After four rounds of team roping at the 2025 NFR, no one has been as consistent as Andrew Ward and Jake Long, who lead the world standings and control the average race.
But the fight is far from over. Clint Summers and Jade Corkill sit less than two seconds behind in the average and are applying more pressure each night. With six rounds remaining and loads of money up for grabs, the gold buckle race is far from settled, and it’s still anybody’s fight.
(Editor’s note: These are hypotheticals discussing mathematical possibilities.)
2025 NFR team roping average after Round 4
| Team | Time | On |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Ward / Jake Long | 16.2 | 4 |
| Clint Summers / Jade Corkill | 18.1 | 4 |
| Derrick Begay / Colter Todd | 33.6 | 4 |
| Kolton Schmidt / Jonathan Torres | 112.6 | 3 |
| Riley Minor / Brady Minor | 116.6 | 3 |
| Lightning Aguilera / Kaden Profili | 117.4 | 3 |
| Dustin Egusquiza / Levi Lord | 117.5 | 3 |
| Kaleb Driggers / Junior Nogueira | 117.7 | 3 |
| Tanner Tomlinson / Travis Graves | 119.3 | 3 |
| Cyle Denison / Lane Mitchell | 121.3 | 3 |
| Clay Smith / Coleby Payne | 124.1 | 3 |
| Jake Smith / Douglas Rich | 129.0 | 3 |
| Dawson Graham / Dillon Graham | 207.9 | 2 |
| Luke Brown / Trey Yates | 217.8 | 2 |
| Tyler Wade / Wesley Thorp | 303.8 | 1 |
Andrew Ward and Jake Long
At 16.2 on four, Ward and Long lead the aggregate race, and they hold a 1.9-second lead over Summers and Corkill. They’re also the only team to have won money in every round thus far. With six rounds remaining, the average is far from secure, but they have put themselves in a position where even modest runs can keep them atop the leaderboard.
If they were to win the average, they’d earn $94,035.54 each, which alone could determine the gold-buckle outcome. If the NFR ended last night, Ward and Long would be crowned the world champs. Nobody is roping cleaner, sharper, or more efficiently.
- #1 in the world
- #1 in the average
- 16.2 on 4 — best in the field by nearly two seconds
If they maintain consistency and money flow like they’ve done thus far, they take control of this NFR.
Clint Summers and Jade Corkill
Make no mistake: Summers and Corkill have been showing why they’re both, individually, average champs. They sit second in the aggregate with an 18.1 on four, and they just keep getting faster, round by round. From a 5.1 in Round 1 to a 3.9 in Round 4, they have turned in better times night after night. The difference between winning the average and finishing second is $17,742.55, so the race between Ward/Long and Summers/Corkill already carries gold buckle implications.
- 18.1 on 4: 1.9 behind Ward/Long
- No. 5 and No. 3 in the world
Derrick Begay and Colter Todd
The 2023 NFR champs are the only other team with four steers caught. The only hangup: They have three runs with leg penalties. However, they are absolutely still alive in the world title race as they do still sit third in the average, worth $60,324.69 apiece.
The Three-Head Logjam
Nine teams have three steers caught. Driggers and Nogueira, Egusquiza and Lord, and Tomlinson are perhaps the most dangerous of this group as they’re one round win from moving dramatically.
2025 Team roping world standings with separation amount after Round 4
| Name | Total | Behind No. 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Ward | $235,150.60 | — |
| Kaleb Driggers | $223,874.60 | $11,276 |
| Tanner Tomlinson | $210,958.25 | $24,192 |
| Dustin Egusquiza | $203,527.12 | $31,623 |
| Clint Summers | $202,192.51 | $32,958 |
| Jake Smith | $194,087.46 | $41,063 |
| Dawson Graham | $193,190.28 | $41,960 |
| Lightning Aguilera | $190,580.35 | $44,570 |
| Kolton Schmidt | $187,108.66 | $48,041 |
| Tyler Wade | $186,190.20 | $48,960 |
| Derrick Begay | $182,116.13 | $53,034 |
| Clay Smith | $168,489.89 | $66,661 |
| Cyle Denison | $165,605.00 | $69,545 |
| Riley Minor | $150,599.29 | $84,551 |
| Luke Brown | $133,302.92 | $101,848 |
| Name | Total | Behind No. 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Jake Long | $233,404.05 | — |
| Junior Nunes Nogueira | $223,874.60 | $9,529 |
| Jade Corkill | $202,517.73 | $30,886 |
| Levi Lord | $201,145.61 | $32,258 |
| Dillon Graham | $193,190.30 | $40,214 |
| Kaden Profili | $189,380.15 | $44,024 |
| Wesley Thorp | $186,190.20 | $47,214 |
| Douglas Rich | $183,337.45 | $50,067 |
| Colter Todd | $179,763.78 | $53,640 |
| Jonathan Torres | $178,842.56 | $54,562 |
| Travis Graves | $177,070.02 | $56,334 |
| Lane Mitchell | $166,634.52 | $66,770 |
| Coleby Payne | $159,293.26 | $74,111 |
| Brady Minor | $150,599.31 | $82,805 |
| Trey Yates | $133,302.91 | $100,101 |
All equations below are for the partner in each team that is furthest behind No. 1.
Kaleb Driggers / Junior Nogueira — $11,276 & $9,529 behind
This is the smallest gap of any team. They’re only one fourth-place check behind for Driggers and a fifth-place check behind for Nogueira. In average money, this equals a seventh-place spot.
Tanner Tomlinson / Travis Graves — $24,192 & $56,334 behind
Tomlinson’s gap is one second-place check. Graves’ is one round win and a third-place. As a team, they need one big round and a big jump in the average to apply pressure.
Dustin Egusquiza / Levi Lord — $31,623 & $32,258 behind
Their deficit equals one round win. In the average, they’re roughly a fourth-place finish behind.
Clint Summers / Jade Corkill — $32,958 & $30,886 behind
Summers and Corkill trail by roughly one round win. In average terms, it’s a fourth-place finish for Summers and a fifth-place finish for Corkill.
Jake Smith / Douglas Rich — $41,063 & $50,067 behind
They need one round win and a fourth-place spot, or the equivalent of finishing third in the average.
Dawson Graham / Dillon Graham — $41,960 & $40,214 behind
Their gap equals one round win and a sixth-place check. In the average, it’s a fourth-place finish.
Lightning Aguilera / Kaden Profili — $44,570 & $44,024 behind
They need one round win and a fifth-place check, or the gap could be erased by finishing third in the aggregate.
Kolton Schmidt / Jonathan Torres — $48,041 & $54,562 behind
This team sits about one round win and a third-place check behind No. 1. In average terms, this equals a jump to third.
Tyler Wade / Wesley Thorp — $48,960 & $47,214 behind
Despite their average situation, the world gap is only one round win plus a fourth-place check. In average terms, it matches a third-place finish, but being three steers down makes the aggregate jump a bit more challenging (but not impossible as their are still six rounds left).
Derrick Begay / Colter Todd — $53,034 & $53,640 behind
They’re just a round win and a fourth-place check behind. In the average, that’s the difference between finishing third vs. sixth.
Clay Smith / Coleby Payne — $66,661 & $74,111 behind
This equals roughly a two round wins for Smith, plus a small check for Payne, or a second-place finish in the aggregate.
Cyle Denison / Lane Mitchell — $69,545 & $66,770 behind
They trail by a round win, plus a second-place finish and a sixth-place round finish. In average-money terms, by the swing from eighth to second.
Riley Minor / Brady Minor — $84,551 & $82,805 behind
They’re nearly two round wins and a fourth-place round check behind. In the average, that deficit could be closed by winning the average, but we know they are one steer behind.
Luke Brown / Trey Yates — $101,848 & $100,101 behind
They are nearly three round wins behind the leaders. In terms of the average, they would still need a fifth-place round finish on top of the aggregate win to close the gap.
