ProRodeo athletes are already setting themselves up for success in 2027 as the season has officially begun and cowboys across the country are already earning big checks. Winners of The Riggin Masters Xtreme Bareback set the tone with big rides ahead of the National Finals Rodeo (NFR).
Round One
The standard was set straight away in Billings, Montana over the weekend as the lowest score of the night was still an impressive 83-point ride from multiple cowboys including Daxtyn Feild, Keenan Hayes, Blayn Hughston and the No. 1 bareback rider in the world Bradlee Miller.
The cowboy who landed on top clearly bested some of the best athletes in the game during round one and he didn’t stop there. Cole Reiner is heading to the NFR at No. 10 in the world and he proved how he got there with an 88.5-point ride on J Bar J's Damn Straight pocketing $7,500 to add to his 2027 prizepot.
Round Two
Cowboys competing in Montana wanted to keep fans on their toes and by round two, everything changed in terms of who placed where. With a fresh new set of riders, the only cowboy who landed on the scoreboard in both rounds one and two was No. 5 cowboy Hayes. His 86-point ride landed him in the second place spot, but it still wasn’t enough for the win.
It was No. 11 cowboy who came from behind during round two for the win. After a slow start, Jayco Roper earned the win with 86.5 points on Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics' Sozo for $7,500.
The Finals
The final round is where things really turned on their head for these athletes. Each athlete gave it their all during this ride and while some fell short, another set of cowboys rode their way to the top. When it was all said and done, Reiner earned the third-place spot for another check worth $8,109, bringing the weekend total to over $15,000.
After finishing near the bottom of every round prior, the 2026 top rookie in the game Carson Hildre pulled up with something to prove in the finals. He secured a massive 90-point ride to land him in the second-place spot and a check for $11,263 to add to an already growing 2027 prize pool.
Hayes was out for vengeance all season long to secure his first NFR qualification in a few years, and it’s clear he’s still not pulling punches in the arena after he clinched the win in Billings. The 2023 world champion scored 91.5 points on J Bar J's No Show Reiner for $14,867, bringing his weekend total to $16,367.
With the 2027 season in full swing, these cowboys heading to the NFR are ready to take full advantage of these rodeos, not just to supplement for 2027 but to show they have what it takes to earn the world champion title come December.
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