The Reno Rodeo is here and that means the start of the most hectic stretches in all of sports. From now until the end of September, rodeo athletes will be criss-crossing the country in hopes of making the National Finals and a good performance at the Wildest, Richest Rodeo in the West could spark momentum for Cowboy Christmas, and then the entire summer.

Last season, every champion in Reno made a trip back to Nevada in December for the National Finals.

BAREBACK RIDING

Stat to Know: All three round winners (Nick Pelke, Wacey Schalla, and Garret Shadbolt) rode for at least 88 points. However, none of them won the rodeo. Three of the last four years, the bareback riding winner did not win any of the three rounds.

What Happened Last Year: As mentioned above, Pelke, Schalla, and Shadbolt were your three round winners and they finished ninth, sixth and third respectively. RC Landingham won with 257 points on three and Sam Petersen was second with 256.

Athletes to Watch: Reigning World Champion Dean Thompson has made the Finals each of the past two years. In addition to his 2024 win, R.C. Landingham also finished second in 2022. Wacey Schalla, who made the Finals in his debut last year, enters with momentum after picking up two Playoff Series wins last weekend.

STEER WRESTLING

Stat to Know: All three round-winning times in 2024 were 4.1 or 4.0.

What Happened Last Year: Tucker Allen and Dalton Massey split the victory when both were 13.9 seconds on three. That aggregate time was 1.1 seconds slower than the JD Struxness’ winning time in 2023.

Athletes to Watch: Reigning World Champion JD Struxness won Reno in both 2019 and 2023. Dalton Massey claimed the title last year and placed in both the Finals and the Average in 2023. Talon Roseland finished fifth in the Average in 2021 and improved to fourth in 2022.

TEAM ROPING

Stat to Know: Each of the last three years, the margin of victory for the Average winner was 0.5 seconds or less.

What Happened Last Year: In their first year as partners, Andrew Ward/Kollin VonAhn won the Finals and the Average. Their 16.1 seconds on three was the fastest aggregate time since 2017. Ward will be roping with Jake Long this year.

Athletes to Watch: Coleman Proctor and Logan Medlin finished third in the average at Reno in 2024 and also placed second in a round in both 2019 and 2021. Current No. 3 ranked header Dustin Egusquiza will rope with JC Flake, who finished third in the Average  in 2024 alongside Jr. Dees.Travis Graves and Tanner Tomlinson, both ranked No. 2 in the world, are also strong contenders, Graves has qualified for the Finals each of the past two years in Reno and won a round in 2021.

SADDLE BRONC RIDING

Stat to Know: A Wright has won the last three Reno Rodeos (Ryder in 2024, Statler in 2022 and 2023).

What Happened Last Year: Ryder Wright made three straight rides of 85.5 points or better to win by 2.5 points over his brother Rusty. Dawson Hay, who won the Finals, was third.

Athletes to Watch: Ryder Wright, Stetson Wright, Statler Wright, Rusty Wright. All four are in the Top 22 in the World Standings, Ryder is No. 1 in the World coming off a weekend where he made $14,000, Stetson has five saddle bronc riding wins in the month of June, Reno is the only Playoff Series Rodeo Statler has won twice, and Rusty is having his best year since 2020, when he last made the NFR.

TIE-DOWN ROPING

Stat to Know: Shad Mayfield’s margin of victory in 2024 was the largest of the last 10 years in the tie-down roping.

What Happened Last Year: Shad Mayfield won Round 2 and the Finals with runs of 7.5 and 7.6 seconds to bounce back from a 10.1 in Round 1 to win the Average by two full seconds. It was Mayfield’s second consecutive victory in Reno.

Athletes to Watch: Pretty predictable bunch here. Mayfield, of course, but also World No. 1 and two-time World Champion Riley Webb, who finished second to Mayfield in 2023 and won the Finals and the Average in 2022. Additionally, Shane Hanchey finished second in 2024 and third in 2022.

BARREL RACING

Stat to Know: There have been just sub-17 second runs in the last three years and only one in 2024.

What Happened Last Year: Hailey Kinsel finished second in two rounds on her way to edging out Emily Beisel by less than a tenth of a second. Kinsel was 51.54 seconds on three.

Athletes to Watch: In addition to her win in 2024, Kinsel was also the runner-up in the Average in 2023 and 2021. Stevi Hillman finished Top 10 in the Average in 2021, 2022 and 2023 and also finished in the Top 4 in the Finals in 2022 and 2023. Megan McLeod-Sprague enters No. 4 in the World and won Round 1 last year.

BULL RIDING

Stat to Know: Tristen Hutchings’ 181 points on two was the highest aggregate score in Reno Rodeo history.

What Happened Last Year: Tristen Hutchings made a pair of 90.5-point ride to sweep and win the Average by 5.5 points. He is the first bull rider in more than a decade to make multiple 90+ Point Rides in Reno. The last sweep in bull riding came courtesy of JB Mauney in 2021.

Athletes to Watch: Ky Hamilton is off to a hot start in the summertime thanks to a win at the Reno Rodeo Xtreme Bulls Thursday night. At No. 4 in the World, Hutchings cannot bar ignored either.