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CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Jayco Roper has shown in his career that he’s one of the top bareback riders in PRORODEO by qualifying for the Wrangler National Final Rodeo twice in 2023 and 2025.
On Sunday, he was the best bareback rider at the storied Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo.
Roper had a stout 93-point ride on Summit Pro Rodeo’s CC Blue to win the title in front of a packed Cheyenne Frontier Days Arena.
“That was awesome,” said Roper, 25. “That horse was really electric. She gave me a good fight. I saw this happening for me (on Saturday) and this is just amazing. I don’t even have words for it right now.”
Roper’s 93-point ride was a career-best and he just missed equaling the Cheyenne Frontier Days bareback riding record of 93.5 points set by Kade Berry aboard Brookman Rodeo’s Lunatic Heaven in 2025.
“Holy crap, that ride was awesome,” Roper said.
The significance of winning Cheyenne – the Daddy of ’em All – wasn’t lost on Roper.
“I’m excited for next year,” Roper said. “I’m laying my bag next to my bench and if somebody is sitting on it, I’m dragging them off. That’s my bench now.”
Roper unofficially earned $15,800 in Cheyenne.
Saddle bronc rider Ryder Wright wins CFD for first time
There’s very little saddle bronc rider Ryder Wright hasn’t accomplished in his PRORODEO career.
The Beaver, Utah, cowboy has won three world championships in 2017, 2020 and 2024 – and countless big rodeos.
Now, he can add Cheyenne Frontier Days to his accomplishments.
Wright had a 92-point ride on Rafter S Rodeo’s Cancun Moon to put himself in a three-way tie for first place with four-time CFD champ Brody Cress (92 points on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Heavy Feathers) and Sage Newman (92 points on Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics’ THE Black Tie).
Wright won the tiebreaker because he earned the most money in the event at CFD before the championship round.
“I’ve competed here for 11 years and it finally went my way,” Wright said. “I have seen that horse a lot over the last four or five years and she bucks a little bit crooked. I have never seen a right-handed guy get along with her and I knew I had to go out there and be super aggressive and it just worked out. This rodeo is huge and is great to win.”
Wright unofficially earned $14,633 at CFD.
Team ropers Tyler Tryan/Nicky Northcott claim Cheyenne crown
Tyler Tryan and Nicky Northcott have roped together since they were little kids around 10 years old going through the junior rodeo ranks.
On Sunday, Tryan, 20 and Northcott, 19, were celebrating winning the championship at Cheyenne Frontier Days with a 7.6-second run in the finals.
PRCA World Champions Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira actually tied Tryan and Northcott with a 7.6-second run, but Tryan/Northcott won the tiebreaker.
Both teams had earned the same amount of money in the earlier competition, so the championship went to the duo with the fastest time before the finals – Tryan/Northcott.
“We are in the hunt for things, but we haven’t really done great the last month or so,” Tryan said. “We were barely getting small checks, and it feels good to get a big one. We just need to keep our momentum rolling.”
Northcott also was glad to walk away a winner.
“The money is good here and we really needed this win,” Northcott said. “This is a big rodeo and I enjoy it.”
Tryan/Northcott unofficially earned $12,600 each in Cheyenne.
Tryan is the second roper in his family to win a CFD title. His father Clay won in 2013 and 2022.
Bull rider Colorado Kid Luke Mackey captures CFD glory
Luke “Colorado Kid” Mackey seized the moment Sunday.
The Ignacio, Colo., cowboy delivered a clutch 90-point ride on Dakota Rodeo’s Tiger King to take the win in Cheyenne.
“This win means a lot,” said Mackey, 20. “I knew I could be a lot of points on that bull. To get on a bull like that at a big rodeo means a lot. You don’t want a bull that doesn’t buck enough and you don’t want one that is just going to throw you off. That bull was just perfect. I was trying to get off the bull (after 8 seconds), but I wanted to say what’s up to my buddies while I kept riding the bull. It was fun. That was a blast. I was glad to capitalize at the Daddy of ’em All.”
Mackey earned $13,650 unofficially in Cheyenne.
Unheralded steer wrestler Cole Pugh shines in Cheyenne spotlight
As much as the history books of the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo are littered with ProRodeo Hall of Famers, it is also a place where lesser-known cowboys have had their time to shine.
One of those cowboys was steer wrestler Cole Pugh.
The 21-year-old from Jasper Texas, claimed the coveted title with a 5.3-second run.
“I have never been in an arena that big and had a moment that big,” said Pugh about his show of emotion after his run. “I wanted to get a good start and go as fast as I could. I got a great head catch. I started in PRORODEO two years ago and went to a few circuit rodeos and last year I tried to make the Circuit Finals, and I was a little short. This year it has been going really well, and I have been bulldogging really well and I got the Circuit Finals made and I decided to go for some bigger money.”
Pugh unofficially earned $14,200 in Cheyenne.
Tie-down roper Britt Bedke takes top honors
In a star-studded field of 11 other ropers – including 2013 PRCA World Champion Shane Hanchey – it was Britt Bedke who shined the brightest.
The Oakley, Idaho, cowboy took the CFD victory with a 10.3-second run in the finals.
“I did what I wanted. I knew he would come up to me,” said Bedke, 27. “I knew I had one of the top calves in the pen and I just didn’t want to screw him up. This win ranks No. 1 on my list. This is a dream win for me. I’m really excited.”
Bedke was riding Rico, 8,
“I got that horse from Jake Hannum,” Bedke said. “He was a little green when I got him but I just had to haul him more and this year he has been a superstar.”
Bedke unofficially earned $11,950 in Cheyenne
Steer roper Slade Wood adds to family history in Cheyenne
Steer roper Slade Wood is a Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo champion – just like his father, Neal, who won the CFD steer roping title in 2006 and 2007.
The younger Wood claimed the prestigious crown with a 12.3-second run in the finals. Wood was the first cowboy out in the short round and then had to play the waiting game.
“No matter what I did, I was going to set the tone for the finals,” said Slade, 23. “I was hoping to do exactly what I did. I thought I was going to be a lot faster than it was. I was happy with my run. I was honestly OK if I would have won third. But certain guys didn’t have things work out and luckily it worked out in my favor and I won first.
“It was a long wait watching 11 other guys go, especially (four-time PRCA Steer World Champion) Scott Snedecor. He was the last guy out and one of the greatest to do it. I had a great run, but I didn’t think it would be fast enough to win it, but I’m glad it was.”
Wood, a four-time qualifier for the National Finals Steer Roping in 2021, 2023-25, needed a boost in the steer roping PRCA | Bill Fick Ford World Standings. He entered Sunday 23rd in the world standings despite only competing in nine steer roping events this season.
“I have not been steer roping as much this year,” said Wood, who has been doing a lot of team roping this season as a header. “I needed to have a good week this week if I wanted to have a chance at making the (NFSR) and God answered with that (run).”
Slade earned $12,056 in Cheyenne.
Other winners at the lucrative Playoff Series Rodeo were all-around cowboy Cole Eiguren.
The Fruitland, Idaho, cowboy was fulfilling a family legacy. Eiguren’s grandfather Jack Hannum won four CFD titles – the all-around in 1977 and 1979, tie-down roping in 1977 and steer wrestling in 1979. Eiguren earned $11,1000 in tie-down and team roping at CFD.
Breakaway roper Cheyanne McCartney (4.3 seconds) and barrel racer Tayla Moeykens (17.41 seconds) also walked away as Cheyenne Frontier Days champs. McCartney and Moeykens earned $16,864 and $16,265, respectively.