National Western Stock Show Timed Event Qualifiers Earn Their Way to Denver

Known as the “Best 16 Days in January,” the National Western Stock Show is one of the first major winter indoor rodeos on the calendar. For timed event contestants hoping to compete in Denver, earning a spot starts with the qualifier, where two go rounds give ropers, steer wrestlers and barrel racers a chance to put together the runs needed to advance to Janurary. 

The National Western Stock Show rodeo will feature 80 contestants in the timed events.  40 spots are filled through predetermined rankings, including previous Pro Rodeo World standings, WPRA Tour standings and Mountain States Circuit Finals results. The remaining 40 spots are awarded through the qualifier.

Contestants can qualify by placing among the top 10 in the first go round or the top 10 in the second go round if they have not already qualified. Any remaining spots are filled based on the fastest average times across both go rounds. The qualifier was held in Castle Rock, Colorado. 

In steer wrestling, Stetson Jorgensen put together the strongest two head performance, winning the average in 8.7 seconds. Jorgensen opened the qualifier by winning the first round in 3.7 seconds. He returned in the second round with a 5.0 second run to finish tied for fifth. Reed Kraeger finished second in the average with 11.3 seconds on two head, followed closely by Ty Bauerle in 11.4 seconds. 

Landon Beardsworth won the second round in steer wrestling with a 3.9 second run, while Kaden Greenfield finished second in 4.0 seconds. The quick times gave the field several strong performances across the two rounds.

Team roping saw Devon Johnson and Zane Pratt take over the average with a time of 12.2 seconds on two head. Corey Whinnery and Pepper Kreutzer finished second in 13.7 seconds, followed by Bodie Herring and Ryon Tittel in 14.2 seconds.

The first round belonged to Denver Eng and Calgary Smith, who stopped the clock in 6.4 seconds. Jacob Stansbury and Hayden Sanders claimed the second round with a 4.4 second run, the fastest time of the two rounds.

In tie-down roping, Jarvis Demery won the average in 16.2 seconds on two head, just barely ahead of Cross Fulford. Fulford finished second in 16.3 seconds, while Jhett Akins placed third in 16.7 seconds.

Demery also placed second in the first round with a 7.9-second run, behind Chizm KuyKendall, who won the round in 7.6 seconds. Brody Stallard took the second round in 7.7 seconds, with Boedy Lambert finishing close behind in 7.8 seconds.

Morgan Addison topped the barrel racing average with a combined time of 30.80 seconds. Jessie Telford finished second with 30.94 seconds on two, with Erin Zoucha close behind in third at 30.97 seconds. The top three were separated by less than two tenths of a second across their two runs.

Addison placed second in the first round with a 15.30 second run, behind Faith Nolte, who won in 15.25 seconds. Telford was on top in the second round, taking the win in 15.38 seconds, just one hundredth of a second ahead of Carley Cervi.

With the qualifier complete, contestants have made their runs in pursuit of a spot to compete at one of the winter's major rodeos. NWSS brings rodeo back to Denver each January. The field is now set as we look forward to the 2027 edition of the National Western Stock Show.