A new scoring system at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in Las Vegas last week made for tighter competition that rodeo promoters said benefits fans and creates more excitement between top-tier competitors, including those from Team Wyoming.
The new scoring system, which reduces ties by tallying scores to the quarter-point rather than rounding up to the nearest whole point, was reflected in the placements of this year’s NFR.
Saddle bronc rider Weston Patterson won fifth place with 87.75 points, barely edging out Team Wyoming’s Brody Cress, who finished sixth with just a quarter point less and the score 87.50.
“They are working on a quarter-point system, which they've never done that at the NFR before,” said Chuck Coon, former Team Wyoming coordinator. “You could be 88.75 and beat somebody by a quarter point if they were 88.5.”
In their final ride, Cress tied for sixth place with a score of 87.5 while his teammate Brody Wells finished 11th with 86.25 points. The winners Ryder Wright and Stetson Wright tied with 89.75 points.
Software Change
According to Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) CEO Tom Glause, qualifying rodeos leading up to the NFR have always used half points and two judges. NFR was the lone competition that rounded to the nearest whole point since there were four judges.
“It was a computer system limitation with having four judges at the NFR,” Glause said. “When you have four judges at the NFR and you use half points, it's possible that you come out with quarter points or 0.75 and so we'd always just used whole points."
This year, officials updated the computer system to where it rounded to the nearest quarter point. Glause explained that now if three judges give a score of 40 points and one judge scores 40.5, the score would be 80.25 instead of just 80.
Glause said that each judge can score up to 25 points for the animal and 25 points for the rider for a possible high score of 50 points.
The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association also for the first time will use the quarter-point system during its 2026 season.
Wyoming’s Performance
Competition at the 2025 NFR was exceptional this year, Glause said. To have two competitors from Wyoming place in the top 15 saddle bronc riders in the country and Canada is just remarkable.
“Both Brody Wells and Brody Cress had some exceptional rides,” Glause said. “They probably were hoping to do better, but they both had good finals.”
Glause also gave a shout out to bullfighter Dusty Tuckness from Meeteetse.
“He's been voted 10 times as the best bullfighter,” Glause said. “Dusty did a tremendous job.”
In the Junior NFR, Wyoming also had a good showing with twins, Ryder and Case Kerr, 18, of Afton winning the world title for team roping.
They won the No. 10.5 division as the only ones among 22 teams that caught all five head of cattle.
“Wyoming always makes a great showing,” Glause said, praising the three members of 2025 Team Wyoming.
Jackie Dorothy can be reached at jackie@cowboystatedaily.com.
