The dust hasn't even settled in Las Vegas yet, and honestly, the 2026 season is already moving at a breakneck pace. Most people think pro rodeo sports news starts and ends with the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in December, but if you’re waiting for the snow to melt to check the standings, you’ve already missed the first major shifts of the year.
Pro rodeo is weird.
The 2026 season actually kicked off back on October 1, 2025. While the big names were busy prepping for the bright lights of the Thomas & Mack Center, a whole different group of cowboys was grinding at circuit finals and "building rodeos" to get a jump on the new world standings. Now that we’ve hit mid-January, those early earnings are starting to look less like "early luck" and more like a serious threat to the established guard.
The Post-NFR Hangover and the Rise of New Leaders
Coming off an NFR where Stetson Wright reminded everyone why he’s a generational talent—clinching his sixth All-Around title and his 10th world championship overall—you'd expect a bit of a lull. But the PRCA and WPRA don't really do "days off."
Right now, the 2026 world standings are being dominated by names that stayed hungry through the winter transition.
Take Wyatt Casper in the Saddle Bronc riding. He finished the 2025 season just outside the top tier at No. 16, missing that NFR glory by a hair. That clearly lit a fire. He dominated the Brad Gjermundson Extreme Broncs in North Dakota and currently sits atop the 2026 standings with over $43,000 in earnings. Compare that to last year; he's moving with a purpose we haven't seen in a while.
Then there’s the Bareback riding. Bradlee Miller, who had a solid 2025 finishing 9th in the world, has already banked over $21,000 this season. He’s utilizing the Texas Circuit Finals as a springboard. It’s a smart play. If you can bank $20k before the "winter run" really heats up in Fort Worth and San Antonio, you’re playing with house money by the time the summer heat hits.
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What Most People Get Wrong About the Early Season
There is a common misconception that the big winter rodeos—like the National Western Stock Show in Denver or the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo—are just "warm-ups."
They aren't.
They are high-stakes qualifiers for the newly announced 2026 Playoffs Series. This year, the series is sponsored by Pendleton Whisky and includes the 60 highest-paying rodeos in the country. The PRCA recently confirmed that the 2025 series paid out over $28 million. For 2026, that number is expected to climb even higher.
Basically, if you don't perform in January, you don't get the points. If you don't get the points, you don't go to Puyallup. If you don't go to Puyallup, you don't get to the Cinch Playoffs in Sioux Falls. And if you miss Sioux Falls, your chances of holding a gold buckle in December drop significantly.
Current 2026 Standings Leaders (As of mid-January)
- Bull Riding: Bryce Jensen is riding the momentum of his first NFR, currently leading with $35,175.
- Steer Wrestling: Shayde Etherton is out front with $15,254, largely thanks to a monster showing in the Texas Circuit.
- Barrel Racing: Gracen Harman leads the WPRA pack with $13,780.
- Tie-Down Roping: Bryce Derrer has found his rhythm early, sitting at No. 1 with $16,748.
The Wright Family Dynasty Continues (With a Twist)
We have to talk about the Wrights. It's almost a rule in pro rodeo sports news.
While Stetson was the headline in Vegas, his brother Statler Wright pulled off something incredible by winning the NFR Average title and the 2025 World Championship in Saddle Bronc. It was a "passing of the torch" moment that happened within the same house.
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Heading into 2026, the strategy for the Wrights seems to be about recovery and precision. Stetson is managing his schedule carefully after a grueling 2025, but Statler is already showing up at the early 2026 events to defend that No. 1 back number. The level of consistency in that family is, frankly, exhausting to even watch.
Breaking Down the "New" PBR Format
It’s not just the PRCA making waves. The PBR (Professional Bull Riders) is shaking things up for the 2026 Unleash The Beast season.
Sage Steele Kimzey just put on an absolute clinic at Madison Square Garden, going 4-for-4 and vaulting himself into the top three of the PBR standings. But the real news is the structural change. The PBR is introducing a new in-season tournament format designed to create more "high-stakes" moments throughout the year, rather than just waiting for the World Finals.
This means the "Teams" concept and the individual "Unleash The Beast" tour are starting to bleed together in a way that rewards riders who can stay healthy and consistent across both formats. Julio Cesar Marques currently holds the top spot, but with Kimzey finding his "Professor" form again, that lead feels temporary.
Women’s Rodeo: The Breakaway Explosion
If you aren’t watching breakaway roping, you’re missing the fastest-growing sector of the sport. Taylor Munsell just wrapped up a 2025 World Title, but the 2026 race is already being upended by rookies.
Jaci Hammons is currently the No. 1 breakaway roper in the world standings with over $13,000. She’s a rookie. Let that sink in. She’s outperforming seasoned veterans by being aggressive at the smaller Texas rodeos that most big names skip. It’s a gritty, smart way to build a cushion before the summer pressure cooker begins.
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Realities of the Road: Why Results Vary
Look, rodeo is a gamble. You can have the best horse in the world—like Kassie Mowry’s "Cornbread," who helped her secure back-to-back world titles—and still hit a barrel or draw a "rank" horse that doesn't want to play ball.
The 2026 season is already showing us that the "overnight" successes are usually years in the making. Tricia Aldridge admitted recently that her first season was a massive struggle before she finally dominated at the NFR. That's the nuance people miss. The standings right now reflect who has the best "rig" (truck and trailer), the healthiest horses, and the mental toughness to drive 18 hours between shows in the dead of winter.
Actionable Insights for Rodeo Fans and Competitors
If you’re following the sport this year, don't just look at the total dollars. Look at the "Rodeos Attended" column in the PRCA and WPRA standings.
A rider at No. 5 who has only been to three rodeos is in a much stronger position than a leader at No. 1 who has already burned through 12 "counting" rodeos. Efficiency is the name of the game in 2026.
For fans wanting to catch the action:
- Monitor the Texas Swing: The next three weeks in Fort Worth, San Antonio, and San Angelo will likely determine 40% of the NFR field.
- Watch the Rookie Standings: Keep an eye on Mason Reine in Bull Riding and Kyan Wilhite in the Resistol Rookie race. These kids are taking risks that the veterans aren't.
- Check the "Playoffs Series" Points: Since this is the path to the big money in Sioux Falls, the point standings are often more indicative of who will be in Vegas than the raw money standings in January.
The road to the 2026 NFR is already 25% over for some of these athletes. It’s time to stop treating January like the off-season.