To be honest, the Governor’s Cup has quickly become my favorite regular season event in ProRodeo. I’ve always loved when the stakes are palpable, and in Sioux Falls, they’re undeniable on every ride and run. It makes for a tense, but wildly entertaining 2.5-hour show. You can feel it in the arena and through the broadcast, Rory Lemmel and his team have nailed the atmosphere they’re after: a playoff environment, a true prelude to the NFR. In just three years, this event has more than delivered.

It was promised the NFR race and the World Title race would changed mightily over the weekend, and that was the case. Let’s get into the 2025 edition of the Governor’s Cup.

Rocker Steiner becomes the first bareback rider to clear $300,000 in regular season with Governor’s Cup victory. Steiner said afterward he never wanted to leave Vegas feeling the way he did a year ago when he was $14,000 short of his first World Title. Well, adding $43,910 in the last weekend of the season will certainly help him avoid that pain again. With a record-setting $302,564, he currently has an $80,000 lead on No. 2 Sam Petersen with one rodeo, the Duel at the Dunes, left on the calendar for the 2025 regular season.

Steer wrestler Justin Shaffer dominates Governor’s Cup to move up six spots heading into NFR. Shaffer made runs of 3.9, 3.0, and 3.6 before a 3.7 delivered him the walk-off win and $32,000 payday. He won $43,910 overall to go from No. 9 to No. 3 in the World Standings. Shaffer unofficially finished the regular season with $155,773, about $40,000 behind World No. 1 Will Lummus.

Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira take control of team roping race with Governor’s Cup win. The team roping race had been neck and neck all season. For the past month, the No. 1 spot on both the heading and heeling sides never stretched more than about a $5,000 lead over No. 2. But two-time World Champions Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira broke it wide open over the weekend, winning the Governor’s Cup to surge into commanding leads in the World Standings. With $198,498 each, Driggers now tops the Heading World Standings by $15,000, while Nogueira leads the Heelers by nearly $35,000.

Tie-down roper Shane Hanchey survives bubble to make 16th straight NFR, Kyle Lucas unofficially grabs the No. 15 spot. The tightest bubble race of the season came in tie-down roping, where Quade Hiatt, Kyle Lucas, and Shane Hanchey entered the final weekend separated by just $600 and battling for the last two NFR berths. Those spots now appear headed to Hanchey and Lucas. Hanchey advanced to the Semifinals at the Governor’s Cup to pocket $4,000, while Lucas placed at three rodeos and added $4,605. The PRCA standings list Hanchey at No. 14 and Lucas at No. 15, though CalfRoping.com has them reversed.

Ky Hamilton uses 4-for-4 Governor’s Cup showing to continue his surge in the PRCA Bull Riding World Standings. Less than a month ago it felt unrealistic for another bull rider to truly challenge Stetson Wright and Wacey Schalla, but Ky Hamilton is now in position to do just that. Hamilton rode four bulls for 87.5 points or better and won $49,867 in Sioux Falls to bring his season earnings to $317,618, which is just $34,978 behind Schalla and $32,557 behind Wright. Since Aug. 29, Hamilton has won $130,210 by riding 12-of-17 bulls.

Bareback rider Tilden Hooper closing in on improbable rally for 10th trip to Las Vegas. As of Sept. 29, Tilden Hooper’s late-season comeback has him in position to make the NFR. After winning $9,956 at the Governor’s Cup to go along with the $18,000+ he got from his Roughrider Cup triumph, he is No. 13 in the World, up from No. 21 just 10 days ago.

Halyn Lide goes from No. 17 into NFR field with barrel racing win at Governor’s Cup. Lide had to make the Finals in Sioux Falls to guarantee her second straight trip to the NFR and left no doubt by winning the rodeo with a 14.38, the fastest time of the weekend. She lived on the edge to get there, though, grabbing the eighth of eight spots in the Semifinals and fourth of four spots in the Finals.

Saddle bronc rider Q Taylor jumps seven spots in 16 days to leave Lefty Holman on outside looking in heading into Duel at the Dunes. Taylor’s rally began when he won Pendleton on Sept. 13, but the work was still not finished as he entered the Governor’s Cup No. 19 in the World Standings. He quickly moved to No. 16 by winning Round 2 and then officially cracked the Top 15 by finishing second overall, which paid another $24,000 to move him to No. 13. He has made $57,965 since Sept. 12.

Bailey Bates delivers clutch 2.1-second run to win Governor’s Cup, make National Finals Breakaway Roping. In the Short Round of the Governor’s Cup, Bailey Bates had to finish first or second to ensure her trip to the National Finals and she set the pace with a 2.1 as the second cowgirl out, then watched anxiously as Josie Conner and Rylee George failed to match her.