Plot Twists in NFR Round 6 Affect Multiple World Championship Races

Some of these storylines may seem like they came straight out of a movie, but rodeo fans are watching them play out in real time.

Riley Webb | Nathan Meyer Photography

Round 6 of the 2025 National Finals Rodeo (NFR) brought more twists and turns in the road to the gold buckle. As we head into the final rounds, it is becoming clearer the role the Average will play in deciding who walks away from Las Vegas as a World Champion.

Steer Wrestling

Ty Erickson | Nathan Meyer Photography

Ty Erickson entered the NFR in the No. 14 position, but he and his great horse "Crush" cannot be counted out of this World Championship race. He earned his second round win of the week in Round 6 and moved up to No. 6 in the average. A no time in Round 5 looked devastating for the Montana cowboy pursuing his second gold buckle, but he is proving that this rodeo is not over until Round 10.

Team Roping

Jade Corkhill | Nathan Meyer Photography

The Average race will likely be the deciding factor in determining which team ropers take home a World Championship and Round 6 brought major changes. Two of the three teams who had a time on all five of their steers walked out of the arena with a no time. With the standings currently, it appears we could see a split team taking home the gold.

Coming into the night, two teams were separated by one-tenth of a second in the Average. When Andrew Ward was unable to fish his loop on, he and Jake Long exited the arena without a qualified run. One team remains with a time on all six steers: Clint Summers and Jade Corkill. No one can say these cowboys took the safe route, going for the round win with a 3.5-second run and finishing second.

Tie-Down Roping

Riley Webb | Nathan Meyer Photography

The talented young cowboys of the tie-down roping have certainly reinvigorated this event. A rivalry between the two great ropers who came into the rodeo as No. 1 and No. 2 in the World just continues to heat up. Shad Mayfield leads the World by just $6,000, but Riley Webb moved into the No. 2 spot in the Average last night.

The pair turned in the same time (7.5 seconds) in Round 6, tying for fourth-place checks. Mayfield's Round 5 calf kicked free of what appeared to be a solid tie, bumping him down in the Average. He has moved back into No. 8 and stands to earn a check. This race appears that will end as it began: a duel between two men now headed into the final stretch, matching each other stride-for-stride.

Webb is pursuing his third consecutive gold buckle in the event, while Mayfield seeks his career second. 2025 marks Mayfield's seventh NFR and Webb's fourth. Both cowboys have been World Championship contenders in every NFR they have competed in. With Webb at age 22 and Mayfield at age 25, this storyline is likely to continue for years to come.

Bull Riding

Ky Hamilton | Nathan Meyer Photography

Ky Hamilton is a man on a mission, back at the NFR for the first time since his 2023 World Championship. Fully healed from his injuries, he is going head-to-head with Stetson Wright. Hamilton is No. 1 in the Average, having covered five of his bulls. Wright is No. 2, with four scores, but leads the World Standings.

With the fire beneath Wright newly ignited, we anticipate he will be gunning for the gold harder than ever. When Wright's score was controversially taken off the board in the saddle bronc riding, it only made him hungrier for the next ride. He aggressively rode his bull in Round 6 to claim the win and further his lead. Wright is less than $1,000 away from breaking the $500,000 mark on his bull riding season.

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