What Do the Numbers Look Like at Half Way through the National Finals Rodeo?

After five full go rounds, things have changed a lot in the standings. Let's take a look at where the events stand.

NFR 2024 Action / Hillary Maybery for Rodeo On SI

NFR Thoughts Through Round 5

1. Bareback Riding
2. Steer Wrestling
3. Team Roping
4. Saddle Bronc Riding
5. Tie-Down Roping
6. Barrel Racing
7. Bull Riding

The must anticipated Wrangler National Finals Rodeo is already half over. Fans wait for 365 days for the best 10 days in rodeo to start every year and then in what seems like the blink of an eye, it is over and the wait starts over.

After five full rounds, there have been many changes in the World Standings. Here we will take a look at where things stand and some potential outcomes.

Bareback Riding

The bareback riders have kicked off every single night with incredible action for the fans. An amazing stat shows that 14 of the 15 contestants have ridden all five horses so far. Leading the average is Altamont, Utah's Dean Thompson. The young gun is just 22 years old and in his second appearance at the Thomas and Mack.

While Thompson is leading the average race, he is not the high money winners so far in the event. That honor goes to Bradlee Miller from Huntsville, Texas. Miller currently sits number three in the Top Gun standings (most money won at the NFR) with $103,998.10.

Even with all that money won, if the NFR ended after round five, the reigning World Champion, Keenan Hayes would repeat his title. Hayes has won $281,243.89 so far this season and is holding his own at the NFR. He has place in four of the five rounds and sits number four in the average. He is just a mere 3.5 points behind in the average.

Steer Wrestling

Six time NFR qualifier, Will Lummus has stayed solid while only placing in two rounds. When you read the word placing, replace that with winning. He may have only picked up checks in two rounds, but those happened to be first place checks.

Lummus sits out front with a 21-second total on five head. Behind him in second place is Rowdy Parrott from Mamou, Louis. with a total of 21.5 seconds.

While other steer wrestlers have placed in more rounds and come close to the total, not one has won more than Lummus at $67,374. If the NFR ended after round 5, Lummus would earn his first World Championship.

Team Roping

As usual, the team roping is an ever-changing event with multiple jumps in standings and changes in the average.

The season leaders Tyler Wade and Wesley Thorp started off the finals with a bang. They won the first two rounds and looked to just run away with things. Unfortunately, the next two rounds didn't go their way and they walked out of the arena with no times. That must have been enough to light a fire because Round 5 brought another trip to the South Point Hotel and Casino for a round win buckle.

In total, Wade and Thorp have won more than $111,000 in five days. They currently sit number nine in the average race though and that payoff is certainly worthy of changing the standings. Luke Brown and Travis Graves are leading the average on five head with a total time of 37.1 seconds.

At this point in the race, Wade and Thorp have a substantial lead and would be the World Champions if it ended after five. Together this incredibly talented team has earned $302,799 each on the year. Their lead is just about $40,000 more than the second place contestants, but there is no question, this deal is not over. With the rounds paying $33,687 to win and the average first place prize of $86,391, anything is possible.

Saddle Bronc Riding

Ryder Wright has made a move right to the top of the World Standings in the saddle bronc riding. He now has earned $356,437 on his season with season leader, Damian Brennan sitting at $332,687.

Just like in all the other events, the average is likely going to determine the World Champion. Brennan is sitting number three in the average with 425.5 points on five head. Wright had a misstep in round two ending with a no score. He is out of the eight paying positions right now sitting at number nine in the average.

Even with his no score in round two, Wright is still the high money earner for the saddle bronc so far. After five rounds, he has deposited $105,175 in his account. Zeke Thurston ranks second in the top money earners for the event with $94,489.

That ever-so-important average though would still carry Brennan, along with his incredible season right to the World Championship if we look at the projected champion at the half way point.

Tie-Down Roping

The cheers from the Thomas and Mack are as loud for the tie-down ropers as they are for the barrel racers and bull riders. The crowd just loves watching the fast paced action and you can feel the excitement in the air.

Riley Webb has been in control of the tie-down roping thus far. Webb took over the top spot in the World Standings by winning three of the first four rounds and placing second in the other. Round five brought a kicking calf to take him out of the money for the night.

Regardless of the draw for round five, Webb has won the most money of any contestant so far at the 2024 WNFR. In total the Denton, Texas man has deposited $137,685 for his efforts thus far.

Webb is also leading the average race by nearly five seconds. He is 38.4 seconds on five head with Shad Mayfield trailing at 43.1 on five.

Add all this up and even given Mayfield's incredible year, Webb would be the returning World Champ if things ended today. As we all know, they don't end today and the roping action will continue and surely be a fight to the end.

Barrel Racing

What a story the barrel race has been so far. Four time World Champion Hailey Kinsel and her mare DM Sissy Hayday were unbeatable through three rounds. Their first barrel was nearly flawless every night and every barrel racing fan knows that this is the only "misstep" that mare every takes - and to call it that is almost ridiculous.

Without question the 13-year-old palomino mare is a legend and she is emphasizing that at this year's NFR. The duo leads the average by about eight tenths at 67.54 seconds on five runs. First time NFR qualifier, Andrea Busby has made solid runs every night as well and has the proof in the standings. She is 68.38 seconds on five runs.

The last two rounds have been won by the same lady - Kassie Mowry. This is an emotional time for many surrounding this team as Mowry lost her beloved fiance in a tragic accident earlier this year. Michael Boone was an integral part of the Mowry team. In fact, he is the listed owner of A Forced Goodbye ("Jarvis").

At the end of the 2023 NFR, Boone and Mowry knew they needed to get Jarvis back to the Thomas and Mack as he deserved to make 10 rounds here - knowing how well he could do. Without question, Mowry held up her end of that deal even through the hardest time of her life.

As we all sit and watch, it brings tears to the eyes of many watching her gather that success and go round buckles. Guaranteed there were cheers all over the United States when Mowry gave the fist pump at the end of her run in round four to take the win. We all cheered with her and many of us shed a tear of happiness right along side her.

Mowry talked about her horse in an interview, "I knew that Jarvis would be a little slower to really find his groove out here. It had been a long time since he had made runs and he was timid in the first few rounds. I can feel him relaxed and striding out now."

The World title race will be fun to watch over the final five rounds. If it ended today Kinsel would edge out Mowry for the World title. The fact that Mowry has five more rounds ahead and Jarvis is feeling good will make for a race night after night. We already know Sister has found her groove, so sit back and enjoy every night of incredible barrel racing.

Bull Riding

After having a stellar year in the bull riding, T.J. Gray was the season leader coming into the NFR. He has had a hard time getting tapped off right but finally got one covered in Round No. 5 for 86 points.

Cooper James on the other hand hasn't had much trouble at all. The Erda, Utah 19-year-old man is sitting on top of the average standins with 340 points on four head. He has placed in four of the five rounds winning $95,847 so far.

Josh Frost can claim that he has won the most of all the bull riders though. All total at the half way point Frost has deposited $101,281 for his efforts. He has also placed in four of the five rounds picking up the win in round four. At just 3.5 points behind James in the average race, every bull will count.

The World Standings show Frost at $326,381 which is more than $36,000 ahead of T.J. Gray. Cooper James will have some catching up to do to be in the hunt for the title. He has won $266,437 - but this is certainly attainable.

The projection shows that if the show ended at half way Frost would be the World Champion, but there are several who came to Vegas to play and won't let him do it easily.