The World Championship Junior Rodeo brought the heat to Guthrie, Oklahoma, July 22–26, 2025, as youth rodeo athletes from across the country packed the Lazy E Arena to battle for their share of the $400,000 in guaranteed payout and season-long points on the WCRA Division Youth leaderboard.
This year’s team roping crowns went to one familiar face and one fresh family duo. Missouri’s Bronc Evans dominated the Youth Division once again, locking down the heading title with 12,656.75 points, the heeling title with 13,227.25 points and the all-around with a total of 25,884 points—earning $1,842.50 at the event. In the Junior Division, Texas brothers Casper and Cross Ringelstein earned their first WCJR titles, with Casper claiming the heading championship with 8,616.25 points and Cross edging out the heeling race with 7,622.75—just 178.25 points ahead of the runner-up. The Ringelsteins banked $5,175.50 a man in Guthrie.
Bronc Evans Doubles Down on WCJR Dominance
For the second year in a row, Fairview, Missouri’s Bronc Evans turned the WCJR into his personal playground.
Evans once again completed the trifecta in the Youth Division, winning world titles in both heading and heeling, along with the all-around. While he admitted the week had its bumps, Evans kept showing up—and kept racking up points.
“It’s been a little bit rough, but also pretty good at the same time,” Evans said. “I’ve just been trying to go with it this week.”
Evans rode a homegrown 10-year-old head horse his family raised—one that used to be his sister’s breakaway horse before she left for nursing school. His heel horse, Biggie, came from the Barton family in late March and hasn’t let him down.
“I was trying to decide between bringing Biggie or my paint horse that I always ride,” Evans said. “I just started clicking with him, so it was a big step bringing him here. I’m glad I brought him, though.”
Evans nominated through a mix of junior rodeos and major youth events like the BFI and the Patriot, building the kind of point cushion that made a clean sweep possible. And while he didn’t have an exact total in mind for his winnings, he’s got his plans dialed.
“I’ll probably use it to nominate more rodeos and come back next year,” Evans laughed.
Brother Act: Ringelsteins Win WCJR Junior Titles
In the Junior Division, the race was tight—but the bond between brothers was tighter.
Pleasanton, Texas’s Casper and Cross Ringelstein delivered clutch performances under pressure, with Casper securing the heading title by 1,604.75 points and Cross sliding past the heeling reserve champ by just 178.25. The pair came into Guthrie already seeded in the semifinals and made the most of their short-but-sweet stay at the Lazy E.
“The semifinal run was really good,” Casper said. “I tried to just score sharp and let my guy [Cross] do his job—and he did.”
Cross’s heel shot in the semis had the crowd buzzing—and nearly the flagman too.
“I threw right where he told me not to,” Cross laughed, referring to a pre-run warning about potential crossfire calls. “It was iffy on whether I should have been flagged out or not, but it ended up working out.”
The brothers rode horses that matched their styles: Casper headed on a gray gelding from H4 Ranches he’s been riding since the horse was green, and Cross relied on a powerhouse heel horse from their dad’s string that “gives 110% every time he leaves the box.”
Though they made the haul to Guthrie by themselves, their parents weren’t far behind.
“Mom and Dad came in another rig,” Casper said. “They hung out, supported us and treated us to dinner after the win.”
The Ringelstein’s nominated their Texas High School Rodeos and jackpots like the BFI and Best of the Best in Gallup. This fall, Casper is headed to Southwest Texas College to rodeo under Joey Almand, while Cross is already lining up a new partner for Region 8.
