Big rides, costly no-times, and shifting averages in Round 5 kept everyone on the edge of their seats.
Round 5 of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo delivered exactly what it was expected to. It was a night defined by Horse of the Year matchups and big world title swings.
All eyes were on the big matchup in the bareback riding between world-standings leader Rocker Steiner and the 2025 Bareback Horse of the Year, Lunatic Heaven. This pair lived up to every ounce of expectation. Steiner rode the Brookman Rodeo mare for 89 points and the round win, further strengthening his grip on the gold buckle race.
Sam Petersen wasn’t far behind with 88.75, while Wacey Schalla,who continues to stay in the all-around conversation,posted an 88 for third. Kade Sonnier followed with 87.75, and both Cole Franks and Bradlee Miller came in just behind them at 87.25. At the halfway mark, Steiner has built a commanding world-standings lead, while Schalla has taken over the average race with the most consistent five-head total so far.
Round 5 produced the fastest bulldogging runs of the finals so far. Scott Guenthner made the run we have been waiting for in 3.4-seconds to win the round. This was the fastest time we've seen in 2025. Justin Shaffer was right behind him with a 3.5. Season leader Will Lummus rebounded nicely with a 3.7 to keep himself in world-title contention.
A major shakeup came when Ty Erickson, who had controlled the average race for four nights, took a heartbreaking no-time. With Erickson slipping, Tucker Allen now leads the average and remains second in the world aboard Banker.
The fastest team-roping run of the 2025 NFR also hit the board tonight when Kolton Schmidt and Jonathan Torres stopped the clock at 3.7 seconds to win Round 5. Tanner Tomlinson and Travis Graves were close behind at 3.8, and Clint Summers with Jade Corkill followed at 3.9.
With five rounds down, Andrew Ward and Jake Long now lead the average as one of only three teams with five clean runs on the board. On the world-standings side, Tomlinson is holding the lead on the heading end, while Long remains out front on the heeling side. It is too soon to make any bold predictions, as everything has changed nearly every round.
Saddle bronc rider Damian Brennan earned his second go-round buckle of this finals with an impressive 90-point ride on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s R. Watson's Ed Bishop. This is put the Australian firmly in the gold-buckle conversation.
Brody Cress delivered a beautiful 89.5-point ride on the legendary Virgil in the horse’s final NFR appearance before retirement. He took second, while Dawson Hay followed at 89 points. Behind them were Zeke Thurston at 88.25 and average leader Stetson Wright with 87.
The shock of the night came when Ryder Wright missed his horse out, eliminating himself from the average and opening the door wide for the rest of the field, especially Stetson, who continues to lead the average and now has a clearer path in his triple-crown feat.
The tie-down roping stayed interesting again in round 5. John Douch made his run for a 7.4 to win Round 5. Joel Harris was close behind at 7.6. Kyle Lucas secured the go round check he had been chasing all week in third with a 7.9 and Dylan Hancock followed at 8.0.
The biggest story was Shad Mayfield taking a no-time when his calf got up. This makes for a big swing in a title race that has been neck and neck for three years now. Riley Webb didn’t place in round 5, but his 11.3 kept him in the average, which is critical at this point in the finals. Brushton Minton still leads the average, followed by Douch and Webb, and the world standings have tightened dramatically between Shad and Riley heading into Round 6.
Tonight’s ground in the barrel race produced the fastest runs of the finals. Carlee Otero and Regina were towards the bottom of the ground and ran the fastest time of the entire finals so far, 13.43. This made for their second round win.
Just behind them, Halyn Lide and Lisa Lockhart tied at 13.55, followed by Hailey Kinsel on Sister at 13.56. Tricia Aldridge stayed consistent with a 13.61 to keep herself tied for second in the average with Kassie Mowry, who did not place but kept the barrels standing. Katelyn Scott continues to impress, still leading the average after placing again tonight with a 13.63. Scott is the only lady to have placed in all 5 rounds so far.
Only six cowboys made the whistle tonight in the bull riding, and J.R. Stratford delivered the best ride of all. He was 90.5 points on Rafter H Rodeo Livestock’s Deal Me In to take his first round win of these finals. Rookie Bryce Jensen followed with 89.5, and both Ky Hamilton and Mason Moody scored 88.75.
Hudson Bolton was 88.5, and Qynn Andersen rounded out the qualifying scores with an 86.5. Meanwhile, both Wacey Schalla and Stetson Wright bucked off, reshuffling the story once again. Stratford and Hamilton are now the only riders with four qualified rides, making the average race extremely valuable heading into Round 6.
We are now halfway through the 2025 NFR, and still every event remains unpredictable. World-title leads have swung, the average races continue to shift. World Champions have stumbled and rebounded.
The momentum has officially entered the danger zone where gold buckles can be won or lost in a fraction of a second or a half-point. We are headed into the second half, and still nothing is finished yet.