Two-time World Champion Clay Smith and perennial contender Jake Orman are No. 14 and No. 15 in the PRCA world standings heading into the final week of the ProRodeo season, and both men did their part at the Young Living Last Chance Rodeo in Mona, Utah, to stay there.

Smith and partner Jake Long (who is already a lock at No. 2 in the world with $127,487 won) spun his steer fast in slack at Mona, stopping the clock in 4.6 seconds. Before Mona, Smith had $86,006.89 won.

Where the Heading Bubble Race Stands

Orman, at No. 15 with $82,033.02, went 5.4 with his partner Brye Crites (who is No. 17 in the world with $81,505.92—just $959 out of #15th himself) is second at Mona going into the performances Sept. 23 and 24.

Smith has a reasonably comfortable $3,973 lead on Orman as the weekend’s rodeos start, and Smith has the luxury of not having to worry about his rodeo count after sitting out all of July with a broken leg. Orman has rodeos left in Amarillo and Stephenville, Texas.

Orman and Crites will sweat out a tough set Friday in Mona, with bubble teams Erich Rogers and Paden Bray, Joshua and Jonathan Torres, Jake Clay and Billie Jack Saebens and Aaron Tsinigine and Kyle Lockett all entered. Saturday night’s draw is the best of the Wilderness Circuit, looking to play spoilers if they can bump anyone far enough out of the money.

For perspective: In 2021, Chad Masters and Joseph Harrison won Mona, Utah, to help Harrison get to the Finals with a 5.3-second run, worth $2,308 a man, and a leg won last hole for Luke Brown and Hunter Koch with a 9.9.

Smith and Long will go to Poway, California, Friday night, San Bernardino, California Saturday night, Stephenville, Texas, Sunday, and Pasadena, Texas, for the city’s two-header Monday and Tuesday Sept. 26-27.

Orman will go at Pasadena Sept. 25 and Sept. 27.

Challengers

Meanwhile, their closest threat is two-time Cinch Timed Event Champion Paul David Tierney, who’s 16th with $79,335.83 and has two rodeos left: Amarillo Thursday night, Sept. 22, and Omaha, Nebraska Friday, Sept. 23.

The 2015 PRCA World Champion Aaron Tsinigine is 17th with $79,085.57, and he’s got his ace Lockett tapped for the final few rodeos of the regular season. Aside from Mona Friday night, they go first out in the last set at Poway, California.

Cory Kidd’s money from Puyallup isn’t in the standings as of Sept. 22, but he likely is actually 16th with $82,021 in earnings—just $12 behind Orman.

Friday Night (September 23) Daysheet in Mona, Utah

Saturday Night (September 24) Daysheet in Mona, Utah