The team roping battle for the 2025 NFR is reaching a critical point in the fourth quarter this weekend, Sept. 4-7, with the Cinch Playoff Series Finale in Puyallup setting the stage and the Governor’s Cup in Sioux Falls at the end of the month ultimately deciding the NFR field.
The top 23 teams in the PRCA Playoff Series standings and the NFR Open champs will go to battle for a purse of $75,000 on both ends and for the chance to qualify for the Governor’s Cup.
Night one saw bubble teams capitalize but not exactly shift the standings. Luke Brown and Trey Yates took the round win for $3,510 a man, giving Brown and Yates $92,675.60 on the year. For Brown, the paycheck kept him No. 19 in the world, starting to close the gap between him and No. 15. And for Yates, it pushed him one position higher at No. 16 in the world. Hot off their Ellensburg win, JC Yeahquo and Ross Ashford tied for $2,194 apiece, but it also did not move them in the world standings. The top 10, however, did see small changes. Clint Summers and Jade Corkill tied Yeahquo and Ashford for second in the round for $2,194 a man to move Summers to No. 6 in the world, mirroring Corkill. Dustin Egusquiza also moved one position in the world standings from fifth to fourth. He pocketed $878 for fourth in the round with Will Woodfin who remains No. 39 in the world.
Bubble guys Woodfin, Brown, Yates, Brye Crites and Tyler Worley remain alive in Puyallup after Round 2. Egusquiza and Woodfin took the round with for $3,510 a man, keeping Egusquiza to No. 4 in the world and keeping Woodfin at No. 39. They’re locked in for Sunday’s Semifinals, meaning they have a chance to significantly push Woodfin up in the world standings. Brown and Yates may not have picked up a check last night, but they’re advancing to Sunday as well. Brown currently sits $9,156.41 outside the Top 15, and Yates just $2,267.19, meaning a second-place finis for $10,050 could push Brown inside, whereas a fourth-place finish would be enough to move Yates to No. 15. Crites and Worley both sit No. 24 in the world standings after last night’s $1755-a-man payday, and they’re moving on to Sunday to potentially keep their NFR dreams alive.
All but one of the four teams that advanced from the second set have bubble implications. Clay Smith and Nicky Northcott led the way with an 8.4 on two head, highlighted by setting the arena record in Round 1 with a 3.7-second run for $3,510 a man. While Smith sits sixth in the world, the Resistol Rookie Heeler of the Year frontrunner Northcott is No. 18 in the world. The 18-year-old is only $6,451.17 behind No. 15, who just so happens to be Wyatt Cox, who isn’t in Puyallup. For Northcott, that ground can be made up by winning no less than second overall. Andrew Ward and Jake Long are rolling steady on momentum, and they look solid as can be. They advanced second in the average in the second set, and they currently sit No. 8 and 7 in the world.
Like Smith and Northcott, one member of the team of Shay Carroll and Levi Lord is sitting pretty for this year’s NFR while the other needs to make up some ground. Carroll is looking to etch his name in the history books as one of few NFR switchenders, and he is well alive in the 2025 NFR fight. Carroll sits No. 16 in the world and only $1,175.36 behind No. 15. No matter how they finish today in Puyallup, whether they qualify for the four-man round or only make it to the Semifinals (eight-man round), the check they win will be enough to put him at No. 15 or higher. Lord, on the other hand, is the current world standings leader.
Dawson and Dillon Graham won the tie-breaker with Jake Smith and Douglas Rich as they had the single fastest time from the long rounds. At No. 15 and 12 in the world standings, the Graham brothers’ NFR dreams heavily rely on today. Dawson is only $1,175.36 ahead of Carroll at No. 16, who also made it back, and Dillon is $6,390.30 ahead of No. 15. Dillon has some leeway, however, as No. 13-16 did not qualify, and Yates at No. 17 is $12,000 behind him, meaning he would have to win Puyallup to catch him.
*World standings are approximate and unofficial.
Table of contents
Puyallup team roping draw
Finals
- Dustin Egusquiza / Will Woodfin
- Dawson Graham / Dillon Graham
- Clay Smith / Nicky Northcott
- Clint Summer / Jade Corkill
Semifinals
- Dustin Egusquiza / Will Woodfin
- Clint Summer / Jade Corkill
- Brye Crites / Tyler Worley
- Luke Brown / Trey Yates
- Clay Smith / Nicky Northcott
- Andrew Ward / Jake Long
- Shay Carroll / Levi Lord
- Dawson Graham / Dillon Graham
Set 1 (Sept. 4 & 5)
- Brye Crites & Tyler Worley
- Brenten Hall & Kaden Profili
- J.C. Yeahquo & Ross Ashford
- Nelson Wyatt & Jonathan Torres
- Dustin Egusquiza & Will Woodfin
- Kolton Schmidt & Logan Moore
- Luke Brown & Trey Yates
- Tanner Tomlinson & Travis Graves
- Aaron Tsinigine & Coleby Payne
- Tyler Wade & Wesley Thorp
- Kaleb Driggers & Junior Nunes Nogueira
- Clint Summers & Jade Corkill
Set 2 (Two performances Sept. 6)
- Jeff Flenniken & Buddy Hawkins
- Coy Rahlmann & Cole Curry
- Dawson Graham & Dillon Graham
- Derrick Begay & Colter Todd
- Shay Carroll & Levi Lord
- Riley Minor & Brady Minor
- Andrew Ward & Jake Long
- Cody Snow & Hunter Koch
- Clay Smith & Nicky Northcott
- Tyler Tryan & Denton Dunning
- Cyle Denison & Lane Mitchell
- Jake Smith & Douglas Rich
Puyallup team roping results 2025
*Unofficial*
Set 1
Round 1: 1. Luke Brown/Trey Yates, 4.5 seconds, $3,510 each; 2/3. JC Yeahquo/Ross Ashford and Clint Summer/Jade Corkill, 4.6, $2,194 each; 4. Dustin Egusquiza/Will Woodfin, 4.8, $878.
Round 2: 1. Dustin Egusquiza/Will Woodfin, 4.6 seconds, $3,510 each; 2. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 4.7, $2,633; 3. Brye Crites/Tyler Worley 5.2, $1,755; 4. Clint Summer/Jade Corkill, 5.3, $878.
Average (Advancing): 1. Dustin Egusquiza/Will Woodfin, 9.4 on two head; 2. Clint Summer/Jade Corkill, 9.9; 3. Brye Crites/Tyler Worley, 10.2; 4. Luke Brown/Trey Yates, 10.2.
Set 2
Round 1: 1. Clay Smith/Nicky Northcott, 3.7 seconds, $3,510 each; 2. Andrew Ward/Jake Long, 4.3, $2,633; 3. Derrick Begay/Colter Todd, 4.5, $1,755; 4. Jake Smith/Douglas Rich, 5.0, $878.
Round 2: 1. Cody Snow/Hunter Koch, 3.8 seconds,$3,510 each; 2/3. Cyle Denison/Lane Mitchell and Riley Minor/Brady Minor, 4.0, $2,194 each; 4. Coy Rahlmann/Cole Curry, 4.5, $878.
Average (Advancing): 1. Clay Smith/Nicky Northcott, 8.4 on two head; 2. Andrew Ward/Jake Long 9.0; 3. Shay Carroll/Levi Lord, 9.9; 4. Dawson/Dillon Graham, 10.5.
Semifinals
1/2. Clint Summer/Jade Corkill and Clay Smith/Nicky Northcott, 6.4 seconds; 3. Dawson Graham/Dillon Graham, 14.6; 4. Dustin Egusquiza/Will Woodfin, 16.0; 5. Luke Brown/Trey Yates, Shay Carroll/Levi Lord, Brye Crites/Tyler Worley, and Andrew Ward/Jake Long, NT, $1,600 each.
Finals
1. Clint Summer/Jade Corkill, 4.3 seconds, $13,400 each; 2. Clay Smith/Nicky Northcott, 4.9, $10,050; 3. Dawson/Dillon Graham, NT, $6,700; 4. Dustin Egusquiza/Will Woodfin, NT, $3,350.
*Bolded names advancing to Finals.
Puyallup Format
Puyallup will be two rounds, back-to-back, performance to performance. There will be two “sets” or “sections,” both comprised of 12 teams. Following the long rounds will be a top eight Semifinals, followed by a top four Finals.
The top four teams based on the average from each of the two sets will advance to the Semifinals on Sunday, Sept. 7. The top four teams from the Semifinals will advance to the Finals.
Puyallup team roping payout
The Cinch Playoff Series in Puyallup has a purse of $75,000 on each side in the team roping. If a team were to win both performances in their set and the finals, they could walk away with $20,420 a man.
Payout per performance
- 1st Place: $3,510 per man
- 2nd: $2,633
- 3rd: $1755
- 4th: $878
Semifinals payout
- 1st-4th place: $0
- 5th: $1,600 per man
- 6th: $1,600
- 7th: $1,600
- 8th: $1,600
Finals payout
- 1st Place: $13,400 per man
- 2nd: $10,050
- 3rd: $6,700
- 4th: $3,350
When is the Puyallup Rodeo?
The Cinch Playoff Series Finale heads to Puyallup, Washington, Sept. 4-7, 2025.
| Performances | |
|---|---|
| Sept. 4 (Set 1, Round 1) | 6:30 p.m. (PST) |
| Sept. 5 (Set 1, Round 2) | 6:30 p.m. |
| Sept. 6 matinee (Set 2, Round 1) | 1:00 p.m. |
| Sept. 6 (Set 2, Round 2) | 6:30 p.m. |
| Sept. 7 matinee (Semifinals + Finals) | 1:00 p.m. |
How the PRCA Playoff Series works
Standings are kept throughout the season and there is a championship event at the end of the year. Contestants competed at rodeos such as Odessa, San Antonio and Salinas–just to name a few–to earn points.
Points are distributed to contestants who place in the top 20 at each of the designated PRCA Playoff Series Rodeos, based on the fastest time. For rodeos with multiple rounds, the points are calculated based on the average. Tournament rodeos are more complicated, but points are assigned based on how far each competitor advanced through the tournament.
The *Top 23 in the standings, plus the NFR Open team roping champs, then compete in Puyallup at the Cinch Playoff Series. The Top 8 teams from the PRCA Playoff Series year-end standings and the Top 4 from Puyallup will earn a position into The Governor’s Cup.
The cutoff for Puyallup was Aug. 18, and the Sioux Falls cutoff is Sept. 22. These are the final Playoff Series rodeos:
- Lewiston, Idaho – Lewiston Roundup – Sept. 3-6
- Abilene, Texas – West Texas Fair & Rodeo – Sept. 4-13
- Albuquerque, N.M. – New Mexico State Fair & Rodeo – Sept. 4-14
- Pendleton, Ore. – Pendleton Round-Up – Sept. 10-13
- Mandan, N.D. – Rough Rider Cup – Sept. 19-21
And why is the Governor’s Cup so significant? The Governor’s Cup takes place Sept. 26-28, and offers a payout across eight events of over $1 million. In the team roping, there is a purse of $155,556 per side.
The close of the PRCA regular season is Sept. 30. That means that the following massive payouts will hit during the final days of the season and it will have an impact on who makes the National Finals Rodeo in December as the buzzer sounds.
Who’s season could Puyallup make or break?
Tyler Tryan and Denton Dunning are a pair of 19-year-olds staring down their first NFR appearances. Though they’re hanging out on the bubble at No. 18 and 13 in the world standings, their changes are much stronger as they’re in for Puyallup. They also sit fifth in the the PRCA Playoff Series standings, putting less pressure on their Puyallup performance as the top eight in the standings qualify for Sioux Falls.
Cody Snow and Hunter Koch have clawed their way to bubble territory, now sitting No. 22 and 21 in the world standings, and their fight continues as they head into Puyallup. Like them are several bubble teams with plenty on the line, such as Dawson and Dillon Graham, fighting for their first NFRs at No. 15 and 12. Shay Carroll has been on the upward climb the last month, but he’s back outside the Top 15 at No. 16, making his Puyallup appearance his NFR lifeline. Brenten Hall has also dropped, now sitting No. 21, and a strong weekend in Washington could be the push he needs to crack back into the Top 15.
Puyallup might be most crucial for Jeff Flenniken and Buddy Hawkins. The new 2025 partnership just slipped into the Playoff Series at No. 23, and with world standings positions of No. 38 and 36, they need a big turnaround. In a similar position is Will Woodfin. At No. 39, he looks like an NFR long shot. But with a large payout in Puyallup, plus a chance for Sioux Fall’s major payday, Woodfin could his entire season around in the last four weeks of the 2025 ProRodeo season.
