Twelve teams will rope for a potential $59,066.80-a-man payday at the 2026 Governor’s Cup in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Sept. 25-27. Eight of the horses underneath them made the same trip with the same riders last year.
Eight horses are making a return trip to Sioux Falls, and the head and heel horses of the 2026 Governor’s Cup range from a 23-year-old veteran to a reigning world champion’s 7-year-old.
The confirmed head horses average 14.3 years old, led by Jake Smith’s 23-year-old Friendly. On the heel side, the average drops to 11.3, and reigning world champion Jake Long’s 7-year-old Copper is the youngest horse in the field.
Head Horses
| Headers | Registered Name | Year | Sire | Dam | Dam’s Sire |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jake Smith | Haida Pine Quixote (Friendly) | 2003 | Haida Oakie O Lena | Red Rock West | Boons Dark Command |
| Dawson Graham | Chex Yer Gun (Outlaw) | 2012 | Tuf Country Chex | Miss King Commander | Commander Mico |
| Cory Kidd | Flowing Rex | 2014 | Desires Little Rex | Oh Flo | Cats Quixote Jack |
| Lightning Aguilera | Jess A Moose (Moose) | 2011 | High On Corona | Jess Tara | Mr Jess Perry |
| Cody Snow | SJR Diamond Billy | 2018 | CD Diamond | Billies Smooth Cat | Smooth As A Cat |
| Andrew Ward | RLJ Cashnczechtafame (Henry) | 2011 | Vabellez | RLJ Jets Inthe Allie | Brays Moon Bug |
| Tyler Tryan | Surfin For Cash (Nelson) | 2014 | The Guys A Surfer JF | CB Society | Society Road |
| Tanner Tomlinson | Missn Cowboy Sioux (Marshall) | 2008 | Cowboys Missn 214 | CJ Sugar Sioux | CJ Charles |
| Garrett Tonozzi | EPH Silver Fox | 2015 | Fox Bee Blue | Echetas Silver Lace | Mahalas Blue Cash |
| Luke Brown | DM Jet Off (Buddha) | 2009 | Hand Off Boy | Rocket Jets | Easy Jet |
| James Arviso | Trauado Lena (Chili Dog) | 2014 | Mifillena | QR Travelen Babe | Travalena |
| Kaleb Driggers | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
Key Stories
- Tomlinson’s Marshall Makes Mighty Post-Colic Comeback
- Lightning Aguilera’s Jess A Moose is 2022’s Head Horse of the Year
- A $34,000 Hand-Raise at Rancho Rio: How ‘Chili Dog’ Carried James Arviso to the Reno Rodeo Title
Heel Horses
| Heelers | Registered Name | Year | Sire | Dam | Dam’s Sire |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas Rich | TRR Big Hustler (Kid Rock) | 2011 | TRR Big Iron | Lenas Lil Hustler | Colonel Lena |
| Dillon Graham | Coys Smoken Jet (Cruze) | 2013 | JRS Hancocks Leo Pep | Dundees Golden Image | Dundee Major |
| Carson Johnson | Countin On Reyn | 2016 | Im Countin Checks | Reyleann | Dual Rey |
| Ross Ashford | Drifting Dual Rey (Renegade) | 2015 | JR Driftwood Zeus | Dual Em Dry | Dual Rey |
| Lane Mitchell | Oz Ona Hot Streak (Oz) | 2015 | A Streak Of Fling | Oz One Hot Momma | One Hot Jose |
| Jake Long | Hezaluckysonofagun (Copper) | 2019 | Hired Gun | Rey Dual Lena | Rey Dual |
| Nicky Northcott | Tequila Dual (Cabo) | 2010 | Dual Spark | Jenna | Reminic |
| Coleby Payne | Stylish Pet (Donald) | 2017 | Docs Stylish Oak | Pet Squirrel | Playdox |
| Trey Yates | Dont Stopp The Magic (Scott) | 2018 | Dont Stopp Believin | Magic Metallic | Metallic Cat |
| Hunter Koch | SJR Diamond Len | 2017 | CD Diamond | Amanda Starlena | Smart Little Lena |
| Levi Lord | San Jo Deacon (Little Blackie) | 2009 | San Jo Lena | Play Fox | Playgun |
| Junior Nogueira | Sons Of Stoli (Will) | 2016 | Stoli Cowboy | CNF Sons Leona Te | Sons Shriner |