Dustin Egusquiza has again taken control of the 2024 PRCA world standings heading into the summer, thanks to a $6,093 weekend May 30-June 2.
The 28-year-old is No. 1 in the world standings with $76,326 won on the year as of June 3, matching his heeler and three-time NFR qualifier Levi Lord’s dollar figure to the penny, though Lord sits second in the world behind RodeoHouston champ Buddy Hawkins. While they have had an incredible start to the 2024 season, winning the Sandhills Stock Show & Rodeo, National Western Stock Show and Rodeo, Rodeo Austin and Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, the start of the season isn’t as important to the six-time NFR header as the end is.
“The standings aren’t a big deal to me this time of year,” Egusquiza said. “I want to be on top at the end of the season and after Vegas—that’s my main focus. But it is always nice to see your name at the top; we have really had a blessed year so far.”
READ: Money Moves: Egusquiza, Lord Top Money Earners Over Cowboy Christmas
Egusquiza and Lord had a consistent weekend of rodeoing, kicking it off with 4.3 to win third at the Mt. Pleasant Rodeo for $1,760 a man. They followed that up with a 4.2 for second at the Durant Pro Rodeo for $1,622 a man. They rounded out the win at Rodeo Celina with a 3.7-second run for $2,711 each to bump Egusquiza to No. 1 in the world.
“All three of those rodeos we placed at were really muddy,” Egusquiza explained. “The one steer I missed was on perfect ground at Fort Smith, so I might be hoping for some more rain from now on.”
Egusquiza added an equine counterpart this year who has played a pivotal role in their 2024 success: King Sabre Bar. The 11-year-old bay gelding helped Egusquiza and Lord at majority of the winter rodeos, too.
“He has the majority of our earnings so far this year,” Egusquiza said. “I give a lot of the credit to him being so good in the smaller setups, and I have been able to save Cajun for the summer. I’m going to be riding Cajun a lot starting at Reno.”
Egusquiza and Lord have a lot to look forward to as they head out for the summer, given they were the high-money winners over Cowboy Christmas in 2023, winning Livingston, Montana, Mandan, North Dakota, and Basin City, Washington, and placing at Prescott, Arizona, Oakley City, Utah, and St. Paul, Oregon.