The Ellensburg Rodeo concluded Monday with $320,000 in prize money up for grabs as the final month of the 2026 regular season kicks off.

As the season nears its end, every dollar can mean the difference between an NFR bid and having to try again next year.

Ellensburg may have already made the difference for some, as much of the event’s prize money was earned by those fighting for an NFR bid.

The most impressive showing came in the Bareback event, though, when Lane McGehee set a new arena record, scoring 93 points on Calgary Stampede’s Disco Party to win the Final Round.

McGehee finished 2nd in the average with 176.5 on two, losing to Kade Sonnier, who won the First Round and was 177 on two.

Garrett Shadbolt had a decent finish, placing 5th in the average, but earned a crucial $2,589, which got him within $200 of 15th place. If Shadbolt makes the NFR this year, it will be his third consecutive and fifth overall.

2019 Steer Wrestling World Champion Ty Erickson was under 4.5 twice, including 4.2 to win the Final Round, on his way to winning the average with 13.5 seconds on three.

Erickson earned $9,577, which helped him get within $2,500 of 3rd-place Cash Robb in the World Standings.

8x NFR Qualifier Will Lummus placed 2nd in the average with 13.7 on two and earned $8,991, which got him to 15th place and over $5,000 ahead of 16th.

Tanner Tomlinson and Wesley Thorp earned checks in all three rounds and won the Short Round with an event-fastest 4.1-second out. Tomlinson and Thorp were 13.8 on three to win the average and were a full .7 seconds better than 2nd place.

The pair earned $10,650 each, which put Tomlinson in 5th and put Thorp in 20th. Thorp’s now within $10,000 of 15th place and qualifying for his 11th consecutive NFR.

Dawson Graham earned $3,110 roping alongside his brother Dillon, which got him to 15th place. With $101,757 in season earnings, Graham is now closer to 13th place than16th.

Resistol Rooklie Saddle Bronc Leader Waitley Sharon was 175 on two to win the Saddle Bronc average. He finished 3rd in Round One and was 89.5 on Corey & Lange Rodeo’s Diamond Fever to win the Short Round.

Sharon earned $10,392, which propelled him to 11th place and over $22,000 away from the NFR qualification cut line. If Sharon can maintain his position, he’ll qualify for his first career NFR.

Sam Lewis earned checks in all three Tie-Down Roping rounds and won the average with 27.0 seconds on three. Lewis won the Short Round with a 10.1-second out, marking the slowest winning score of the decade at Ellensburg.

Lewis added $11,960, more than a fifth of his season earnings, and while he’s far outside the top 15, the 20-year-old has put together a strong first season.

Cole Clemons, Shad Mayfield, Dylan Hancock, and Beau Cooper earned a minimum of $4,000 each, putting all four closer to NFR qualification contention, with Cooper already reaching 14th place. The other three are no more than $7,000, at most, from taking 15th place.

Summer Kosel won her second straight average title at Ellensburg, scoring 54.01 seconds on three. Kosel didn’t win a round, instead picking up two 7th-place checks and a 2nd-place check in the Finals.

Kosel finished 2.69 seconds slower in the average than she did last year, and won this year’s average by just .06 seconds. She earned $7,980 and is now less than $12,000 away from entering the top-15.

All eight Bull Riders who placed in the average covered both of their Bulls, but Dakota Hill rose above the rest. Hill was 172 on two, with 90 of those points coming from his Short Round victory atop Burch Rodeo’s Cookies N Creme. Hill earned $7,779, bringing his season total to $93,111, in 27th.

2024 Bull Riding World Champion Josh Frost finished third in the average and added $5,435 to his season total, putting him in 15th place and giving him an over $10,000 buffer over 16th.