Bubble teams are preparing for their chance to burst into the Top 15 of the 2024 PRCA world standings as the PRCA Playoff Series Finale in Puyallup, Washington, kicks off Sept. 5.

With its $73,000 purse on both the head and heel sides, a team roper could win up to $19,900 if they were to absolutely dominate and win both rounds in their series and the Finals. But Puyallup isn’t the final chance at an NFR qualification for the bubble teams. 

Three rodeos remain in the PRCA Playoff Series—Abilene, Texas; Pendleton, Oregon; and Albuquerque, New Mexico. The top eight in the PRCA Playoff Series standings at the conclusion of those final three Tour rodeos will join the top four from Puyallup in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, at the end of the month at the Governor’s Cup where there is a purse of $144,444 per side. 

Here’s how Puyallup could determine the fate of the teams on the bubble.

Jr. Dees and JC Flake are currently 12th and 11th in the world standings with $96,975.12 won on the year for Dees and $100,143.87 for Flake. While Flake is headed to Puyallup, Dees unfortunately did not make the cut. Two-time NFR header Dees is only $5,467.38 ahead of 16th in the world—who just so happens to have qualified for Puyallup—which can be won between the long rounds or the Finals in Puyallup. Dees is also 26th in the current Playoff Series standings, meaning he’ll need to capitalize at all three of the remaining Tour rodeos to have a chance at qualifying for Sioux Falls through the Playoff standings. Flake is $4,253.65 ahead of 16th but 23rd in the Playoff standings, so he’ll need to finish in the top four in Puyallup to qualify for Sioux Falls. 

Riley and Brady Minor are in a similar position to Dees and Flake: Riley didn’t qualify for Puyallup, but Brady did. With $95,905.64 won on the year, the Minors are 13th and 15th in the world, just $4,397.90 separating Riley from 16th and $15.42 separating Brady from 16th on the heel side. Riley and Brady, who are both 22nd in the Playoff Standings, need to capitalize at the final Tour rodeos to give Riley a shot for Sioux Falls and Brady if he doesn’t make the top four in Puyallup.

Tanner Tomlinson and Patrick Smith are 14th and 16th in the world standings and are both making the trip to Puyallup. With only $4,382.48 separating Tomlinson from 16th and $15.42 separating Smith from 15th, a payday in Puyallup could be enough to keep Tomlinson inside the Top 15 and push Smith back in. While a top four finish would lock them in for Sioux Falls, they’ve also been climbing in the Playoff standings, now sitting ninth and just 12.54 points outside the top eight for Tomlinson and 22.92 points outside the top eight for Smith.

Cody Snow and Hunter Koch are in for Puyallup and currently sit 15th with $94,692.22 won on the year and 14th in the world standings with $96,703.23. Snow and Koch are both in moveable territory as Snow is $3,184.48 ahead of 16th and Koch is $813.01 ahead on the heel side. At 14th and 16th in the Playoff standings, a top eight finish isn’t out of the question, either.

World Champion header Clay Smith is right outside the Top 15 with $91,507.74 won on the year at No. 16. Just $3,184.48 separates Smith from 15th, and with the rounds in Puyallup paying $3,450 a man, Smith could make that up in one run this week. His heeler Coleby Payne is safer at 10th in the world, but with just $5,617.52 separating him from 16th, his qualification to Puyallup gives him a greater shot at his first NFR. Smith and Payne are 15th and 17th in the Playoff standings, so their best shot at Sioux Falls is a top four finish in Puyallup.

Nelson Wyatt may be 17th in the world standings with $90,981.06 won on the year, but he’s still alive in the NFR race as he’s sitting pretty in the Playoff standings. The two-time NFR header is headed to Puyallup, and he’s currently fourth in the Playoff standings, giving him two chances at qualifying for Sioux Falls. Wyatt is outside the Top 15 by $3,711.16, so placing in the long rounds in Puyallup could help him move in.

World Champion heeler Kollin VonAhn has been fighting hard to get back inside the Top 15, and with just $943.74 separating him from 15th, a third-place finish in just one round in Puyallup could push him in. VonAhn is 17th in the world with $94,961.90 won on the year and headed to Puyallup. Even better, he’s currently No. 10 in the Playoff standings and outside the top eight by 24.13 points, meaning a rich trip to Abilene, Pendleton or Albuquerque could qualify him for Sioux Falls if he doesn’t finish in the top four in Puyallup.

Luke Brown and Travis Graves are 18th and 19th in the world with $88,156.29 and $82,780.08, but they’re still alive in the NFR hunt. Not only are they entered in Puyallup, they’re also sixth and seventh in the Playoff standings giving them two chances to get qualified for Sioux Falls. Brown is currently $6,535.93 behind 14th in the world standings, and Graves is $13,125.56. For Brown, the long rounds in Puyallup alone could push him into the Top 15, but for Graves they’d need to secure in the rounds and the top four.

Jake Clay and Trey Yates are 19th and 20th in the world standings with $81,680.74 won on the year. The problem? They didn’t qualify for Puyallup. Clay and Yates are also 27th and 26th in the Playoff standings, meaning there is more pressure on them to do well at the final Tour rodeos to have a shot at Sioux Falls. While it is possible, making the NFR without a Puyallup or Sioux Falls appearance will be a battle.

At 20th in the world standings, Brady Tryan is, unfortunately, in the same position as Clay and Yates. Tryan, who has $79,314.69 won on the year, did not make the cut for Puyallup and is currently 40th in the Playoff standings.

2024 Puyallup team roping draw

Thursday, Sept. 5; reverse order for Friday, Sept. 6

Saturday, Sept. 7 matinee; reverse order for Saturday, Sept. 7 night perf