SIOUX FALLS, SD (Sept 25, 2026) – All eyes in the rodeo industry are on the Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup in Sioux Falls, S.D., with $1.5 million on the line as the PRCA regular season comes to a close. Some athletes are fighting to get in the top 15 while others are looking to extend the lead on a shot at a gold buckle in Las Vegas in December.
Steer wrestler Dalton Massey entered the Governor’s Cup on the outside looking in ranked No. 18 but that changed quickly on Friday night inside the Denny Sanford Center. Massey of Hermiston, Oregon, was the first gunner out and he set the bar high with a run of 3.4 seconds. His closest competitor would be the final guy out and fellow cowboy from Oregon with Jesse Brown turning in a 4.0-second run. With the round win Massey added $12,533 to move him easily into the top 15 after night No. 1. He was only $2,908 out of 15 before the performance tonight.
In the team roping it was world standings leaders Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira who took the round win with a 3.8 second run. It was truly saving the best for last in that event, and they knocked Lightning Aguilera and Ross Ashford off the top with their 4.1. Driggers and Nogueira added $12,533.
“This is an amazing competition with the amount of money up and guys trying to get inside the top 15,” stated Nogueira. “This is special and such a great payout for the cowboys.”
There are total of 12 contestants in each discipline – bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, breakaway roping, barrel racing, and bull riding. All 12 will compete in two rounds (Sept. 25 and 26) with the top 8 scores/times in the average advancing to a clean slate semifinal round. The top four will then advance to the sudden death final round with the winner taking home $34,000.
Bareback rider Cooper Cooke kicked off the night getting the win with an 88-point ride aboard Muddy Creek Pro Rodeo’s Wanda’s Medicine. Garrett Shadbolt took second with an 86.5. Cooke was ranked sixth coming into this weekend with Shadbolt ranked 12th.
Brody Cress took advantage of the draw on opening night matching up with a familiar bronc owned by Three Hills Rodeo known as Devil’s Advocate. It was the perfect matchup for the night landing atop the leaderboard with an 87.25 edging Kade Bruno who rode Bailey Pro Rodeo’s 87 points. Cress added $12,533, with Bruno cashing in for $9,400.
It was a tie atop the leaderboard in the women’s breakaway roping having two times just one-tenth off the arena record. Josie Conner and Jordi Edens-Mitchell each stopped the clock in 1.7 seconds to get the win on opening night. Both ladies were already in the top 15 prior to this weekend but they are looking to close the gap on standing leader Cheyanne McCartney, who finished the night with a no time. Hali Williams was third with a 1.9 and bubble cowgirl Jill Tanner took fourth in a time of 2.1 seconds. With a fourth place finish Tanner added $3,133 moving her at least for now inside the top 15. If Tanner is able to stay within the top 15 it would be her first trip to the WPRA National Breakaway Finals.
Megan McLeod-Sprague landed atop a very competitive barrel race stopping the clock in 14.10 seconds aboard her horse Swoon that she has ridden since Red Bluff, California back in April. Last year was McLeod-Sprague’s first trip to the NFR and she is eyeing a return trip having entered this weekend ranked 11th. She added $12,533 to her earnings moving her up in the world standings. Hayle Gibson-Stillwell and Piper were second with a time of 14.17 seconds. Gibson Stillwell and Carlee Otero have been battling for the top spot over the last month and after the first round in Sioux Falls, Gibson-Stillwell now has the edge adding $9,400, while Otero had some rough luck with a downed first barrel finishing with a 19.34.
Opening night came to a close in Sioux Falls with one of the best rounds of bull riding fans have ever seen at the Governor’s Cup. Qynn Andersen rose above them all with a 90-point ride aboard Sankey ProRodeo’s and Phenom Genetics Humboldt. Rookie John Crimber was a close second with an 89.75, followed by Lane Vaughan with an 89.5 and rounding out the top 4 was world standings leader Noah Lee with an 89.25. Ten-time world champion Stetson Wright was out of the money in fifth with an 88.75. Fans will not want to miss round two in Sioux Falls as that race for the gold buckle continues to heat up.
All action from the richest South Dakota rodeo is being televised on The Cowboy Channel.
Results:
Bareback riding: 1. Cooper Cooke, Victor, ID, 88 points on Muddy Creek Pro Rodeo’s Wanda’s Medicine, $12,533; 2 . Garrett Shadbolt, Merriman, NE, 86.5, $9,400; 3. Keenan Hayes, Hayden, CO, 85.75, $6,266; 4. Jacob Lees, Caldwell, ID, 84.75, $3,133.
Steer wrestling: 1. Dalton Massey, Hermiston, OR, 3.4 seconds, $12,533; 2. Jesse Brown, Baker City, OR, 4.0, $9,400; 3. (tie) Eli Lord, Sturgis, SD and Rowdy Parrott, Mamou, LA, 4.2, $4,700 each.
Team roping: 1. Kaleb Driggers, Hoboken, GA/Junior Nogueira, Presidente Prudente, Brazil, 3.8 seconds, $12,533 each; 2. Lightning Aguilera, Athens, TX/Ross Ashford, Lott, TX, 4.1, $9,400; 3. Dawson Graham/Dillon Graham, Wainwright, AB, 4.2, $6,266; 4. Tyler Tryan, Lipan, TX/Nicky Northcott, Stephenville, TX, 4.3, $3,133.
Saddle bronc riding: 1. Brody Cress, Hillsdale, WY, 87.25 on Three Hills Rodeo’s Devil’s Advocate, $12,533; 2. Kade Bruno, Challis, ID, 87, $9,400; 3. Zeke Thurston, Big Valley, AB, 86.25, $6,266; 4. (tie) Statler Wright, Beaver, UT and Waitley Sharon, Ordway, CO, 85.75, $1,566 each.
Tie-down roping: 1. Kincade Henry, Mount Pleasant, TX, 7.5 second, $12,533; 2. Joel Harris, San Angelo, TX, 7.7, $9,400; 3. (tie) Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, LA and Haven Maged, Miles City, MT, 8.0, $4,700 each.
Breakaway roping: 1. (tie) Jordi Eden-Mitchell, Stephenville, TX and Josie Conner, Iowa, La, 1.7 seconds, $10,966 each; 3. Hali Williams, Comanche, TX, 1.9, $6,266; 4. Jill Tanner, Stephenville, TX, 2.1, $3,133.
Barrel racing: 1. Megan McLeod-Sprague, Marsing, Idaho, 14.10, $12,533; 2. Hayle Gibson-Stillwell, Redcrest, CA, 14.17, $9,400, 3. Katelyn Scott, Odessa, TX, 14.37, $6,266; 4. Emily Beisel, Weatherford, OK, 14.45, $3,133.
Bull riding: 1. Qynn Andersen, Koumala, Australia, 90 points on Sankey Pro Rodeo’s and Phenom Genetics Humboldt, $12,533; 2. John Crimber, Decatur, TX, 89.75, $9,400; 3. Lane Vaughan, Klamath Falls, OR, 89.5, $6,266; 4. Noah Lee, Mineral Wells, TX, 89.25, $3,133.