As of Oct. 28, 2024, Alabama’s Tanner Banks has jumped into the driver’s seat on the head side with 63 points. Alabama is also on the move in the heeling as Brit Smith, now at No. 2 with 86 points, inches in on leader Houston Childers.
The Leaders
No. 1 Header: Tanner Banks
Tanner Banks has been steadily climbing the heading ranks, now boasting 63 points atop the leaderboard. The 18-year-old has just a 5-point lead over Lexi Andrews at No. 2.
When Banks hit up the Southern Alabama Championship, produced by Allen’s Roping Productions, in October, he started closing the gap on Andrews after finishing third in the #13.5 USTRC for 8 points. But his third-place finish in the #12.5 USTRC, also for 8 points, was enough to push him past Andrews to the top of the leaderboard.
No. 1 Heeler: Houston Childers
The 2023 Resistol Jr. Champion Heeler Houston Childers remains strong at the top of the heeling standings. The 16-year-old from Fairmount, Georgia, leads the pack with no change to his 98 points this month.
No. 2 Heeler: Brit Smith
Brit Smith continues to climb in the heeling standings, now sitting second with 86 points. Smith, who turned 18 on Halloween, is just 12 points behind standings leader Childers after earning 17 points to jump from third to second.
Like header Tanner Banks, Smith cashed in at the Allen’s Roping Productions’ Southern Alabama Championship to make his standings moves. Smith won second in the #13.5 USTRC for 9 points and third in the #12.5 USTRC for 8 points to keep on climbing toward No. 1.
The Top 5
Headers
Hayden Hines jumped from sixth to third in the heading standings, now sitting just three points behind Andrews with 55 points. The Monroe, Georgia, header won fourth for 7 points in both the #8.5 USTRC and #7.5 USTRC at the Southern Alabama Championship to move inside the Top 5.
Heelers
This month, Brit Smith made the only moves in the Top 5 of the Resistol Jr. Champion heeling standings, pushing Cole Shook down to third with 74 points, Jaytin Harrell to fourth with 44 points and Kale Roark to fifth with 43 points.
2024-2025 USTRC Resistol Jr. Champion Standings
(as of 10/28/24. Go to USTRC.com for current standings.)
USTRC Resistol Jr. Standings: Headers
| Rank | Name | Points | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tanner Banks | 63 | Opelika, Alabama |
| 2 | Lexi Andrews | 58 | Live Oak, Florida |
| 3 | Hayden Hines | 55 | Monroe, Georgia |
| 4 | Walker Guy | 43 | Stephenville, Texas |
| 5 | Rance Winters | 42 | Lipan, Texas |
| 5 | Hayes Hartwick | 42 | Quitman, Arkansas |
| 7 | Wyatt Walker | 40 | Diamond, Missouri |
| 7 | Kasen Ammons | 40 | Ponce De Leon, Florida |
| 9 | Shawnee L Murphy | 38 | Melrose, Iowa |
| 9 | Gregory Mitchell | 38 | Adairsville, Georgia |
| 9 | Gage Hines | 38 | Dilley, Texas |
USTRC Resistol Jr. Standings: Heelers
| Rank | Name | Points | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston Childers | 98 | Fairmount, Georgia |
| 2 | Brit Smith | 86 | Atmore, Alabama |
| 3 | Cole Shook | 74 | Leicester, North Carolina |
| 4 | Jaytin Harrell | 44 | Choctaw, Oklahoma |
| 5 | Kale Roark | 43 | Guymon, Oklahoma |
| 6 | Callahan Taylor | 42 | Canutillo, Texas |
| 7 | Grady Wilson | 41 | Orchard, Colorado |
| 8 | Cooper Brittain | 32 | Rockwall, Texas |
| 9 | Wesson Parker | 30 | Marlow, Oklahoma |
| 10 | Jhett Vanderhamm | 29 | Ingalls, Kansas |
Current USTRC or Key Card/Key Card Max membership is required to participate in the Resistol Jr. Champion Program. Earned points begin counting at time of membership purchase thru the NFTR’s last shootout event. The season begins the Monday after the last USTRC Cinch NFTR event and ends the last day of the next USTRC Cinch NFTR event.
Ropers must enter at least one Shootout division in the USTRC NFTR to be eligible. The award will be announced at the end of the USTRC Cinch National Finals of Team Roping event.
The points breakdown is as follows: Starting with At Home Challenge Events, ropers will earn 10 points if they win the Challenge. No other points will be awarded. At Signature Events, points will be awarded to those winning an aggregate check. It starts at First Place with 10 points, Second = 9 points, and so on as far down as the roping is paid. During the Cinch NFTR, the placing points are simply doubled. First Place is worth 20 points, second = 18, and so on. For complete rules, please visit USTRC.com.
—TRJ—
