Freaky Friday has come and gone. There is one round remaining of the National Finals Rodeo and things did, in fact, get a little weird in some events in Round 9.

In bareback riding, Cooper Cooke won his second Go-Round of 2025 while Rocker Steiner made the most clutch 85.75-point ride of his life for second. Not only that, but it bumped Steiner up three spots in the Average to swing the World Title race back in his favor.

Entering Round 10, he has retaken control of the Projected World Standings, opening up a lead of about $37,000 over Jess Pope. That means he likely just needs to hold his spot in the Average to get the Gold Buckle.

In steer wrestling, Justin Shaffer made it two nights in a row the Go-Round was won on the AQHA Horse of the Year, Banker. Shaffer was 3.6 seconds.

In the World Title race, Tucker Allen is No. 1 in the World and Projected Standings and has opened up a lead of 12.4 seconds in the NFR Average. If he is clean, he will be the World Champion, he can likely still win even if he breaks the barrier. The 26-year-old just needs to get his steer to the ground.

In team roping, Lightning Aguilera/Kaden Profili continued to impress with a 3.4-second run to win their third Go-Round of the NFR.

They are one of two teams who partnered up just for the NFR and the other one continues to make noise in the World Title race. In fact, Kolton Schmidt/Jonathan Torres are the favorites. They were 4.3 on Friday night for a fourth place check, but more crucially extended their lead in the Average to 7.1 seconds over Andrew Ward/Jake Long and 12.5 seconds over Clint Summers/Jade Corkill, the other two World Title contending pairs.

Schmidt/Torres can seal their improbable Gold Buckle, going from 14th and 15th to the top, with a qualified time on Friday night.

Saddle bronc riding was where the voodoo of Round 9 really came into play. For the first time in 55 outs, Zeke Thurston bucked off at the National Finals. He entered Friday as the NFR Average leader and Projected World Champion.

This swung the door wide open for a pair of Wright brothers, and Statler and Ryder walked right through it. Statler was second with 88 points and Ryder was third with 86.5. The scenario on Saturday night is if Statler finishes fourth or better, Ryder can’t catch him. However, if Ryder finishes Top 2 and Statler doesn’t play, the Gold Buckle could very well go to big brother for the second straight year.

Oh, by the way, Stetson won the round with 89.75 points.

In tie-down roping, arena record holder Haven Meged got his first check since Round 4 with a 7 flat run. Ty Harris was second with a 7.1 and Riley Webb continued to take care of business with a 7.5 for third.

The situation is the same for Webb as it was last year, if he keeps his calf down in Round 10, he’ll win his third straight Gold Buckle. He would be the first tie-down roper since Roy Cooper to do so.

In barrel racing, Carlee Otero clocked the fastest time of the rodeo with a 13.20-second run for her third Go-Round win.

In the World Title race, Kassie Mowry is in the driver’s seat to make it two in a row as she leads the Average and the World Standings.

In bull riding, Qynn Andersen improved to 5-for-9 and picked up his first career Go-Round win in the process. Stetson Wright and Ky Hamilton both bucked off and Ky is questionable for Round 10. If Stetson makes the whistle, he wins the World, while Ky could win with a Stetson buck-off and some help.

Bareback Riding 

Ninth Round: 1. Cooper Cooke, 86.75 points on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s No Whiskey’s Redlicious Meats, $36,668; 2. (tie) Waylon Bourgeois and Rocker Steiner, 85.75, $25,431 each; 4. Dean Thompson, 85.25, $15,377; 5. Mason Clements, 85, $9,463; 6. (tie) Jess Pope and Jayco Roper, 84.5, $2,957 each; 8. (tie) Tilden Hooper and Bradlee Miller, 84.25 each; 10. (tie) Cole Franks and Sam Petersen, 83.75 each; 12. Kade Sonnier, 83.5; 13. Garrett Shadbolt, 82.75; 14. Wacey Schalla, 75.5; 15. Jacek Frost, NS.

Average Leaders: 1. Jess Pope, 769 points on nine head; 2. Sam Petersen, 765.5; 3. Cole Franks, 760.5; 4. Kade Sonnier, 759.5; 5. (tie) Bradlee Miller and Rocker Steiner, 754.5 each; 7. Wacey Schalla, 754; 8. Garrett Shadbolt, 752.75; 9. Dean Thompson, 677 on eight head; 10. Waylon Bourgeois, 672; 11. Tilden Hooper, 664.5; 12. Mason Clements, 589.25 on seven head; 13. Cooper Cooke, 510.25 on six head; 14. Jacek Frost, 485; no other qualified rides.

World Standings: 1. Rocker Steiner, $446,616; 2. Sam Petersen, $348,805; 3. Jess Pope, $343,150; 4. Wacey Schalla, $286,275; 5. Kade Sonnier, $273,571; 6. Waylon Bourgeois, $268,907; 7. Cole Franks, $263,787; 8. Cooper Cooke, $254,909; 9. Dean Thompson, $246,224; 10. Bradlee Miller, $244,088; 11. Garrett Shadbolt, $202,805; 12. Mason Clements, $190,402; 13. Jacek Frost, $155,514; 14. Jayco Roper, $152,732; 15. Tilden Hooper, $139,951.

Steer Wrestling 

Ninth Round: 1. Justin Shaffer, 3.6 seconds, $36,668; 2. (tie) Bridger Anderson, Kyle Irwin and Will Lummus, 3.8, $22,080 each; 5. Jesse Brown, 3.9, $9,463; 6. Tucker Allen, 4.0, $5,914; 7. Scott Guenthner, 4.1; 8. Dakota Eldridge, 4.4; 9. Ty Erickson, 4.5; 10. Chance Howard, 4.7; 11. Tyler Waguespack, 5.1; 12. J.D. Struxness, 5.3; 13. Stetson Jorgensen, 5.6; 14. Rowdy Parrott, 6.6; 15. Gavin Soileau, NT.

Average Leaders: 1. Tucker Allen, 40.6 seconds on nine head; 2. Rowdy Parrott, 53.0; 3. J.D. Struxness, 58.2; 4. Stetson Jorgensen, 62.1; 5. Ty Erickson, 34.0 on eight head; 6. Jesse Brown, 35.5; 7. Justin Shaffer, 37.6; 8. Scott Guenthner, 42.5; 9. Dakota Eldridge, 43.5; 10. Kyle Irwin, 49.2; 11. Bridger Anderson, 30.4 on seven head; 12. Tyler Waguespack, 41.2; 13. Chance Howard, 46.6; 14. Gavin Soileau, 69.1; 15. Will Lummus, 24.6 on six head.

World Standings: 1. Will Lummus, $312,951; 2. Tucker Allen, $304,878; 3. Jesse Brown, $277,133; 4. Ty Erickson, $246,270; 5. Justin Shaffer, $242,362; 6. Bridger Anderson, $220,953; 7. J.D. Struxness, $212,545; 8. Rowdy Parrott, $208,486; 9. Stetson Jorgensen, $200,439; 10. Kyle Irwin, $197,345; 11. Tyler Waguespack, $193,138; 12. Dakota Eldridge, $169,218; 13. Scott Guenthner, $168,738; 14. Chance Howard, $141,659; 15. Gavin Soileau, $123,981.

Team Roping

Ninth Round: 1. Lightning Aguilera/Kaden Profili, 3.4 seconds, $36,668 each; 2. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 3.5, $28,980; 3. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 3.8, $21,882; 4. Kolton Schmidt/Jonathan Torres, 4.3, $15,377; 5. Cyle Denison/Lane Mitchell, 4.4, $9,463; 6. (tie) Luke Brown/Trey Yates and Andrew Ward/Jake Long, 8.8, $2,957 each; 8. Clint Summers/Jade Corkill, 14.2; 9. Derrick Begay/Colter Todd Todd, Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord, Dawson Graham/Dillon Graham, Riley Minor/Brady Minor, Clay Smith/Coleby Payne, Jake Smith/Douglas Rich and Tanner Tomlinson/Travis Graves, NT.

Average Leaders: 1. Kolton Schmidt/Jonathan Torres, 33.0 seconds on eight head; 2. Andrew Ward/Jake Long, 40.1; 3. Clint Summers/Jade Corkill, 45.5; 4. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 49.6; 5. Derrick Begay/Colter Todd Todd, 52.4 on seven head; 6. Lightning Aguilera/Kaden Profili, 28.7 on six head; 7. Riley Minor/Brady Minor, 33.8; 8. Cyle Denison/Lane Mitchell, 34.2; 9. Tanner Tomlinson/Travis Graves, 36.3; 10. Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord, 39.2; 11. Luke Brown/Trey Yates, 43.4; 12. Dawson Graham/Dillon Graham, 24.6 on five head; 13. Clay Smith/Coleby Payne, 33.2; 14. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 34.4; 15. Jake Smith/Douglas Rich, 38.2 on four head.

World Standings (Headers): 1. Kolton Schmidt, $294,451; 2. Tanner Tomlinson, $276,606; 3. Kaleb Driggers, $274,737; 4. Clint Summers, $253,055; 5. Andrew Ward, $246,979; 6. Lightning Aguilera, $245,582; 7. Dawson Graham, $239,321; 8. Dustin Egusquiza, $237,829; 9. Tyler Wade, $224,632; 10. Cyle Denison, $199,907; 11. Jake Smith, $194,087; 12. Clay Smith, $193,921; 13. Derrick Begay, $188,030; 14. Luke Brown, $177,068; 15. Riley Minor, $172,186.

World Standings (Heelers): 1. Jonathan Torres, $286,185; 2. Junior Nogueira, $274,737; 3. Jade Corkill, $253,380; 4. Jake Long, $245,232; 5. Kaden Profili, $244,382; 6. Travis Graves, $242,717; 7. Dillon Graham, $239,321; 8. Levi Lord, $235,448; 9. Wesley Thorp, $224,632; 10. Lane Mitchell, $200,937; 11. Colter Todd Todd, $185,678; 12. Coleby Payne, $184,724; 13. Douglas Rich, $183,337; 14. Trey Yates, $177,068; 15. Brady Minor, $172,186.

Saddle Bronc Riding 

Ninth Round: 1. Stetson Dell Wright, 89.75 points on The Cervi Brothers’ R. Watson’s Mad Skills, $36,668; 2. Statler Wright, 88, $28,980; 3. Ryder Wright, 86.5, $21,882; 4. Ben Andersen, 86, $15,377; 5. Sage Newman, 85, $9,463; 6. Damian Brennan, 84.25, $5,914; 7. Q Taylor, 84; 8. Weston Patterson, 83.75; 9. Lefty Holman, 83; 10. Kade Bruno, 81; 11. Brody Wells, 80.75; 12. Zachary Dallas, 80.25; 13. Dawson Hay, 72; 14. Brody Cress, 65.5; 15. Zeke Thurston, NS.

Average Leaders: 1. Statler Wright, 776.75 points on nine head; 2. Lefty Holman, 767; 3. Ben Andersen, 759.25; 4. Zachary Dallas, 755.75; 5. Sage Newman, 753; 6. Brody Cress, 745.5; 7. Stetson Dell Wright, 700.25 on eight head; 8. Ryder Wright, 694.75; 9. Zeke Thurston, 690.75; 10. Damian Brennan, 689; 11. Weston Patterson, 683; 12. Q Taylor, 678.75; 13. Kade Bruno, 672.75; 14. Brody Wells, 595.75 on seven head; 15. Dawson Hay, 574.5.

World Standings: 1. Ryder Wright, $413,899; 2. Damian Brennan, $367,403; 3. Statler Wright, $358,948; 4. Stetson Dell Wright, $345,665; 5. Zeke Thurston, $332,336; 6. Dawson Hay, $306,418; 7. Kade Bruno, $303,921; 8. Brody Cress, $272,003; 9. Brody Wells, $269,064; 10. Weston Patterson, $258,846; 11. Zachary Dallas, $239,946; 12. Sage Newman, $231,335; 13. Ben Andersen, $196,625; 14. Lefty Holman, $192,132; 15. Q Taylor, $188,853.

Tie-Down Roping 

Ninth Round: 1. Haven Meged, 7.0 seconds, $36,668; 2. Ty Harris, 7.1, $28,980; 3. Riley Mason Webb, 7.5, $21,882; 4. Tom Crouse, 7.6, $15,377; 5. (tie) Zack Jongbloed and Brushton Minton, 8.0, $7,688 each; 7. John Douch, 8.1; 8. Kyle Lucas, 8.9; 9. Dylan Hancock, 9.2; 10. Kincade Henry, 10.3; 11. Shad Mayfield, 11.6; 12. Marty Yates, 11.7; 13. Joel Harris, 17.5; 14. Shane Hanchey and Riley Pruitt, NT.

Average Leaders: 1. Riley Mason Webb, 74.6 seconds on nine head; 2. John Douch, 75.3; 3. Brushton Minton, 76.1; 4. Haven Meged, 81.7; 5. Zack Jongbloed, 84.7; 6. Dylan Hancock, 91.9; 7. Kincade Henry, 66.8 on eight head; 8. Shad Mayfield, 68.9; 9. Joel Harris, 71.0; 10. Marty Yates, 81.9; 11. Tom Crouse, 76.5 on seven head; 12. Ty Harris, 82.0; 13. Riley Pruitt, 50.2 on six head; 14. Shane Hanchey, 63.0; 15. Kyle Lucas, 68.3.

World Standings: 1. Riley Mason Webb, $439,626; 2. Shad Mayfield, $388,931; 3. Kincade Henry, $320,916; 4. Joel Harris, $313,495; 5. John Douch, $265,107; 6. Dylan Hancock, $248,540; 7. Haven Meged, $219,605; 8. Tom Crouse, $213,697; 9. Ty Harris, $205,747; 10. Marty Yates, $201,701; 11. Riley Pruitt, $200,430; 12. Brushton Minton, $191,129; 13. Zack Jongbloed, $189,472; 14. Shane Hanchey, $171,851; 15. Kyle Lucas, $161,180.

Barrel Racing 

Ninth Round: 1. Carlee Otero, 13.20 seconds, $36,668; 2. Hayle Gibson-Stillwell, 13.43, $28,980; 3. Lisa Lockhart, 13.54, $21,882; 4. Emily Beisel, 13.55, $15,377; 5. Tricia Aldridge, 13.69, $9,463; 6. Kassie Mowry, 13.71, $5,914; 7. Hailey Kinsel, 13.73; 8. Katelyn Scott, 13.77; 9. Wenda Johnson, 13.98; 10. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 14.08; 11. (tie) Andrea Busby and Julie Plourde, 14.16 each; 13. Megan McLeod-Sprague, 14.22; 14. Tayla Moeykens, 14.27; 15. Halyn Lide, 19.53.

Average Leaders: 1. Kassie Mowry, 123.24 seconds on nine head; 2. Julie Plourde, 125.68; 3. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 126.27; 4. Tricia Aldridge, 127.97; 5. Andrea Busby, 130.54; 6. Hayle Gibson-Stillwell, 132.56; 7. Hailey Kinsel, 132.86; 8. Emily Beisel, 138.66; 9. Lisa Lockhart, 142.98; 10. Megan McLeod-Sprague, 144.94; 11. Halyn Lide, 145.83; 12. Wenda Johnson, 145.90; 13. Carlee Otero, 157.51; 14. Katelyn Scott, 110.19 on eight head; 15. Tayla Moeykens, 132.57; no other qualified runs.

World Standings: 1. Kassie Mowry, $359,525; 2. Hailey Kinsel, $308,096; 3. Hayle Gibson-Stillwell, $296,113; 4. Carlee Otero, $288,498; 5. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, $270,955; 6. Emily Beisel, $266,427; 7. Lisa Lockhart, $258,126; 8. Tricia Aldridge, $251,132; 9. Halyn Lide, $209,025; 10. Katelyn Scott, $208,777; 11. Megan McLeod-Sprague, $198,577; 12. Anita Ellis, $156,992; 13. Andrea Busby, $154,927; 14. Tayla Moeykens, $152,561; 15. Wenda Johnson, $148,428; 16. Julie Plourde, $137,739.

Bull Riding 

Ninth Round: 1. Qynn Andersen, 87 points on Sutton Rodeos’ Mr. Gold, $40,512; 2. Mason Moody, 84.75, $32,824; 3. Tristen Hutchings, 83.75, $25,727; 4. TJ Gray, 78.75, $19,221; 5. Hudson Bolton, Ky Hamilton, Bryce Jensen, Colorado kid Mackey, Jesse Petri, Wacey Schalla, Jordan Spears, J.R. Stratford, Hayes Weight and Stetson Dell Wright, NS.

Average Leaders: 1. (tie) Ky Hamilton and TJ Gray, 522 points on six head each; 3. Stetson Dell Wright, 444.25 on five head; 4. Qynn Andersen, 427.5; 5. Colorado kid Mackey, 427; 6. Bryce Jensen, 418.75; 7. Mason Moody, 346 on four head; 8. Tristen Hutchings, 344.5; 9. Hudson Bolton, 342.25; 10. Jesse Petri, 248 on three head; 11. Jordan Spears, 227.75; 12. Wacey Schalla, 177 on two head; 13. Hayes Weight, 86.75 on one head; no other qualified rides.

World Standings: 1. Stetson Dell Wright, $514,535; 2. Ky Hamilton, $423,723; 3. Wacey Schalla, $413,458; 4. Tristen Hutchings, $396,622; 5. TJ Gray, $379,262; 6. Bryce Jensen, $293,902; 7. J.R. Stratford, $263,020; 8. Qynn Andersen, $253,307; 9. Mason Moody, $246,493; 10. Hudson Bolton, $217,866; 11. Hayes Weight, $196,365; 12. Colorado kid Mackey, $193,866; 13. Jordan Spears, $176,627; 14. Jesse Petri, $167,683; 15. Rawley Johnson, $158,778.