The Pressure and the Playoffs: Peering Ahead into Puyallup and the End of the Season

The Puyallup Rodeo is set to take place September 5-8, and as a part of the final push of the PRCA Playoffs Series, every event is stacked with rodeo’s brightest stars and biggest up-and-comers pushing toward an NFR qualification as the season draws to a close.

Rodeo action at a PRCA Professional Rodeo. / Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

For many, the first of September signals the start of a new season filled with cooler weather and pumpkin spice. However, in the world of professional rodeo, September 1 means only one thing: the race is on.

With the rodeo season officially ending on the final day of September, the ninth month brings last-ditch efforts for competitors to secure a spot in the top 15 in the world standings and, with it, a chance to make their National Finals Rodeo dreams a reality.

For many rodeo athletes, the PRCA Playoff Series is a crucial step in achieving that success. After a season of “playoff” rodeos across the country, the initial culmination of the series will take place September 5-8th at the Puyallup Rodeo at the Washington State Fair, and with a combined payout of $614,000, a win could dramatically upset the standings.

The top 23 athletes from the season-long playoff series qualify to compete at Puyallup. Additionally, each champion of the NFR Open, held in July, is seeded into the rodeo in the 13th position. If a competitor qualifies and does not compete, they are automatically rendered ineligible for the Governor’s Cup, the true finals of the playoff series and one of the final opportunities to make a major jump in the world standings, held at the end of September in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The top four competitors out of Puyallup automatically advance to the Governor’s Cup.

The official cutoff date for a playoff standings-based qualification to Puyallup is August 26th, so now the question is: who’s in?

The official Puyallup daysheets have yet to be published, but barring any turn-outs or unexpected changes, the competitors can be named from the official PRCA Playoff Series standings and the list of champions from the NFR Open.

Bareback Riding

2023 World Champion Keenan Hayes leads the Bareback Riding in the PRCA Playoff Series standings; Hayes was also the champion at this year’s NFR Open. In this case, that #13 slot will be offered to the next highest ranked bareback rider that competed in the finals at the NFR Open. With the top 23 in the series currently boasting two World Champions (Keenan Hayes, Jess Pope), the current Resistol Rookie of the Year leader (Weston Timberman) and 64 combined NFR qualifications, the scores are sure to be high as these cowboys buck for their spot in Sioux Falls.

Steer Wrestling

In the Steer Wrestling, Will Lummus leads the playoff standings, where Stetson Jorgensen and Dalton Massey round out the top three – Massey and Lummus are also ranked #1 and #3 in the world title race, respectively. The three share a combined 11 NFR qualifications, and the rest of the top 23 and NFR Open champion Scott Guenthner bring a combined 46 more, resulting in 57 NFR qualifications and a world title slated to compete in the big man’s event at Puyallup.

Team Roping

Last year’s World Champions, as well as champions of the Puyallup Rodeo, Tyler Wade and Wesley Thorp are ranked #1 on either side in the Team Roping playoff standings. On the heading side, the top 23 in the playoff standings hold a combined 104 NFR qualifications and seven World Titles, and the heels hold a combined 101 qualifications and eight World Titles. Other notable competitors include Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira, Clint Summers and Jake Long, Coleman Proctor and Logan Medlin and more fan favorites that are sure to have fans on the edge of their seats during the rodeo’s only team event.

Saddle Bronc Riding

Damian Brennan and Kade Bruno are ranked #1 and #2, respectively, in the Saddle Bronc Riding playoff standings – an inverse of their current standings in the world title race. They’ll be joined in Puyallup by big names such as Ryder and Statler Wright, the Hay brothers, 2023 Puyallup champion and Rookie of the Year Ryder Sanford and 4-time World Champion Zeke Thurston. The 23-man ranking-based lineup holds a collective 57 NFR qualifications and six World Titles. With a lineup as stacked as this, each ride is set to be a heart-pounding 8 seconds.

Tie-Down Roping

San Angelo cowboy Ty Harris leads the playoff standings in the Tie-Down Roping. Harris has five NFR qualifications under his belt, while the rest of the competitors bring a combined 77 qualifications and nine World Titles. 2023 World Champion and Puyallup champion Riley Webb is among the mix, as are current Tie-Down Roping and All Around world standings leader Shad Mayfield and 4-time World Champion Tuf Cooper. 22-year-old Bodie Mattson will receive the invite a champion of the NFR Open. With this many World Champions leaving the box, every performance could result in a drastic standings shuffle.  

Barrel Racing

A familiar name leads the playoff standings in the Barrel Racing: Hailey Kinsel is #1, followed closely by big names such as Kassie Mowry, Ashley Castleberry, Wenda Jonson and Emily Beisel. Along with NFR Open champion Jessica Routier, this group shares a combined total of approximately 75 NFR qualifications. The turns are sure to be quick when any of these ladies head up the alley!

Bull Riding

With no qualified rides at the 2024 NFR Open, holding a top spot in the standings is the only way to punch your ticket to Puyallup in the Bull Riding, where the #4-ranked man in the world TJ Gray leads the playoff standings. The lineup makes up 30 NFR qualifications while being packed full of young guns such as Wacey Schalla Jeter Lawrence and Cooper James, who are currently leading the Resistol Rookie race in the Bull Riding, while also boasting familiar NFR favorites such as Josh Frost and Jeff Askey, which is sure to make for an exciting matchup in the final event each night.

Breakaway Roping

The lineup is stacked in the Breakaway Roping, with Josie Conner currently leading the pack in the playoff standings. Hot on her tail are some of the most recognizable names in the event: Martha Angelone, Taylor Munsell, Rickie (Engesser) Fanning, Shelby Boisjoli-Medged and more; the NFR Open invitation goes to Jenna Dallyn. These cowgirls have a combined 32 National Finals Breakaway Roping qualifications, earned only during the event’s short lifetime, and a combined 43 Breakaway Roping world championships. It’s safe to say the loops will be quick at Puyallup, regardless of who’s swinging.

With four performances, a semifinals round and a finals round September 5-8, the Puyallup Rodeo is sure to leave an exciting effect on both the world and the PRCA Playoff Series standings.