Round 2 of the team roping at the 2025 NFR saw a mix of textbook runs and surprising bobbles. We tapped five-time NFR qualifier Ryan Motes to break down each run heading into Round 3.

Luke Brown & Trey Yates

Round 2: 9.2
Round Winnings: 0
Total NFR Earnings: $10,000
World Standings Earnings: $133,302.92
Average: 9.20/1; 13
World Standings: 15

Motes’ take: Luke and trey, they had to come back so they got to rope at the end. When you get to rope in the end of a round that 4.2 is winning last, that makes a big difference. Luke had a little heck with his gray in the box the first time, then then they spilled the steer and he kind of kicked his butt out the second time. But Luke’s headed on this horse here a lot and nails the barrier. Trey looks like he heeled him, so everybody hoops and hollers; like I said, 4.2. Kind of got an extra swing and heeled him leaving him, and he just left it high on the right. He kind of split em. But it’s like I said, it’s so hard. These steers are so big and they hit so fast. That was a great turn by Luke right there. Trey, he should have heeled him, he would have heeled him. He’ll tell you he should have heeled him. That’s one you always expect him to catch.

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Riley Minor & Brady Minor

Round 2: 5.8
Round Winnings: 0
Total NFR Earnings: $10,000
World Standings Earnings: $135,025.27
Average: 12.70/2; 6
World Standings: 14

Motes’ take: Riley and Brady ended up being first out. Bob popped up just a little bit, and it caused him being behind. He’s getting over to the fence, and, you know, by missing the start just barely, barely, that’s the difference of being 5.8 and having a chance to win something. But he missed the start just a touch and that steer stepped over in front of him. It’s not like Brady over-hazed by any means, but as a heeler here, you’ve got to be going, and that steer just wanted to take a half a step left. If maybe Riley had gotten a little better roll at him right there, he’d have been able to stay wide and come up the wall. It’s a hard spot to get finished fast.

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Jake Smith & Douglas Rich

Round 2: 3.9
Round Winnings: $36,667.95
Total NFR Earnings: $68,550.43
World Standings Earnings: $194,087.46; $183,337.45
Average: 8.70/2; 2
World Standings: 4

Motes’ take: Jake and Doug ended up being second out. I said a lot of times, you go early, you either put the pressure on everybody or it makes it hard to not know what’s going on. But Jake missed the barrier just a barely, barely, but this steer stayed straight and so that made the biggest difference. For Doug to be able to heel that steer, like I said, that steer was straight, but that steer didn’t really leave him. Doug thinks he’s going to leave him a lot and that steer was really straight; a really, really good steer. Kind of double tapped and then didn’t go away from him that much. So, Doug getting that right leg in there last night, those guys are off to a great start right there, and that was a great, great heel shot by Doug.

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Dawson Graham & Dillon Graham

Round 2: 4.1
Round Winnings: $22,079.62
Total NFR Earnings: $32,079.62
World Standings Earnings: $164,013.63
Average: 4.1/1; 11/12
World Standings: 10; 9

Motes’ take: Dawson hung it on him. He obviously hung it on the first one real fast, too, but lost his rope the first round. But Dawson’s Palomino is so doggone good, and he’s so easy for him to turn these steers fast. Dillon got in kind of a funky spot right there, but Cruz got down the arena enough right there and that steer hit fast. He kind of got in a funny spot right there and got a little dead behind. He heeled and that horse finishes good, so they kind of salvaged a really good run. I’m glad to see them get rolling.

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Tyler Wade & Wesley Thorp

Round Round 2: 100
Round Winnings: 0
Total NFR Earnings: $10,000
World Standings Earnings: $153,366.47
Average: 0; 15
World Standings: 12

Motes’ take: This was unexpected right here, TWade and Thorp. You seen TWade, he bumped it off the shoulder the first night and then came back. We’ve seen these guys do so good, but TWade did get a good start and hung it on one fast. Obviously, his horse is so good there. And thorp, like I said, that’s as unexpected as you could ever see. That’s about as unpredictable for Thorp as you’ve ever seen right there. But he was in a pretty decent spot. He tried him on fairly fast. If it’s not for first, it’s for second or it’s dang sure for money. You want to take that quick throw right there, but like I said, the steer hit fast, and it’s so hard to realize until you get behind one of these cows here in the Thomas & Mack how far the right leg hits down the arena and how hard it is to get all the way around them. TWade did a good job with the handle, but it’s amazing how hard it is to get in a good spot when those steers’ right leg’s on the end of it. 

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Cyle Denison & Lane Mitchell

Round 2: 4.2
Round Winnings: $7,688.44
Total NFR Earnings: $23,602.63
World Standings Earnings: $165,605.01; $166,634.53
Average: 10.80/2; 5
World Standings: 9; 8

Motes’ take: Cyle, he’s done such a good job. They’ve turned two steers really, really good and placed the first night. The roan’s been so good, and the gray heel horse finishes good. That was just a good solid run. And honestly, it looked like they could do that run over and over and over again. And they have. They’ve made two good runs, and like I said, that Oz Ona Hot Streak, he’s finished good twice. Dennison, ever since he’s been on Bartender in Vegas, it looks just like this right here; looks like you can turn every steer and a good run. Rope run just a little bit right there and probably cost him not being tied, at least, but that was a good job of finishing.

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Andrew Ward & Jake Long

Round 2: 4.1
Round Winnings: $22,079.62
Total NFR Earnings: $61,059.13
World Standings Earnings: $210,113.88; $208,367.33
Average: 8.30/2; 1
World Standings: 2

Motes’ take: Andy and Jake. I mean, Andrew’s so good. He switched, he’s on the gray this year. I know he’s rode the gray some, but between Biscuit and the gray, it looks just the same. It looks like he’s just cheating, getting out of the barrier and they’re just standing right beside him. He just turns him, and Jake got tied up to him a little bit at the end. Andrew, he just turns steers here, and he makes it look so easy. He’s aggressive, he’s sharp and he just hangs it on him and waits right there. It just happens so fast. Jake obviously finishes so good here.

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Clay Smith & Coleby Payne

Round 2: 10.2
Round Winnings: 0
Total NFR Earnings: $10,000
World Standings Earnings: $168,489.89; $159,293.26
Average: 10.2/1; 14
World Standings: 8; 11

Motes’ take: Clay Smith on one of Colby Lovell’s. This horse has looked really good here for a big horse that has been rodeoed on some, but not a ton; he’s turned two good steers right here, and this horse finishes really, really good. It looks soft and easy, and obviously Clay Smith has done so good here but when he gets a good start, it looks just like Andrew. Him and Andrew make it look so easy right there. This steer was a little bit hard right there, and he was stepping to the left just a little bit. Coleby heeled him on the gain, and the steer wanted to come under. It’s so hard right there. Like I said, when they stay straight, it’s so easy. When they take that half a step left, the head horse has to start looking for the wall right there, and that wasn’t even more than a half step. He just left there headed to the left. When Coleby bobbled his dally, you run out of room so quick in the arena. Coleby had to turn around to face. A 10.2, but it wasn’t a leg, it was two feet, and they’ve got a time.

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Dustin Egusquiza & Levi Lord

Round 2: 4.7
Round Winnings: 0
Total NFR Earnings: $10,000
World Standings Earnings: $170,703.39; $168,321.88
Average: 13.7/2; 7
World Standings: 7

Motes’ take: Dustin and Levi, almost the same as Coleby and them. Dustin was a little bit off the barrier. He took such a good start the first night, and that steer was just standing still, like roping the dummy. This one was leaving him. And like I said, it’s so hard because you’ve got to make sure they’re gone, and that steer just split through there. He hung it on him fast, but there’s just a little bit of dead time. Good run, no money.

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Clint Summers & Jade Corkill

Round 2: 4.7
Round Winnings: 0
Total NFR Earnings: $25,376.88
World Standings Earnings: $186,618.49; $186,943.71
Average: 9.8/2; 3
World Standings: 5; 3

Motes’ take: It was a good run right there. Steer was straight down the middle. Transmission, Clint was a little bit off the barrier, too, and it’s so hard because the barrier’s 4-foot under here. We talk about it all the time, but it’s so hard to get going right there, and the steers leave so sharp. It’s the first run through still on the steers–after round three tonight, they’ll come back through. But it’s hard not knowing what they’re going to be doing. You got to make sure they’re gone, and all the barrier is they go, you go. As a healer, you can’t see them very good in there, so you don’t want to leave too early and flush them, but you need to be going. Otherwise, you’re not down the arena. You have to catch them and you have to stay in the average. But you need to be trying to win as much as you can these first five rounds and then let it start to play out. Missing the barrier makes it hard here.

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Derrick Begay & Colter Todd

Round 2: 8.9
Round Winnings: 0
Total NFR Earnings: $10,000
World Standings Earnings: $176,201.94; $173,849.59
Average: 18.9/2; 9
World Standings: 6

Motes’ take: That was a good spin. Derrick spun a good steer right there. That steer was really straight, and you expect these guys to win. Two rounds in, Driggers hadn’t placed, they hadn’t placed and Dustin and Levi haven’t placed. So tonight, one of those three teams will probably get the round win. 

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Tanner Tomlinson & Travis Graves

Round 2: 4.2
Round Winnings: $7,688.44
Total NFR Earnings: $27,151.14
World Standings Earnings: $210,958.26; $177,070.03
Average: 9.9/2; 4
World Standings: 1; 5

Motes’ take: That was just a good run. It’s just unfortunate it was a good run in a tough round. They won money, so they’re placing along, but like I said, that was a really good run to win fifth and sixth in Round 2. That was a strong steer, really strong and good. TG, you know, the steer was just big and strong and kind of pushed around a little bit. He never really switched and opened up. Tanner did a good job with him, but that steer never just switched and opened up and let TG get some good separation and finish. It was a good run. Great heel shot, but strong steer. 

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Kaleb Driggers & Junior Nogueira

Round 2: 4.5
Round Winnings: 0
Total NFR Earnings: $10,000
World Standings Earnings: $208,497.72; $208,497.72
Average: 13.8/2; 8
World Standings: 3; 1

Motes’ take: That’s a great heel shot. Like I said, Junior got a leg in the first round and on what he’ll tell you is probably an easier throw than that one. But Junior, he looked fired up last night. That was mad heeling right there. Steer hit good, hit down the arena. Didn’t really leave him, kind of balled up just a little. And that was a great heel shot right there, and same thing. A 4.5, great run but no money. 

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Lightning Aguilera & Kaden Profili

Round 2: 100
Round Winnings: 0
Total NFR Earnings: $46,667.95
World Standings Earnings: $161,403.70; $160,203.50
Average: 4.0/1; 10
World Standings: 11; 10

Motes’ take: Lightning’s not going to change his strategy. Same thing that won him Round 1, he took a throw to win the round this night, right here too. But lightning’s so fast, and his one swing’s so quick right here. Lightning’s going to take that throw over and over and over again, and he’s going to catch them more times than he’s not. Steer fought the chute and when they fight in the shoot, it’s so doggone hard because you’ve been in there long enough. You don’t want to just turn around and go, but you want to get in there and go. As lightning’s bringing it right there, when you’re roping the big Mexican steers like this right here, they’re long and if you catch them on the down stride, you just blow it over the right horn, and that’s all that happened. Lightning will catch them four out of five times, nine out of ten times right there. But it was just unfortunate right there. Kind of closes your rhythm off, I think, when you have to sit there and wait on the steer to get right that long.

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Kolton Schmidt & Jonathan Torres

Round 2: 4.1
Round Winnings: $22,079.62
Total NFR Earnings: $32,079.62
World Standings Earnings: $152,017.82; $143,751.72
Average: 4.1/1; 11/12
World Standings: 12

Motes’ take: Kolton bounced it off the first night, and then came back in here tonight and got a good start, kind of got popped up a little, but he still nailed the start. Steer was straight, and man that steer kind of skid around the corner a little bit and kind of double tapped. That was big boy heeling right there for money. So that was real heeling right there. You got to expect them to leave, but when they’re skidding around right there, it’s so hard to stay consistent and stay swinging and know they’re going to pull off and get the separation that you need. Torres has done that here a bunch, he’s roped with of a bunch of different guys here, so I was glad for them guys to get some dough last night.