Jake Smith got his first-ever NFR go-round win in Round 2 of the 2025 NFR with Douglas Rich, stopping the clock in 3.9 seconds for $36,667.95 a man.
The 32-year-old Oklahoma header is roping at his second NFR, and he and Rich, 30, of Herrick, Illinios, have already netted $68,550 a man (including the $10,000 everyone gets coming into the Finals) and moved to fourth in the PRCA world standings with $194,087.46 and $183,337.45 won, respectively.
“I missed the barrier a little bit, but everything felt good with my swing,” Smith said. “I got a good first swing, and once it left my hand, it all came together fast.”
“The steer was straight and he hung on it, so it made it come together fast,” Rich said. “It was a blur.”
The team had watched the steer in the Tuesday-before-the-Finals run-through and liked what they saw.
“He looked almost the same as our first one,” Smith said. “Straight down the middle. Good speed. Medium. Looked like a great steer.”
Rich focused only on timing his start behind Smith.
“As soon as he thinks about nodding, I’m trying to get out of there,” Rich said. “Junior doesn’t let you sit him off the back of the box. He likes to be touching it.”
Smith made the round-winning run on Haida Pine Quixote, his 2003 gelding. “Friendly’s” speed across the line helped Smith recover from the slightly late start.
“He is a little tight, but in this little arena you almost want one a touch,” Smith said. “He leaves the back so hard, and when you put on the side of the horn, he pulls and finishes great.”
Rich rode Cockys JR Shine, the same horse he rode in 2024 in Las Vegas.
Smith and Rich are 8.7 on two head and second in the aggregate, behind Andrew Ward and Jake Long’s 8.3 on two.
(Fun Fact: Dec. 5 is also Douglas Rich’s wedding anniversary.)
In the PRCA world standings, Tanner Tomlinson moved to No. 1 on the head side with $210,958.25 after a 4.2-second run that won fourth in the round for $7,688.44 a man with Travis Graves, while Junior Nogueira remained No. 1 in the heeling with $208,497.72.
Round 2 Results
| Jake Smith / Douglas Rich | 3.9 | $36,667.95 |
| Dawson Graham / Dillon Graham | 4.1 | $22,079.62 |
| Andrew Ward / Jake Long | 4.1 | $22,079.62 |
| Kolton Schmidt / Jonathan Torres | 4.1 | $22,079.62 |
| Cyle Denison / Lane Mitchell | 4.2 | $7,688.44 |
| Tanner Tomlinson / Travis Graves | 4.2 | $7,688.44 |
| Kaleb Driggers / Junior Nogueira | 4.5 | |
| Dustin Egusquiza / Levi Lord | 4.7 | |
| Clint Summers / Jade Corkill | 4.7 | |
| Riley Minor / Brady Minor | 5.8 | |
| Derrick Begay / Colter Todd | 8.9 | |
| Luke Brown / Trey Yates | 9.2 | |
| Clay Smith / Coleby Payne | 10.2 | |
| Tyler Wade / Wesley Thorp | 100 | |
| Lightning Aguilera / Kaden Profili | 100 |
World Standings After Round 2
| Header | Total |
|---|---|
| Tanner Tomlinson | $210,958.25 |
| Andrew Ward | $210,113.88 |
| Kaleb Driggers | $208,497.72 |
| Jake Smith | $194,087.46 |
| Clint Summers | $186,618.49 |
| Derrick Begay | $176,201.94 |
| Dustin Egusquiza | $170,703.39 |
| Clay Smith | $168,489.89 |
| Cyle Denison | $165,605.00 |
| Dawson Graham | $164,013.63 |
| Lightning Aguilera | $161,403.70 |
| Tyler Wade | $153,366.47 |
| Kolton Schmidt | $152,017.82 |
| Riley Minor | $135,025.27 |
| Luke Brown | $133,302.92 |
| Heeler | Final Total |
|---|---|
| Junior Nunes Nogueira | $208,497.72 |
| Jake Long | $208,367.33 |
| Jade Corkill | $186,943.71 |
| Douglas Rich | $183,337.45 |
| Travis Graves | $177,070.02 |
| Colter Todd | $173,849.59 |
| Levi Lord | $168,321.88 |
| Lane Mitchell | $166,634.52 |
| Dillon Graham | $164,013.65 |
| Kaden Profili | $160,203.50 |
| Coleby Payne | $159,293.26 |
| Wesley Thorp | $153,366.47 |
| Jonathan Torres | $143,751.72 |
| Brady Minor | $135,025.29 |
| Trey Yates | $133,302.91 |
