National Western Stock Show Action Already Underway With Timed Event Qualifiers

More than 375 timed event cowboys came to Denver to try to earn 120 coveted spots in the 119th National Western Stock Show.

Sami Jo Buum

The National Western Stock Show Timed Events Qualifier brought over 375 cowboys to the Events Center in Denver, Colo. December 20 and December 21.

The qualifying rodeo advances 40 contestants/teams from each timed event across the street to compete against the already 40 qualified contestants in the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo January 16 through the 26.

The 40 previously qualified either through 2023 World Standings or Mountain States Circuit Standings to the Denver Coliseum for the $70,000 added signature two-week Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association rodeo in January.

Amongst those vying for a spot were 135 Tie Down Ropers, 120 Steer Wrestlers, and 60 Team Roping pairs competing over the two-day event fighting for their spot in the top 40.

There are two ways to punch your ticket to the Coliseum - 10 qualifiers will come from Round No. 1 fast times, 10 more from Round No. 2, and the remaining 20 will come from the top average positions. Top 10 round positions fill first removing them from the top 20 average positions if they are positioned in both.

Round No. 1 of the Tie-Down Roping had a cut off of 8.1 seconds. The round win went to Kody Mahaffey with his 7.5 second run securing him $1,618 for his trip to the qualifier event. A smoking pair of 7.6 second runs followed closely behind him.

The second round in the tie down roping got a few tenths faster. Landyn Duncan won the round with a 7.3 second run. Again, 8.1 seconds was the cut off for the top 10 positions coming from round 2.

Winning the tie-down average was Cash Fuesz with 15.9 on two runs. Right behind Fuesz, Kody Mahaffey was 16.0 on two, and Owen Wahlert was 16.1 for third in the average.

Steer Wrestling Round No. 1 brought fast times with all sub-five second runs in the top 10. Landonias Silversten got top honors with his 4.1 second run. Eleven guys got pulled into the rodeo after a 3-way split for ninth/tenth/eleventh puled an extra through with 4.9 seconds.

Like the tie-down roping the second round of the steer wrestling brought faster go round times. A 3.8 second run by Traver Johnson hit the top of the leaderboard setting the pace fast. The second round cut off 4.5 seconds. The No. 10 position was split six ways. All six will proceed to the big show. With 11 qualifying from the first round and 15 from the second round it only left 14 spots in the average open for grabs.

Trell Etbauer threw two steers in 8.8 seconds to win the steer wrestling average by one second. Landonias Siversten and Tucker Alberts were 9.8 on two for second/third in the average, and another split with Gage Davis and Cameron Morman, 9.9 on two steers, gave them the fourth/fifth place split.

Round 1 in the team roping went to Wyatt Cox and Marcus Theriot with their 4.7 second run. A 6.0 second run was the cut off for the top ten in Round 1.

Team Roping Round 2 got faster with Kory Bramwell and Clayton Van Aken's 4.3 second run. The top 10 finished off with two teams roping in 5.9 seconds. This brought back 11 teams to the rodeo in January from Round 2.

Kory Bramwell and Clayton Van Aken won the average by 4-tenths with 9.3 on two head. Round 1 winners Wyatt Cox and Marcus Theriot were second in the average with 9.7 on two head. A 9.8 on two put in by Rhen Richard and Jeremy Buhler was good enough for third/fourth in the average.

Full Qualifier Results here.

160 cowboys from the past two days will return to Colorado January 16 - 26 to compete for over $70k added at the National Western.

The tournament style rodeo will put 12 contestants or teams in each set to compete in two rounds back-to-back, bringing the top four from the two rounds back to the semifinals. The top competitors from the semifinals will then go onto compete in the final round on Sunday, January 26.

Each set will be a mixture of the 40 prequalified and the 40 from the qualifier randomly drawn. For many cowboys, Denver can set the pace for their entire 2025 rodeo season.

2025 will be 119 years of cowboy tradition at the National Western. Tune back in during late January for updates on one of the biggest winter rodeos of the PRCA.