Rookie Hayden Welsh Dominates at Cheyenne Frontier Days Xtreme Bulls

Xtreme Bulls is a favorite among many rodeo fans, as it showcases a larger number of rough stock competitors each night. Among the long list of these events across the country, one of the top such events is during the daddy of ‘em all, Cheyenne Frontier Days. This event brought together some of the best bull riders in the world, making the competition almost unbelievably close.

One notable rider was 2026 PBR World Champion, Jon Crimber. Recently returned from injury, he has brough his best back to the game. Across the two nights of competition, Crimber had an aggregate score of 183.5 on two head, thanks to his back-to back 90-point rides. John came into the arena strong on night one, spurring his bull for 91.5 points. Subsequently, he earned a 92-point ride on the second and final event of the night. This was a truly great weekend of competition, with some of Crimber’s highest-scoring rides since his injury. However, despite these outstanding scores, he was not the overall event winner.

With four 90-point rides on the first night alone, it was clear that every competitor brought their absolute best to the dirt. The standout competitor from the get-go was rookie Hayden Welsh, a Wyoming native who came out with an explosive 93.5-point ride on Buck Cancer. This was an outstanding ride that put Welsh in an early lead and a positive headspace. With yet another impressive 92-point ride on night two, Hayden ended with an 185.5 on two-head for the event, securing him the win by a landslide.

There must be something in the air at Cheyenne because multiple athletes posted some of their best scores of the season during the first half of competition, though it was especially prevalent in the Xtreme Bulls event. Scores that would have easily won another event might not have gotten an athlete the overall event win due to the unusually high performance of the athletes as a collective.

Overall, the Cheyenne Frontier Days Xtreme Bulls was an outstanding two days of competition that ended with Hayden Welsh fulfilling his childhood dream. As the son of a seven-time NFR bull rider, Welsh has always held a deep love and passion for bull riding. Furthermore, with Cheyenne Frontier Days taking place in his home state, the victory was even sweeter. Welsh now ranks No. 4 in the world among bull riders, comfortably qualified for the NFR in December. We should expect to continue to see great things from this cowboy throughout his 2026 season, and possibly watch as he wins a championship title.