Bradlee Miller owns the largest advantage at the top of the September 30 bareback riding standings. The Huntsville, Texas cowboy is listed at $298,134, putting him $58,132 ahead of Jacob Lees as the season-close results move into the audit and confirmation stage.
The season-close top five
| Rank | Bareback rider | Hometown | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bradlee Miller | Huntsville, TX | $298,134 |
| 2 | Jacob Lees | Caldwell, ID | $240,002 |
| 3 | Jess Pope | Waverly, KS | $235,973 |
| 4 | Kade Sonnier | Carencro, LA | $202,653 |
| 5 | Keenan Hayes | Hayden, CO | $199,420 |
Miller created separation, but second and third remain close
Lees and Pope are separated by only $4,029. Sonnier and Hayes are also tightly paired, with a $3,233 gap between fourth and fifth. Those small differences matter because world standings earnings carry into the NFR; Las Vegas does not begin from zero.
Miller’s regular-season total gives him valuable position, but bareback riding can move quickly at the Thomas & Mack Center. Ten livestock draws, ten eight-second opportunities and both nightly and average money keep the world championship open.
The bubble has a wider season-close gap
Mason Stuller is listed 15th at $133,837, with 2025 world champion Rocker Steiner 16th at $122,142. The reported difference is $11,695. Because the official contestant roster has not yet been published, those positions should remain a standings story rather than a final invitation list.
What decides a bareback ride
Bareback riders use a rigging rather than a saddle or rein. The rider must keep one hand in the rigging, avoid touching the horse or equipment with the free hand and meet the event’s mark-out requirement. Judges evaluate both the cowboy and the horse, making the draw part of every round’s strategy and drama.
At the NFR, consistency matters twice: a rider can win money in an individual round and also build an average score across ten performances. The expanded 2026 go-round payout will reward the top eight each night.
A deep group waits behind the leaders
Cooper Cooke, Clayton Biglow, Leighton Berry, R.C. Landingham and Garrett Shadbolt round out the reported top ten. That mix of proven NFR experience and rising momentum makes bareback riding one of the deepest events entering December.
Follow the full Top 20 bareback standings and the 2026 ten-round schedule.
Official sources: September 30 Road to the NFR standings and the 2026 NFR payout announcement.
Standings status — October 5, 2026: This report analyzes the September 30 season-close standings published by the official NFR Experience with data credited to the PRCA and WPRA. The official 2026 contestant roster still says “Coming Soon,” so Vegas NFR is not presenting this standings snapshot as the final audited field.
