ProRodeo's Up and Coming Stars Show Off Talent at Permit Finals

Making their way up the ranks, ProRodeo's newest talent competed for the Permit Finals titles.

Ronald W. Erdrich/Reporter-News / USA TODAY NETWORK

Waco, Texas played host to the 2024 ProRodeo Permit finals. The cowboys and cowgirls entered were those who are just making an entrance into the world of professional rodeo. Many of these competitors are in the first full year of membership. The culmination of their season happened inside Extraco Coliseum to see who would take the title.

In the bareback riding, Kooper Heimburg rode all three of his horses to the whistle to accumulate 247.5 points on three head. Not only was he the overall champion, but he started his week off right by winning the first round aboard R Watson's Scarlette of the Cervi Championship Rodeo string. The pair put together eight seconds worth of work for 84.5 points.

Tyler Mann, the Humansville, Missouri cowboy, was the man of the hour in the steer wrestling. He won the first round, where many struggled, with a 7.1-second run. Coming back much faster in round two, Mann took the win again when he threw his steer in 4.5-seconds. In total it only took the 24-year-old talent 18.7 seconds to put all three steers on their sides for the championship.

Colorado paired up with Texas to take the win in the team roping event. Header, Cody Lansing matched up with Heeler, Devon Johnson to win the first round with their 5.1-second run. The duo came back in round 3 with a 7.0 second run to be the best. The team ropers had some tough luck as none of the pairs roped all three steers and the average championship was won on just two clean times. Lansing and Johnson were the best on two with an 11.3 total.

McArthur, California sent their 24-year-old talented saddle bronc rider to Waco with one thing in mind - a championship. Bailey small successfully covered all three of his broncs for a total of 247 points which was certainly good enough for the win. Small bested them all in the third round when he took Vitalix Cactus Flat of the Cervi Brothers for 80.5 points. Thayne Elshere had the highest marked ride of the finals on R. Watson's Redial of Cervi Championship Rodeo where the duo put on a show worth 84.5-points in round number one.

The tie-down roping was a little hard to watch as the cattle seemed to be getting the best of the cowboys. Buck Calhoun didn't let that stop him on his way to a title. The 19-year-old, Richards, Texas talent tied his three calves in 34.3 seconds total to earn the championship. The young man didn't win any of the rounds, but he certainly stayed solid and got the job done. Sam Lewis took the win in round one, Chance Fleming and Brey Yore split round two and Kyan Wilhite ran through one at 8.1 seconds to win the final round.

The bull riding saw Lane Vaughan cover three bulls for 243.5 points in total to be the champion. Vitalix Midnight Flyer from Cervi Championship Rodeo helped Vaughan win the title by showing off for an 86.5-point ride in the final round to mark the highest of the week and take the round win. Hudson Bolton was the only other cowboy to cover all three bulls at the competition.

In the WPRA barrel race, Avery Ledesma led the field of competition to the win with her 49.71 second total on three runs. After winning round one by a mere .04 seconds, Ledesma came back in the second round to stay solid and take home a third place finish. Even though she didn't place in round three, she was still the most consistent one there and earned herself the title.

The ladies of the breakaway continue to impress when they ride in the box. Ali Norcutt was a smoking fast 9.9 seconds on three calves to earn the win. The Fallon, Texas cowgirl won second in the first and third rounds and won the second round to secure her championship. The second place cowgirl was a full three seconds behind her with Jordan Maldonado stopping the clock at 13.1 seconds on three head.

These names will continue to be familiar as they make their way into the ranks of professional rodeo.

Be sure to bookmark Rodeo on SI for all your western industry and rodeo news!

PRCA Permit Finals Full Results

Bareback riding:
First round:1. Kooper Heimburg, 84.5 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo's R. Watson's Scarlette, $1,042; 2. Tuker Carricato, 80, $782; 3. (tie) Sage Allen and Jason Wilson, 78, $391 each.
Second round:1. Darien Johnson, 85.5 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo's Freshman 15, $1,042; 2. Sage Allen, 81.5, $782; 3. Cooper Filipek, 81, $521; 4. Tuker Carricato, 80.5, $261.
Third round:1. Tuker Carricato, 86 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo's Patches R. Watson's, $1,042; 2. Kooper Heimburg, 85, $782; 3. Darien Johnson, 83.5, $521; 4. (tie) Sage Allen and Jason Wilson, 79, $130 each.
Average:1. Kooper Heimburg, 247.5 points on three head, $1,564; 2. Tuker Carricato, 246.5, $1,173; 3. Darien Johnson, 242, $782; 4. Sage Allen, 238.5, $391.

Steer wrestling:
First round:1. Tyler Mann, 7.1 seconds, $1,024; 2. Casey Collins, 7.5, $768; 3. Jacob Wang, 7.7, $512; 4. Jake Shelton, 9.6, $256.
Second round:1. Tyler Mann, 4.5 seconds, $1,024; 2. Tanner Scheevel, 5.6, $768; 3. Jacob Wang, 5.7, $512; 4. Casey Collins, 7.0, $256.
Third round:1. Jake Shelton, 4.6 seconds, $1,024; 2. Tanner Scheevel, 4.8, $768; 3. Quade Potter, 5.5, $512; 4. Jacob Wang, 6.4, $256.
Average:1. Tyler Mann, 18.7 seconds on three head, $1,535; 2. Jacob Wang, 19.8, $1,151; 3. Jake Shelton, 22.4, $768; 4. Tanner Scheevel, 30.1, $384.

Team roping:
First round:1. Devon Johnson/Cody Lansing, 5.1 seconds, $1,024 each; 2. Jayse Tettenhorst/Mason Bice, 5.3, $768; 3. Cole Smith/Gus Mosley, 5.4, $512; 4. Brayden Fillmore/Jade Espenscheid, 5.9, $256.
Second round:1. Riley Kittle/Jace Helton, 4.8 seconds, $1,024 each; 2. (tie) Dylan Breitsprecher/Jordan Rohlk and Devon Johnson/Cody Lansing, 6.2, $640 each; 4. Jayse Tettenhorst/Mason Bice, 7.1, $256.
Third round:1. Devon Johnson/Cody Lansing, 7.0 seconds, $1,024 each; 2. Jayse Tettenhorst/Mason Bice, 7.1, $768; 3. Chase Helton/Elijah Green, 18.9, $512; no other qualified runs.
Average:1. Devon Johnson/Cody Lansing, 18.3 seconds on three head, $1,535 each; 2. Jayse Tettenhorst/Mason Bice, 19.5, $1,151; 3. Cole Smith/Gus Mosley, 17.3 on two head, $768; 4. Riley Kittle/Jace Helton, 17.7, $384.

Saddle bronc riding:
First round:1. Thayne Elshere, 84.5 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo's Redial, $1,061; 2. Bailey Small, 83, $796; 3. Skinny Parsons, 82, $531; 4. (tie) Cache Schellenberg and Jack Skavdahl, 80.5, $133 each.
Second round:1. (tie) Skinny Parsons, on Cervi Championship Rodeo's R. Watson's Scarlette, and Bailey Small, on Cervi Championship Rodeo's Mr. Boombastic, 83.5 points, $929 each; 3. Jett Williams, 80, $531; 4. Joe Priebe, 76.5, $265.
Third round:1. Bailey Small, 80.5 points on The Cervi Brothers' Vitalix Cactus Flat, $1,061; 2. Skinny Parsons, 79.5, $796; 3. Jett Williams, 78, $531; 4. Kasey Rosendahl, 77.5, $265.
Average:1. Bailey Small, 247 points on three head, $1,592; 2. Skinny Parsons, 245, $1,194; 3. Jett Williams, 231, $796; 4. Jackson Ford, 227.5, $398.

Tie-down roping:
First round:1. Sam Lewis, 12.0 seconds, $1,024; 2. Tyler Calhoun, 13.4, $768; 3. Coy Skocdopole, 13.5, $512; 4. Cash Fuesz, 14.6, $256.
Second round:1. (tie) Chance Fleming and Brey Yore, 10.2 seconds, $896 each; 3. Cash Fuesz, 10.4, $512; 4. Roan Hudson, 10.9, $256.
Third round:1. Kyan Wilhite, 8.1 seconds, $1,024; 2. Tyler Calhoun, 9.7, $768; 3. Cash Fuesz, 10.9, $512; 4. (tie) Roan Hudson and Coy Skocdopole, 12.0, $128 each.
Average:1. Tyler Calhoun, 34.3 seconds on three head, $1,535; 2. Cash Fuesz, 35.9, $1,151; 3. Sam Lewis, 38.0, $768; 4. Coy Skocdopole, 40.8, $384.

Bull riding:
First round:1. Dalton Rudman, 86 points on Generations Pro Rodeo's Cool Out, $1,042; 2. Jadon Hayes, 83, $782; 3. Lane Vaughan, 77, $521; 4. Hudson Bolton, 74.5, $261.
Second round:1. Hudson Bolton, 84 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo's Vitalix Barracuda, $1,042; 2. Lane Vaughan, 80, $782; no other qualified rides.
Third round:1. Lane Vaughan, 86.5 points on Cervi Championship Rodeo's Vitalix Midnight Flyer, $1,042; 2. Ty Pinnt, 82.5, $782; 3. Avery Mullins, 81, $521; 4. Hudson Bolton, 79, $261.
Average:1. Lane Vaughan, 243.5 points on three head, $1,564; 2. Hudson Bolton, 237.5, $1,173; 3. Dalton Rudman, 86 on one head, $782; 4. Ty Pinnt, 82.5, $391.

Barrel racing:
First round: 1. Avery Ledesma, 16.34 seconds, $1,053; 2. Ashley Restivo, 16.38, $790; 3. Faith Nolte, 16.47, $526; 4. Lisa Heiser, 16.60, $263.
Second round: 1. Morgan Addison, 16.33 seconds, $1,022; 2. Faith Nolte, 16.47, $766; 3. Avery Ledesma, 16.48, $511; 4. Wendy Ullman, 16.58, $255.
Third round: 1. Wendy Ullman, 16.46 seconds, $1,053; 2. Rylee Hardin, 16.53, $790; 3. Lisa Heiser, 16.57, $526; 4. Morgan Addison, 16.74, $263.
Average: 1. Avery Ledesma, 49.71 seconds on three head, $1,579; 2. Rylee Hardin, 50.10, $1,184; 3. Lisa Heiser, 50.11, $790; 4. Sage LoBue, 50.59, $395.

Breakaway roping:
First round: 1. Tori Brower, 2.7 seconds, $1,086; 2. Ali Norcutt, 3.6, $815; 3. Jordan Maldonado, 4.1, $543; 4. (tie) Teagan Miller and Sheyanne Pedersen, 4.3, $136 each.
Second round: 1. Ali Norcutt, 2.6 seconds, $1,086; 2. Kaylee Traylor, 2.9, $815; 3. Claire Dale, 3.6, $543; 4. Jordan Maldonado, 4.6, $272.
Third round: 1. Grace Jenkins, 2.3 seconds, $1,086; 2. Ali Norcutt, 3.7, $815; 3. Tierney Myers, 4.3, $543; 4. Jordan Maldonado, 4.4, $272.
Average: 1. Ali Norcutt, 9.9 seconds on three head, $1,629; 2. Jordan Maldonado, 13.1, $1,222; 3. Grace Jenkins, 14.5 on two head, $815; 4. Kaylee Traylor, 15.5, $407.