Knife Fight

Kelton, Todd Jump Inside NFR Lines at San Bernardino as Season Comes Down to 377 Last Hoorah
Colter Todd Ketch Kelton
Two Arizona men cracked the top 15 in San Bernardino, California, with one rodeo left. | TRJ File Photos

Ketch Kelton and Denton Dunning won the Sheriff’s PRCA Rodeo in San Bernardino, Calif., on Sunday night with a 4.1-second run worth $4,798 a man.

It put Kelton inside the NFR heading line for the first time this week. Both lines now go to the 377 Last Hoorah in Stephenville, Texas, on Wednesday, the final day of the 2026 regular season.

Kelton came into Sunday No. 17 in the world. The win moved him to No. 15 at $114,982.73, past Nelson Wyatt and Cory Kidd V. Wyatt and Jonathan Torres split second and third with a 4.4, worth $3,998 a man, which put Wyatt at No. 16, $768.74 behind Kelton. Kidd was already finished at the Governor’s Cup in Sioux Falls, S.D., and dropped to No. 17, $874.03 back.

That makes the heading race three men separated by less than $900. All three are entered at the Last Hoorah.

On the heeling side, Derrick Begay and Colter Todd split fourth and fifth with a 4.6 for $3,038 a man. The check moved Todd past Wyatt Cox to No. 15 at $118,253.36. Cox, who hasn’t cashed since placing second at Amarillo, Texas, is No. 16, $1,199.69 back.

Dunning’s win moved him to No. 12 in the heeling at $123,838.04, past JC Flake and Trey Yates.

Brye Crites and Denim Ross also split second and third, moving Crites to $126,771.41. Clay Smith and Wesley Thorp were 5.3 for 10th, worth $1,279 a man. That moved Smith past Dawson Graham to No. 13 in the heading, and moved Thorp to $113,006.70.

The Governor’s Cup wrapped up earlier Sunday, with Tyler Tryan and Nicky Northcott winning the final in 4.4 for $34,000 a man. That moved both to No. 2 in the world.

Where the lines stand

Money only goes up, so neither line can finish below where No. 15 sits now: $114,982.73 in the heading and $118,253.36 in the heeling. How far above that they finish depends on who cashes in Stephenville.

In the heading, the last spot will most likely go to whichever of Kelton, Wyatt and Kidd wins the most at the Last Hoorah. For the line to climb past Dawson Graham’s $118,044.59, two of those three would have to pass him.

In the heeling, the fight for No. 15 starts with Todd and Cox, $1,199.69 apart. Torres, Thorp and Carson Johnson each need a big day to get past both of them. For the line to climb past Flake’s $121,788.58, two heelers would have to pass him. For it to climb past Yates’ $123,488.75, three would have to pass him.

The Last Hoorah takes 90 teams through three go-rounds, a short round and an aggregate. A round win pays $4,194.28 a man, the aggregate pays $8,388.56 to win, and a perfect day is worth $22,203.90.

Heading bubble

No.HeaderEarningsBehind No. 15
12Dustin Egusquiza$121,788.58
13Clay Smith$118,436.32
14Dawson Graham$118,044.59
15Ketch Kelton$114,982.73
16Nelson Wyatt$114,213.99$768.74
17Cory Kidd V$114,108.70$874.03
18Brenten Hall$108,429.23$6,553.50

Heeling bubble

No.HeelerEarningsBehind No. 15
12Denton Dunning$123,838.04
13Trey Yates$123,488.75
14JC Flake$121,788.58
15Colter Todd$118,253.36
16Wyatt Cox$117,053.67$1,199.69
17Jonathan Torres$114,213.99$4,039.37
18Wesley Thorp$113,006.70$5,246.66
19Carson Johnson$111,320.04$6,933.32

San Bernardino team roping

PlaceTeamTimePayout (per man)
1Ketch Kelton/Denton Dunning4.1$4,798
2-3 (tie)Brye Crites/Denim Ross4.4$3,998
2-3 (tie)Nelson Wyatt/Jonathan Torres4.4$3,998
4-5 (tie)Derrick Begay/Colter Todd4.6$3,038
4-5 (tie)Riley Minor/Brady Minor4.6$3,038
6Aaron Tsinigine/Ty Romo4.9$2,559
7-9 (tie)Caden Clay/Zach Varian5.1$1,919
7-9 (tie)Ryan Dodds/Randy Stanley5.1$1,919
7-9 (tie)Jeff Flenniken/Jake Minor5.1$1,919
10Clay Smith/Wesley Thorp5.3$1,279
11Tyler Forsberg/Brent Lockett5.9$1,119
12-13 (tie)Dallas Owen/Tucker Donlon6.5$800
12-13 (tie)Juan Ramirez/P.K. Kennedy6.5$800
14-15 (tie)Preston Burgess/Todd Hampton6.6$400
14-15 (tie)Shain Sproul/Wade Hooker6.6$400

Standings are unofficial TRJ math through Sept. 27.

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