Rodeo Houston $50K Bonus Catapults Athletes in World Standings

The major winter rodeos have been completed, and the world of professional rodeo is heading into the spring season. With the $50,000 bonus at Rodeo Houston, big moves have been made in the World Standings. 

There are some new sheriffs in town, and we will break down the top 10 in each event for you as of March 18, after Rodeo Houston's payout.

Weatherford, Texas, brings the top man in bareback riding, Leighton Berry. The three-time NFR qualifier has been a member of the PRCA since 2018 and has earned $748,119 in career earnings. He finished sixth in the 2023 PRCA World Standings with a total of $259,249 in winnings after earning $101,294 at the 2023 NFR.

Berry has found a comfortable place in Houston, as this is his second consecutive win. He is sitting pretty in the top position with $74,558 in season earnings ahead of Garrett Shadbolt from Merriman, Neb., who has earned $57,004. 

Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! The Injune, Queensland, Australia cowboy might be from down under, but he is at the top of the World Standings. Damian Brennan is coming off of his first NFR qualification in 2023 and shows no signs of slowing down in 2024.

He has already been crowned the champion at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, along with winning Arcadia, Fla., and Jackson, Miss. The championship bonus at Houston sent him right to the top. 

Brennan earned $166,751 while in Las Vegas last year at the NFR and has now already tallied $106,810 toward his second showing in 2024.

The famous Wright family is still holding strong at number two with Statler, who won $67,121. The young 20-year-old from Beaver, Utah, is working his way toward his first NFR qualification. With brothers like Rusty, Ryder, and Stetson, there is no doubt he has the support and guidance to be in Las Vegas in December.

Missouri-man Creek Young is now the No. 1 bull rider in the World Standings. After three NFR qualifications, at just 23, Young is living his best life this year. In 2023 he finished sixth with $253,205 and in 2024, he is already at nearly $100,000 in earnings. The Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Champion is well on his way to his fourth consecutive NFR. His $50,000 bonus at Rodeo Houston moved him to the top with $98,970 in season earnings. 

Sitting in No. 2 is Clayton Sellars from Wildwood, Fla., with $73,745.

For the 23-year-old from Mandaree, N.D., winning the $50,000 bonus was the biggest win of his professional career. From 2021 through 2023, J.C. Yeahquo roped with family member L.J. Yeahquo and had some success.

Finishing 2023 ranked at No. 27, J.C. earned $66,383. In just one rodeo, and looking like it will be a stop on his way to his first NFR qualification, Yeahquo earned $50,000 with his new partner, Buddy Hawkins.  

Hawkins, who calls Stephenville, Texas his home, has six NFR qualifications to his name. The 37-year-old changed partners this year, and the chemistry is working.  

Hawkins also had great success with his previous partner, Andrew Ward, who is now roping with Tanner Braden. Interestingly, both teams were in the final four rounds at Houston, and both looked stellar on the arena floor.

In the only event where the winner of Rodeo Houston is not the current No. 1, tie-down roper Shad Mayfield is still the No. 1 man in the land.  Mayfield is having a storybook season and has already won $103,369 toward his goal of taking home a second World Championship.

No. 2 in the standings is Ty Harris from San Angelo, Texas. He had to rope off with his brother to be declared the Rodeo Houston champion. The win nearly tripled his earnings to date.

Harris had a bit of a rough 2023 NFR and is looking to go back to the big city and bright lights for the sixth consecutive time. With $76,183 already banked, he is well on his way.

Dakota Eldridge has been to the NFR 10 times over the course of his career. Of those 10 times, he has only missed one consecutive year, which was in 2018. In 2023, he finished the year at No. 12. This year has started off slow for the legend in steer wrestling. 

Slow until Houston, that is. 

With just the shot in the arm the big man needed, Eldridge now sits as the No. 1 man with $59,057 to his name.  

Dalton Massey from Hermiston, Ore., is ranked No. 2 after earning $50,255 so far in 2024.

The women of the WPRA have made big moves with stellar fast times in the arenas, none more so than Leslie Smalygo from Skiatook, Okla.  

Smalygo and her equine buddy "Gus" registered as Justaheartbeattafame ran the fastest time of the entire Rodeo Houston in the Shootout round to take the win and cash the $50,000 check.  

Gus is a 14-year-old gelding by Justaheartofawarrior and out of Yawl A Fame Maker by Dash ta Fame. The Houston win catapulted the duo right to the No. 1 spot. 

Fan-favorite Lisa Lockhart and her string of barrel racing horses are currently ranked No. 2 in the world with $51,616 in earnings. Lockhart has ridden Promise Me Guys and Rosas Cantina CC to her winnings.

It shouldn't be a surprise that someone with 23 world titles would be at the top of the World Standings. Jackie Crawford has ended the year at the top so many times that it is easy to lose count, but the official number is 23, and she is working on making that number 24.

In her win interview, Crawford hinted at the possibility that she will retire sometime soon but clearly said she wouldn't retire before she got the Houston title. Well, that checkmark has now been made. 

Veteran experience may have worked to her advantage when she was the only cowgirl to get a qualified time in the final four-man round.

Crawford now leads the field of breakaway ropers into the summer season with $76,408 to her credit.  

The gunslinger, Danielle Lowman from Gilbert, Ariz., is second after having an incredible winter season, earning $54,408 with multiple runs under two seconds.