December 15, 2024
The 2024 edition of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo wrapped up another exciting ten-day run with a finale that had surprises, disappointments, celebrations and plenty of drama as the curtain came down on the rodeo season at the Thomas and Mack Arena in Las Vegas.
The Bronc Riding at this NFR went down to the last horse of the 10th and final round with an already two-time champion, Ryder Wright, matched up with 2024 World Champion bronc—Andrews Rodeo’s All or Nothin. Wright split the round with Lefty Holman, both with 89.5 scores and that was enough to clinch a third title for Wright. His $479,957 provided a comfortable margin over Australian Damian Brennan who wound up with $442,442 for second spot. Canada’s Zeke Thurston who came to Las Vegas in search of a fifth world title finished up in fourth place overall with $362,110. A good chunk of aggregate money went north of the border as Dawson Hay (Wildwood, AB) ended up 3rd, Thurston 4th, Kolby Wanchuk (Sherwood Park, AB) 5th and Ben Anderson (Eckville, AB) 6th. 2024 CFR qualifier Wyatt Casper won the aggregate title with 853 points on ten head and finished up third in the world for 2024.
After being a three-time runner-up for a world title, Josh Frost captured his first bull riding gold buckle as he went 7 for 10 at the NFR to win the aggregate (580 points on seven head) as well. Frost’s season earnings were $390,496.63. The Randlett, Utah cowboy added to an illustrious family storyline as he is a cousin of the late Lane Frost, the 1987 World Champion who tragically lost his life 35 years ago in a bull riding incident at Cheyenne’s Frontier Days Rodeo. Josh Frost placed in all seven rounds in which he made the horn, winning two of those rounds including a spectacular 90-point effort in round six on Bill Fick Surprised from the Pickett Pro Rodeo Company. The final round was won by Hayes Weight who was the only bull rider to make the whistle for a whopping $108,665 go round winning payday.
Tie down roper, Riley Webb, got off to a blazing start at this year’s Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, winning three of the first four rounds and placing second in the other and the momentum of that start carried the Denton, Texas roper to a second consecutive world title. In the critical final round with a handful of the world’s best ropers nipping at his heels, Webb locked down the win with an 8.3 fifth place run to clinch both the aggregate (79.7/10) and his second straight world title with $475,214.04.
One of the cool Canadian stories of this Finals was the performance of Logan Bird’s award winning tie-down roping horse Daddys Shiner Cat (Peso). Bird mounted Joel Harris for all ten rounds, brother Ty Harris for nine and Tuf Cooper for the last two. Among the successes over the ten days were three round wins and several placings totalling over $250,000.
It was the Shootout at the Thomas and Mack in the bareback riding. When the smoke cleared and the dust settled, it was Dean Thompson who prevailed over Rocker Steiner for the world title. Thompson was 88.5 to win second in the round 10 while Steiner was 88 points on the Macza Pro Rodeo’s Stevie Knicks. The final margin of victory was just $18,000 as Thompson finished the season with $412,120 to $394,186 for Steiner. The Altamont, Utah cowboy also captured the aggregate title with 854.5 points on ten head.
Steer wrestling saw another tight race that went down to the last round with JD Struxness capturing his first world title. A dramatic second place 3.6 second run sealed the deal for the Alva, Oklahoma (via Minnesota) hand by just $1500 over Will Loomis–$309,220 to $307,712. Struxness has a Canadian connection as he competed at both the 2022 and 2023 Canadian Finals and is married to a southern Albertan. The aggregate title went to Utah dogger, Cash Robb, as he was 43.1 seconds on ten. Four-time Canadian Champion Scott Guenthner won a round and placed in three more to take home $97,440 while reigning Canadian Champion and PRCA season leader Dalton Massey struggled, picking up only one fifth place cheque for $8693. Both Guenthner and Massey rode Canadian, Tanner Milan’s, 2023 World and Canadian Steer Wrestling Horse, Eds Famous Bar (Eddie) for the ten day Finals.
The barrel racing at this year’s WNFR was a battle that featured two amazing cowgirls on two outstanding barrel racing horses. The duel went down to the last run on the last day before a winner emerged. In a week that saw four time World Champion Hailey Kinsel on top then five time NFR qualifier Kassie Mowry, then Kinsel once again, the two cowgirls went head-to-head into the final round with Mowry on Force the Goodbye (Jarvis) cashing a second place cheque with a 13.59 second run in the finale. When Kinsel failed to place in the 10th round – riding a backup horse with DM Sissy Hayday (Sister) under the weather – the title went to the Dublin, Texas cowgirl. Mowry wound up 4th in the aggregate behind Aggregate Champ Andrea Busby (136.18/10) while winning five rounds and finishing second in three more for record NFR earnings of 295,526, a season total of $457,809 and the gold buckle.
The team toping title went to header, Tyler Wade ($361,480) and heeler Wesley Thorpe ($361,480) while the aggregate winners were Clint Summers and Jake Long (44.3 seconds on nine runs). The Wade/Thorpe win makes it back to back championships for the tandem with Wade earning a third title back in 2019.
And when team roper Coleman Proctor missed his head catch in the tenth round, it allowed Shad Mayfield to ease past him to a World All-Around title, edging Proctor by less than $700.00. Mayfield earned $335,474 with Proctor at $334,798.
Just prior to the ten day WNFR, the 2025 Breakaway Roping season wrapped up on the world stage with Oklahoma cowgirl Kelsie Domer roping her way to both the NFR aggregate and the 2024 World titles. Domer won $34,221 at the South Point Arena and Equestrian Center over two days and ten rounds of competition enroute to a final season total of $168,758 and her first PRCA/NFR title.
Two cowgirls with CPRA connections were factors in the final BAW outcome. 2024 World title-holder Shelby Boisjoli-Meged, one of two Canadian born-and-raised competitors, came into the Finals in top spot and earned $12,564 to wrap up her season in fourth spot with $160,729. And, two-time Canadian Champion, Shelby Pierson, competed at her second NFR, collecting $10,078 and finishing 13th with total earnings of $99,137.
Canadian WNFR money winners:
Zeke Thurston – $139,366
Dawson Hay – $137,465
Scott Guenthner – $97,440
Kolby Wanchuk – $49,983
Ben Andersen – $26,623
Logan Hay – $6791
Unofficial total: $457,648 (not including the $10,000 qualifying bonus paid to every WNFR competitor)
Among the Canadian Stock Stand-outs:
C5 Rodeo’s much-decorated Virgil who carried Jacob Lees to 91 points and a share of first in round 5
Wayne Vold Rodeo’s CFR-NFR mare True Grit who carried Bradlee Miller to top spot in round 2 with 86.5 points
Two time Bull of the Year in Canada Duane Kesler Championship Rodeo’s Rodgers Red Angus Chester who bucked off two cowboys including eventual World Champion Josh Frost in the tenth round
For complete contestant and stock results, visit www.prorodeo.com
And look for more extensive WNFR coverage and photos in the upcoming edition of Canadian Rodeo News.
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The Canadian Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA) with headquarters in Airdrie, Alberta is the official sanctioning body for Professional Rodeo in Canada. The CPRA approves 55 events annually with a total payout exceeding $6.8 million. The organization oversees the SMS Equipment Pro Tour Finals Labour Day weekend in Armstrong, BC, holds their premiere event – the Canadian Finals Rodeo (CFR) – at Rogers Place in Edmonton, AB October 2-5 and endorses the Maple Leaf Circuit Finals as part of Canadian Western Agribition in Regina, SK in November. Follow the CPRA on Facebook @prorodeocanadaofficial, on Instagram @prorodeocanada_cpra, on X @prorodeocanada or online at RodeoCanada.com.
For more information:
Barb Poulsen
CPRA Communications and Media
Phone: 403 625-9225
Email: media@rodeocanada.com