than $10,000 outside of the top 10, which means one solid round could push him into the spotlight.

Bareback Riders Have Their Work Cut Out For Them In The Thomas & Mack Arena

Former bareback world champion Dean Thompson sits at No. 8 right now, but he’s proven himself to be a winner. He won the world title at the NFR just last year, and at just 23, he’s qualified for the NFR every year since he entered the PRCA in 2022. Despite being at No. 8, Thompson shouldn’t be forgotten about when it comes to taking home the title.

One last athlete in the running for the top spot is Bradlee Miller. Although he already sits at No. 3, he’s proven he has what it takes to land on top. He was at the top of his game earlier this season prior to an injury and was on track to earn more than Steiner if he’d continued his run of success he saw in the summer. 

His injury put him out for a month, but he came back with a grit like no other, one that will need to be seen at the NFR in order for him to take home the top spot. 

The Thomas & Mack arena is sure to be on fire during every round of the bareback riding, as these athletes are all fighting for their lives. The margin of error is basically non-existent once they step into the arena, and time will tell who becomes the next bareback world champion. 

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