Jess Pope’s 91.5-point ride in Darby added his name to a short list of World Champs to win there, headlining a weekend full of big scores that included Grayson Cole’s 91 to win the Gladewater Xtreme Bulls.

Meanwhile, Stetson Wright stayed red hot, Garrett Shadbolt kept cashing checks, and young guns like Kyan Wilhite and Chloe Woods made noise.

Headliner – Jess Pope: The 2022 World Champion added his name to a prestigious group with a Darby Xtreme Bareback title. In what has quickly become tradition there, he did so with over 90 points, riding Pickett Pro Rodeo’s Uncapped for 91.5 to win over $12,000 and move up two spots in the World Standings to No. 6. In just six years, the list of champions in Darby already includes three World Champions as Pope joins Tim O’Connell and Kaycee Feild.

Hidden Gem – Mason Stuller and Clay Jorgenson: Stuller and Jorgenson tied for fourth in Darby with 88.5 points apiece, but more importantly, each of them proved they could compete with the best of the best. In 2024, every cowboy except one who finished in the Top 8 in Darby made the NFR. Stuller is currently No. 18 in the World Standings while Jorgenson is No. 10.

Headliner – Grayson Cole: Cole has had plenty of success on the PBR Velocity Tour and notched his first ProRodeo win of the season last week with 91 points at the Gladewater Xtreme Bulls, his highest score in PRCA competition and the highest marked ride Gladewater has seen since 2019. He followed it up with a second place finish at the Parker County Xtreme Bulls less than a week later.

Hidden Gem – Kyan Wilhite: The 2023 National High School Tie-Down Roping Champion had possibly the best weekend of his professional carer to kickoff June. He brought in more than $3,000 for a pair of wins in Gladewater and Mesquite, Texas, where he was 7.9 and 7.6 seconds respectively. This came one week after he was 7 flat to win Mt. Pleasant.

Headliner – Stetson Wright: After hitting his stride in the bronc riding, the eight-time World Champion has been nothing short of dominant in the All-Around. Last weekend, he won the Elizabeth Stampede with a record-setting 90-point saddle bronc ride and was also a part of a four-way tie for first in the bull riding. It is the second straight weekend he was won both a saddle bronc riding and bull riding event.

Hidden Gem – Chloe Woods: Woods stopped the clock at 15.59 seconds to win the Sky Dance Pro Rodeo and was two tenths clear of second-place Katie Halbert. To put her victory in perspective, there were five barrel racers within .17 seconds of Halbert, including Lisa Lockhart and Carlee Otero. It was the rookie’s first career ProRodeo victory.

Headliner – Garrett Shadbolt: Shadbolt had the best score of the Long Round with 90.5 points in Darby and also won the Elizabeth Stampede with 86.5 points on Lost Lakota of Summit Pro Rodeo. The Nebraska native is No. 4 in the PRCA World Standings and has a check at 10 straight rodeos.

Hidden Gem – Mike McGinn: There has been little movement in the timed events over the last month or so, but McGinn shook things up a bit by winning the Eastern Oregon Livestock Show to go from No. 20 to No. 18 in the World as he inches closer to his first career NFR appearance.

Headliner – Nick Pelke: The Fort Worth Champion once added another terrific showing against the best bareback riders in the World by taking second in Darby with 90.5 points on Night Crawler in the Short Round. Pelke has been marked 89.5 points or better twice since May 23.

Hidden Gem – Pecos Tatum: The 19-year-old tie-down roper has now cashed at three straight rodeos after an 8.3-second run won him third at the Eastern Oregon Livestock Show. He has four checks of over $1,000 in May and June after just two in March and April.