J.C. Yeahquo, 26, and Kelby Frizzell, 20, won the 2026 Texas Circuit Finals average in Waco, Texas, Oct. 13–16, with a time of 25.4 seconds on four head, earning $6,069 each and securing their first NFR Open qualifications.

The team pocketed $4,855 each for the average win, adding another $1,214 apiece in round money after placing fourth in both the opening and final rounds. Their four-head total put them 4.3 seconds ahead of second-place finishers Clay Tryan and Kaden Profili, who finished in 29.7 seconds.

For Yeahquo, who had to work through some issues with his shoulder and hadn’t roped in roughly a week and a half, his game plan was different from his usual style.

“I told (Kelby), I said, ‘I think if we just go knock four down and not really worry about trying to place in the rounds, we could go ahead and win the average over there,'” Yeahquo said. “We just stuck to what we had talked about.”

Despite regularly practicing together, the two hadn’t put their money up together much. Their only previous time came at a roping in Lubbock in 2025, making Waco their first time on the same card in more than a year.

“I practice with J.C. quite a bit, and so I felt comfortable heeling behind him and knew he was going to do his job,” Frizzell said. “I just had to do mine, and it all worked out.”

The duo opened with a 4.6-second run to finish fourth and earn $607 each. They followed with a 5.1 in Round 2, finishing one spot out of the money, before a 9.7-second third-round run kept their average hopes alive.

While other teams continued making fast runs, including Dustin Egusquiza and JC Flake‘s 3.4-second, arena-record first-round run and Tanner Tomlinson and Wesley Thorp’s 3.6-second final-round victory, Yeahquo and Frizzell remained committed to completing the course.

They sealed the average with a 6.0-second run in Round 4, collecting another $607 each and putting the finishing touches on their four-head total.

“I had never really went and made just average-style runs before,” Yeahquo said. “I’ve always just tried to catch as fast as I can. I knew there wasn’t going to be enough money to win for me to win the year-end, so I knew we needed to go win the average over there.”

The approach even drew some “friendly” criticism from Tryan, who finished second in the average with Profili.

“We were riding out and Clay Tryan goes, ‘Why would you do that?'” Yeahquo recalled. “I said, ‘What do you mean?’ He goes, ‘Why wouldn’t you go try to be 3.5 like you always do? You had to go and play it safe on me right there.'”

For Frizzell, of Sterling City, Texas, the win capped his second season roping on his PRCA permit. The young heeler spends much of his time day working, helping his family and ranch rodeoing, where he is an all-around hand for the teams he is on.

His circuit season included a significant win alongside Tryan at the West of the Pecos Rodeo in June, where they won the average in 15.3 seconds on two head and added $6,491 apiece to their pockets between the average and second round.

“Clay had called me and we had talked about going to a few rodeos,” Frizzell said. “He’s a great veteran, so I made sure I took that opportunity, and we went and won Pecos and then placed at a few other rodeos here and there.”

Frizzell rode Hesa Royal Man, better known as “Biscuit,” a gelding his family purchased as a 2-year-old who is now nearing 9.

“He’s been outstanding for me and my family,” Frizzell said. “He means a lot to all of us, and he’s pretty cool and easy to get along with and easy to heel on.”

Yeahquo rode One For The Guys, a Frenchmans Guy-bred gelding he got in early 2024. A horse with many names, the 2010-model gelding was having some box issues and later spent time sidelined with an injury. After returning to the game, One For The Guys turned into one of Yeahquo’s most dependable rides in 2026.

“I just was excited that he got to be a little bit more calm in the box and scoring a lot better,” Yeahquo said.

The average title also earned both men their first trips to the NFR Open. Yeahquo had previously come close to qualifying out of the Prairie Circuit with brother L.J., making the opportunity particularly meaningful.

For Frizzell, the qualification adds another opportunity to what could become a bigger rodeo season. With plans to enter the winter rodeos and an opportunity at Houston thanks to his permit finals success, he’s considering making a run for it this season.

“I’m going to rodeo this winter and hope to have a good winter,” Frizzell said. “And if we do some good and Houston goes good and it all lines up, I’d like to go rodeoing again.”

Two NFR Qualifiers Take Texas Year-End

While Yeahquo and Frizzell claimed the average, Tanner Tomlinson and Ross Ashford finished the 2026 Texas Circuit season as the year-end heading and heeling champions, respectively.

Both are also headed to the 2026 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas this December.

Tomlinson, who roped with Wesley Thorp in Waco and for most of the year, won the second round in a tie at 3.5 seconds and took the fourth round outright in 3.6 seconds, earning $4,551 in round money.

READ MORE: Even at His Age, Marshall Is Still Making the Difference for Tanner Tomlinson

Ashford, who partnered with Brenten Hall, placed third in the opening round in 4.3 seconds and second in the fourth round in 3.9 seconds, finishing fourth in the average with 36.6 seconds on four head and earning $4,249 at the Finals.

READ MORE: Under the Radar: Crites and Ashford Quietly Build a Top 10 Season