Noah Lee finishes the reported regular-season standings with the largest dollar total in bull riding. The Mineral Wells, Texas cowboy is listed at $405,041—$76,277 ahead of Tristen Hutchings in the September 30 Road to the NFR snapshot.
The season-close top six
| Rank | Bull rider | Hometown | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Noah Lee | Mineral Wells, TX | $405,041 |
| 2 | Tristen Hutchings | Monteview, ID | $328,764 |
| 3 | Luke Mackey | Ignacio, CO | $280,145 |
| 4 | Stetson Wright | Beaver, UT | $279,443 |
| 5 | T.J. Gray | Dairy, OR | $258,648 |
| 6 | John Crimber | Decatur, TX | $254,339 |
Lee and Hutchings have separated from the field
Lee’s $76,277 advantage is substantial, and Hutchings holds a $48,619 margin over third-place Mackey. Together they form a clear top pair in the season-close numbers.
The next contest could not be much tighter. Mackey leads Wright by only $702. T.J. Gray and John Crimber are also separated by just $4,309 in fifth and sixth.
The reported qualification line
Jake Gardner occupies 15th in the September 30 table at $156,069, while Clayton Sellars is 16th at $142,266. The $13,803 gap is larger than several other event bubbles, but it remains subject to the final PRCA audit and official roster release.
Bull riding creates the sharpest nightly swing
A qualified eight-second ride produces a score; a buckoff produces no score. That all-or-nothing structure makes bull riding uniquely volatile across ten NFR rounds. A contestant can win a major check one night and have no earnings opportunity from the next result.
The expanded top-eight payout creates more rewarded places when enough riders make the whistle, but it does not reduce the fundamental requirement: complete the ride before any score or payout position becomes possible.
Wright brings an additional all-around storyline
Fourth-place Stetson Wright also leads the all-around standings and ranks third in saddle bronc riding. His bull riding results therefore carry consequences in two championship races, while Lee, Hutchings and Mackey can focus the standings conversation on the bull riding title itself.
The lead is valuable, not final
Lee’s regular-season earnings are carried toward Las Vegas, giving him the strongest starting position in the event. But ten rounds and average money can still produce a large swing. The lead changes the math; it does not end the race.
Follow the complete Top 20 bull riding standings and the 2026 nightly performance guide.
Official sources: September 30 Road to the NFR standings and the 2026 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.
