While Jade Corkill was backing into the box at the NFR, his son Colby was making history of his own across town.
At just 14 years old, freshman Colby Corkill, son of three-time World Champion heeler Jade Corkill, teamed up with 18-year-old header Denton Parish to win the prestigious WSTR 15.5 Finale. It is one of the toughest team ropings anywhere, with NFR qualifiers and the best in the world stacked throughout the draw.
Denton and Colby didn’t just hold their own, they completely dominated, roping sharp and smart all the way to the short round, then sealing the deal for a $57,000 payday.
But the moment that has the rodeo world talking isn’t just the win, it's how it happened.
A Split-Screen Night in Vegas
Right after throwing the winning loop, Colby ran for the nearest TV to watch his dad back into the box for Round 2 of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. At the same time, inside the Thomas & Mack, Jade was doing the same, watching his son’s championship run on his phone minutes before competing himself.
The Team Roping Journal captured the scene with a video.
“There’s NFR nerves… and then there’s the nerves you get when you’re watching your kid at high call at the @wstroping Finale. Jade Corkill is a DIFFERENT kind of nervous tonight.”
Jade later admitted he was more nervous watching Colby rope than he was to compete at his own NFR. That’s saying something for a man with three gold buckles and 14 NFR appearances.
Yet, in true Corkill fashion, he walked into the arena minutes later and made a smooth, textbook run with header Clint Summers. The pair has two clean runs down and remain strong in the average as they head into Round 3.
Jade Corkill Round 2 2025 NFR - Jackie Jensen PhotographyA New Generation Coming In Hot
Colby Corkill and his partner Denton Parish both come from rodeo royalty. Denton, the son of respected horseman and team roper Justin Parrish, is a freshman in college stepping into the pro rodeo world himself.
Colby, only 14 is still chasing high school titles. Denton, is now old enough that he bought his PRCA permit and is starting to head down the road. It is a safe bet to say we will see these two in the Thomas and Mack themselves in a few years.
Together, the boys credit their parents’ guidance, the countless hours behind the chutes, the horsepower they are mounted on, and each other for their big win.
Many watching the 15.5 Finale noted that the duo looked more like polished professionals than teenagers in on of the highest-pressure short round of their lives.
Their win wasn’t luck either, it was composed, smart, and very well earned.
While in Vegas, their family members had to split up, some at the Thomas & Mack with Jade, others at the South Point cheering for Colby and Denton. Two arenas, two massive stages, and a big moment these families will never forget.
Colby will continue competing throughout the USTRC Finals this week, and if schedules align, he may get the chance to be in the Thomas & Mack stands to cheer his dad on as Jade continues his hunt for a fourth world title.
Team roping has always been built on family, friends, mentorship, and the passing down of traditions and talent. Rarely though does rodeo offer a moment where a father and son win life-changing runs almost simultaneously, in the same city, on the sport’s biggest week of the year.
Jade continues to prove exactly what everyone already knew, he is one of the greatest heelers of all time. Colby and Denton proved they are the next generation of roping talent to keep your eyes on.
Winning is in their blood, shaped by parents who set the standard and horses that help make it look easy. Team roping is getting faster, sharper, and more competitive every year, and it’s because young cowboys like these two are stepping up with talent and work ethic far beyond their age. This is the next generation, and the sport is in very, very good hands.