Maverick Potter said in his post-ride interview after winning the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo that he had been in a hole that took everything he had to get out.

The 24-year-old, who had just been marked 89.5 on Mr. Demon to win $20,000, made the National Finals Rodeo in 2022, but since then hadn’t finished better than No. 36 in the World Standings. Over the last few years, he was taking a mental and physical beating and was battling depression.

“It’s not something us guys like to talk about, but I’m here for a long run and men’s depression is scary,” he said. “I’ve known good kids take their own lives, I’ve beat myself over that. I just want to be that guy anyone can be open with, I try to be the best person I can be and riding just comes with that.”

The mental clarity was there, and so was the riding in Fort Worth. Potter entered the Finals as the only 3-for-3 bull rider and left the only one 4-for-4 to win over $30,000.

“This win is something I’ve dreamed about before even rodeos and yes with the struggles it’s gonna help a lot, but there’s a lot more rodeo and I just love to look at it like I’m healthy, I’m doing what I’ve set out to be doing and just let the cards lay where they want and keep rolling,” the Waxhachie native said.

Feeling better, both mentally and physically, he knows the momentum of the Texas Swing is paramount for a good season.

“Most times anyone coming off these big winter rodeos, they have the fire lit and have an extra gas can to keep going,” he said. “And that’s how I feel right now.”

The other winners in Fort Worth were Nick Pelke in the bareback riding (91.5 points), Jesse Brown in steer wrestling (3.6 seconds), Tanner Tomlinson/Travis Graves in team roping (4.9 seconds), Kade Bruno in saddle bronc riding (92 points), Shad Mayfield in tie-down roping (7.6 seconds), and Andrea Busby in barrel racing (16.16 seconds)

QUICK DRAW

Shad Mayfield has won his Semifinal and the Final two straight years. He was 7.8 to win the Short Round in 2024 and 7.6 in 2025. He is No. 1 in the PRCA Tie-Down Roping World Standings by almost $20,000.

Barrel racer Andrea Busby made runs of 16.20 and 16.16 seconds in the Semifinals and Finals, making her the only one in the rodeo to be 16.20 or faster on back-to-back runs.

Bareback rider Nick Pelke’s 91.5-point ride on Straight Stick was the highest marked ride of his career and first 90+ Point Ride in ProRodeo. He won by one point over veteran Mason Clements

Steer wrestler Jesse Brown got faster on each run to win the rodeo. He was 5.4, 4.6, 4.3 and 3.6 on his four runs and all of them paid at least $1,400. He has ascended to No. 1 in the World as well.

Saddle bronc rider Kade Bruno already has two 92+ point rides after winning Fort Worth with 92 on Straight Moonshine. Prior to this season, the three-time NFR qualifier had never ridden for 92 points.

Tanner Tomlinson/Travis Graves won the team roping with four runs between 4.4 and 5.7 seconds.

Barrel racer Emily Beisel won the first three rounds she competed in with three runs of 16.26 or faster to win $8,600 before hitting a barrel in the Finals.

Every saddle bronc rider was at least 86 points in the Finals and there were three rides of 90.5 or better – Statler Wright was 91.5 on The Black Tie and Gus Gaillard was 90.5 on All or Nothing, it was the highest marked ride of Gaillard’s PRCA career.

Tie-down roper Kyle Lucas took second and made his two best runs in the Second Semifinal and the Final, where he was 7.8 and 7.7 seconds. He won over $19,000 total for finishing one tenth behind Shad Mayfield.

RESULTS

Bareback Riding

Wildcard: 1. Nick Pelke, 87.5 points on Calgary Stampede’s BIGTIMIN HOUSTON, $2,000; 2. Dean Thompson, 87, $1,500; 3. (tie) Strawbs Jones and Kade Sonnier, 86, $750 each; 5. Richmond Champion, 85.5; 6. Kody Lamb, 84.5; 7. Will Lowe, 83.5; 8. Drake Amundson, 79.5.

First Semifinal: 1. Jacob Lees, 88.5 points on J Bar J’s All Pink, $4,000; 2. (tie) Weston Timberman and Mason Clements, 87, $2,500 each; 4. Bradlee Miller, 86.5, $1,000; 5. Dean Thompson, 85; 6. (tie) Tilden Hooper and Sam Petersen, 83.5 each; 8. Cooper Cooke, 80.

Second Semifinal: 1. Jacek Frost, 89.5 points on J Bar J Hyna, $4,000; 2. (tie) Cole Franks and Nick Pelke, 87.5, $2,500 each; 4. Jayco Roper, 86.5, $1,000; 5. Jess Pope, 86; 6. Waylon Bourgeois, 85.5; 7. Wacey Schalla, 85; 8. Gavin French, 83.

Final: 1. Nick Pelke, 91.5 points on J Bar J Straight Stick, $20,000; 2. Mason Clements, 90.5, $12,000; 3. Cole Franks, 89.5, $8,000; 4. (tie) Bradlee Miller and Jacob Lees, 89, $2,000 each; 6. Jacek Frost, 88.5; 7. Weston Timberman, 87.5; 9. Jayco Roper, 85.5.

Steer Wrestling

Wildcard: 1. Rowdy Parrott, 5.0 seconds, $2,000; 2. Seth Peterson, 5.2, $1,500; 3. Jace Melvin, 5.5. $1,000; 4. Ryan Shuckburgh, 5.6, $500; 5. Shane Frey, 9.7; 6. Winsten McGraw, 10.2; 7. (tie) Dirk Tavenner and Gavin Soileau, 13.5 each.

First Semifinal: 1. (tie) Don Payne and Mike McGinn, 3.6 seconds $3,500 each; 3. Stetson Jorgensen, 3.7, $2,000; 4. Ty Erickson, 4.3, $1,000; 5. Rowdy Parrott, 4.5; 6. Trisyn Kalawaia, 4.6; 7. Stan Branco, 5.2; 8. Chance Howard, NT.

Second Semifinal: 1. Eli Lord, 4.2 seconds, $4,000; 2. Jesse Brown, 4.3, $3,000; 3. Sam Goings, 4.9, $2,000; 4. Seth Peterson, 5.0, $1,000; 5. Levi  Rudd, 11.6; 6. Riley Duvall, 15.3; Cash Robb and Cody Devers, NT.

Final: 1. Jesse Brown, 3.6 seconds, $20,000; 2. Don Payne, 4.5, $12,000; 3. Seth Peterson, 10.5, $8,000; 4. Eli Lord, 14.6, $4,000; Ty Erickson, Sam Goings, Mike McGinn and Stetson Jorgenson, NT.

Team Roping

Wildcard: 1. Clay Smith/Coleby Payne, 3.8 seconds, $2,000 each; 2. Clint Summers/Paul Eaves, 4.3, $1,500; 3. (tie) Pedro Egurrola/Justin Davis and Wyatt Bray/Paden Bray, 5.1, $750 each; 5. Riley Kittle/Will Woodfin, 6.5; 6. Derrick Begay/Colter Todd, 9.0; 7. Jake Clay/Tanner Braden, 10.7; no other qualified runs.

First Semifinal: 1. Cyle Denison/Lane Mitchell, 4.6 seconds, $4,000 each; 2. Tanner Tomlinson/Travis Graves, 5.7, $3,000; 3. Clint Summers/Paul Eaves, 5.9, $2,000; 4. Cody Carter/Blake Bentley, 6.2, $1,000; 5. Erich Rogers/Kollin VonAhn, 14.4; 6. Bubba Buckaloo/Joseph Harrison, 14.6; 7. (tie) Cody Snow/Hunter Koch and Tyler Tryan/Denton Dunning, NT.

Second Semifinal: 1. Clay Smith/Coleby Payne, 3.8 seconds, $4,000 each; 2. Andrew Ward/Jake Long, 4.4, $3,000; 3. Dawson Graham/Dillon Graham, 4.8, $2,000; 4. Brady Tryan/Calgary Smith, 5.3, $1,000; 5. Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord, 11.2; Aaron Tsinigine/Chase Tryan, Kreece Thompson/Jace Helton and Jaxson Tucker/Tyler Worley, NT.

Final: 1. Tanner Tomlinson/Travis Graves, 4.9 seconds, $20,000; 2. Cody Carter/Blake Bentley, 5.0, $12,000; 3. Dawson Graham/Dillon Graham, 9.1, $8,000; 4. Cyle Denison/Lane Mitchell, 9.2, $4,000; Clint Summers/Paul Eaves, Andrew Ward/Jake Long, Clay Smith/Coleby Payne and Brady Tryan/Calgary Smith, NT.

Saddle Bronc Riding

Wildcard: 1. Dawson Hay, 89.5 points on J Bar J’s Painted J, $2,000; 2. Wyatt Casper, 87, $1,500; 3. Kolby Wanchuk, 86, $1,000; 4. Weston Patterson, 85, $500; 5. Ira Dickinson, 84; 6. Traylin Martin, 81; no other qualified rides.

First Semifinal: 1. Zeke Thurston, 88 points on Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics Atomic Blond, $4,000; 2. Kade Bruno, 87, $3,000; 3. Statler Wright, 86, $2,000; 4. Clash Wilson, 84, $1,000; 5. (tie) Brody Cress and Brody Wells, 83.5 each; 7. Wyatt Casper, 82.5; 8. Lucas Macza, 81.

Second Semifinal: 1. (tie) Zac Dallas, on Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics Pendleton Roundup’s Marquee and Gus Gaillard, on J Bar J’s Hell on Hooves, 85 points, $3,500 each; 3. Dawson Hay, 84, $2,000; 4. (tie) Blaise Freeman, Jake Finlay and Layton Green, 83.5, $333 each; 7. Quinten Taylor, 82.5; 8. Ben Andersen, 81.5.

Final: 1. Kade Bruno, 92 points on J Bar J’s Straight Moonshine, $20,000; 2. Statler Wright, 91.5, $12,000; 3. Gus Gaillard, 90.5, $8,000; 4. Zeke Thurston, 88.5, $4,000; 5. Dawson Hay, 88; 6. Cash Wilson, 87; 7. Jake Finlay, 86.5; 8. Zac Dallas, 86.

Tie-Down Roping

Wildcard: 1. John Douch, 8.4 seconds, $2,000; 2. Glenn Jackson, 8.5, $1,500; 3. Quade Hiatt, 8.8, $1,000; 4. Seth Hall, 9.5, $500; 5. Colton Farquer, 10.0; 6. Hunter Herrin, 10.8; 7. Tuf Cooper, 17.0; 8. Logan Bird, 18.3.

First Semifinal: 1. Shad Mayfield, 8.4 seconds, $4,000; 2. Brushton Minton, 8.8, $3,000; 3. Ty Harris, 9.6, $2,000; 4. Michael Otero, 9.7, $1,000; 5. Glenn Jackson, 10.5; 6. Chance Oftedahl, 11.0; 7. Dylan Hancock, 12.3; 8. Chet Weitz, NT.

Second Semifinal: 1. Kyle Lucas, 7.8 seconds, $4,000; 2. Kincade Henry, 8.9, $3,000; 3. (tie) Riley Mason Webb and Tom Crouse, 9.4, $1,500 each; 5. Shane Hanchey, 10.8; 6. Haven Meged, 18.1; 7. Garrett Jacobs, 26.1; John Douch, NT.

Final: 1. Shad Mayfield, 7.6, $20,000; 2. Kyle Lucas, 7.7, $12,000; 3. Riley Webb, 7.9, $8,000; 4. Ty Harris, 8.3, $4,000; 5. Tom Crouse, 8.9; 6. Brushton Minton, 10.4; 7. Kincade Henry, 17.2; 8. Michael Otero, 22.1.

Barrel Racing

Wildcard: 1. Toria Madsen, 16.15 seconds, $2,000; 2. Megan McLeod-Sprague, 16.33, $1,500; 3. Ilyssa Riley, 16.41, $1,000; 4. Keyla Costa, 16.57, $500; 5. Jordan Driver, 16.67; 6. Summer Kosel, 21.14; 7. Helen Nowosad, 21.37; 8. Wenda Johnson, 21.60.

First Semifinal: 1. Andrea Busby, 16.20 seconds, $4,000; 2. Carlee Otero, 16.21, $3,000; 3. Toria Madsen, 16.28, $2,000; 4. Leslie Smalygo, 16.41, $1,000; 5. Chelsea Moore, 16.49; 6. Sissy Winn, 16.58; 7. Jordon Briggs, 16.76; 8. Julie Plourde, 16.88.

Second Semifinal: 1. Emily Beisel, 16.23 seconds, $4,000; 2. Kassie Mowry, 16.32, $3,000; 3. Shelley Morgan, 16.36, $2,000; 4. Megan McLeod-Sprague, 16.41, $1,000; 5. LaTricia Duke, 16.42; 6. Halyn Lide, 16.54; 7. Tiany Schuster, 16.64; 8. Lisa Lockhart, 16.65.

Final: 1. Andrea Busby, 16.16 seconds, $20,000; 2. Megan McLeod-Sprague, 16.21, $12,000; 3. Kassie Mowry, 16.27, $8,000; 4. Toria Madsen, 16.31, $4,000; 5. Shelley Morgan, 16.45; 6. Leslie Smalygo, 21.25; 7. Emily Beisel, 21.48; 8. Carlee Ortero, 27.37.

Bull Riding

Wildcard: 1. Lukasey Morris, 87.5 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s Fifth Avenue, $2,750; 2. Bryce Jensen, 84.5, $2,250; no other qualified rides.

First Semifinal: *1. Bryce Jensen, 86.5 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s Swanky, $4,333; 2. Maverick Potter, 86, $3,333; 3. Jestyn Woodward, 80.5, $2,333; Luke Mast, Wade Tuni, Jax Mills, Trey Holston and Tristan Mize, NS.

Second Semifinal: *1. T. Parker, 90 points on Sutton Rodeo’s One Chance, $4,333; 2. (tie) Roscoe Jarboe and T.J. Gray, 88, $2,833 each; Gavin Mitchell, Lukasey Morris, Cutter Kaylor, Hayden Ferguson and Scott Wells, NS.

Final: 1. Maverick Potter, 89.5 points on Sutton Rodeos’ Mr. Demon, $20,000; 2. T. Parker, 84, $12,000; 3. T.J. Gray, NS, $6,000; 4. Roscoe Jarboe, NS, $6,000; Gavin Mitchell, Wade Tuni, Jestyn Woodward and Bryce Jensen, NS.