Dawson and Dillon Graham bested the field in a tough round of team roping on night seven of the 2025 NFR, stopping the clock in 3.7 seconds to win $36,667 a man and bring their 2025 Thomas & Mack total to $97,924 a man.
The Canadian brothers are out of the aggregate race at 11th with a 19.7 on four head, but they’re fifth in the PRCA world standings with $229,858 each. They also split Round 3 for their first go-round win in their first appearance in Las Vegas.
Dawson knew the draw had potential after watching Dustin Egusquiza win the fourth round on the same steer.
“He was sharp and dead straight,” Dawson said. “I knew if I could get a start at him it was going to be pretty easy.”
The run came together fast. Dawson barely needed to reach.
“I didn’t throw much rope,” he said. “I was too busy pulling, trying to see if I got out of the barrier or not.”
With a crossfire call stirring conversation the night before, Dillon didn’t hesitate to stick with their plan.
“As quick as these rounds are, guys have to take a chance,” he said. “Whether it works out or not, the judges make the final call.”
Dawson rolled in on Chex Yer Gun, the 2012 palomino gelding he’s hauled for years. The horse is by Tuf Country Chex and out of a Commander Mico mare, and he’s the one Dawson trusts most in nearly every setup. Dillon was on Coys Smoken Jet, a 2013 gelding by JRS Hancocks Leo Pep out of Dundees Golden Image.
They had a full cheering section to watch it unfold. Family from their hometown in Wainwright, Alberta, Canada—parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, Dawson’s wife and in-laws—packed into the stands.
The win bumped their Thomas & Mack total near six figures apiece and kept them well within striking distance in the world standings, exactly where they wanted to be heading into the final stretch.
Reigning NFR aggregate champ Clint Summers and three-time World Champ Jade Corkill stayed alive as the only team with all seven steers down, knocking down a strong one in 5.8 seconds. They have $253,054 and $253,379 won on the year, respectively, sitting second and first. But if the rodeo ended tonight and aggregate money were calculated in, they’d win the world with $347,090 and $347,415. Second would be Kolton Schmidt and Jonathan Torres, who would finish second in the aggregate with $318,699 and $310,433 on the year.
NFR 2025 Round 7 Team Roping Results
| Dawson Graham / Dillon Graham | 3.5 | $36,667.95 |
| Luke Brown / Trey Yates | 3.7 | $25,430.96 |
| Clay Smith / Coleby Payne | 3.7 | $25,430.96 |
| Lightning Aguilera / Kaden Profili | 3.8 | $12,419.79 |
| Dustin Egusquiza / Levi Lord | 3.8 | $12,419.79 |
| Riley Minor / Brady Minor | 3.9 | $2,957.10 |
| Andrew Ward / Jake Long | 3.9 | $2,957.10 |
| Kaleb Driggers / Junior Nogueira | 4.2 | |
| Derrick Begay / Colter Todd | 4.4 | |
| Kolton Schmidt / Jonathan Torres | 5 | |
| Clint Summers / Jade Corkill | 5.8 | |
| Tyler Wade / Wesley Thorp | 8.3 | |
| Tanner Tomlinson / Travis Graves | 9.8 | |
| Jake Smith / Douglas Rich | 100 | |
| Cyle Denison / Lane Mitchell | 100 |
