Things are about to get western as the 2024 Pendleton Round-Up kicked off Sept. 9, with team roping slack. One of the most anticipated rodeos of the year, Pendleton runs Sept. 11-14.

Legendary for the grass, the Indian relay races, the long start and so much more, Pendleton also marks a time in the year where the stakes are extremely high. And for some, how they fare on the grass could determine their December.

Bubble Battle

The short round could have major implications on the Top 15 race, as well as the PRCA Playoff Standings for the Governor’s Cup.

Cody Snow and Hunter Koch set a new arena record in Round 2 with a 4.0, and that $6,579-a-man payday will help them in their fight to the 2024 NFR. Snow and Koch currently sit 14th and 13th in the world standings, just $713.90 ahead of 15th for Snow and $960.94 for Koch. If they can add a solid average check to their round earnings, they can give themselves a much needed cushion in the Top 15 as they’re currently not qualified for the Governor’s Cup in Sioux Falls.

Riley and Brady Minor are in a similar boat as Snow and Koch as they’re fighting right around the Top 15, but they are not qualified for Sioux Falls. The Ellensburg brothers are 15th and 16th in the world with $96,995.72 won on the year and while they haven’t won anything in the rounds, a strong run in the short round could give them a nice check to add to their earnings and bring Brady back in the Top 15 on the heel side.

Wyatt and Paden Bray have already secured their spot to the Governor’s Cup through Puyallup, but they’re fighting extra hard to make their NFR dreams a reality. At 22nd and 24th in the world standings, Wyatt needs $14,761.45 to break inside the Top 15 and Paden needs $19,389.69. Coming back fourth high call, the Bray brothers are still in the running for the Pendleton Round-Up title, which would tighten the gap between them and the Top 15.

Like the Brays, Luke Brown and Travis Graves have been on another level as we enter the final weeks of the 2024 season. Brown and Graves are headed to Sioux Falls, and while Brown is currently in the Top 15 at No. 12, Graves is currently on the outside looking at 19th, just $6,066.11 behind 15th. Brown and Graves have already pocketed $1,859 a man on the grass, and a top three finish in the average should bring them over $6,000 a piece.

Pendleton Round-Up team roping short round

Pendleton Round-Up team roping results

As of Sept. 13

First round: 1. Brye Crites/Tyler Worley, 5.0 seconds, $6,579 each; 2. (tie) Jake Clay/Trey Yates and Coleman Proctor/Junior Nogueira, 5.3, $5,292 each; 4. (tie) Hagen Peterson/Chase Tryan and Clint Summers/Jake Long, 5.6, $3,576 each; 6. (tie) Luke Brown/Travis Graves and Jeff Flenniken/Jake Minor, 5.8, $1,859 each; 8. (tie) Wyatt Bray/Paden Bray and Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord, 5.9, $286 each.

Second round leaders: 1. Cody Snow/Hunter Koch, 4.0 seconds, $6,579 each; 2. Hayes Smith/Justin Davis, 4.9, $5,721; 3. David Temple/Tio Simmons, 5.2, $4,863; 4. Tyler Tryan/Denton Dunning, 5.3, $4,005; 5. Kreece Thompson/Cooper Freeman, 5.4, $3,146; 6. Wawa Ben JR./Brandon Ben, 5.5, $2,288; 7. Jake Stanley/B.J. Campbell, 5.6, $1,430; 8. (tie) Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord and Roger Nonella/Colton Gow, 5.9, $286 each.

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Finals: 1. Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord, 6.1 seconds, $1,783 each; 2. Wyatt Bray/Paden Bray, 6.3, $1,550; 3. Luke Brown/Travis Graves, 6.7, $1,318; 4. Coleman Proctor/Junior Nogueira, 8.4, $1,085; 5. Jason Handy/Cole Cooper, 8.8, $853; 6. Jeff Flenniken/Jake Minor, 10.9, $620; 7. Kellan Johnson/Carson Johnson, 13.3, $388; 8. Cody Snow/Hunter Koch, 14.4, $155.

Average: 1. Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord, 17.9 seconds on three head, $9,868 each; 2. Wyatt Bray/Paden Bray, 18.3, $8,581; 3. Luke Brown/Travis Graves, 18.7, $7,294; 4. Coleman Proctor/Junior Nogueira, 19.8, $6,007; 5. Jason Handy/Cole Cooper, 22.1, $4,720; 6. Jeff Flenniken/Jake Minor, 23.0, $3,433; 7. Kellan Johnson/Carson Johnson, 26.4, $2,145; 8. Cody Snow/Hunter Koch, 28.0, $858.

2024 PRCA team roping world standings

As of Sept. 11. Does not appear to include current Pendleton earnings.