MANDAN, ND — The Mandan Rodeo presented by Dakota Community Bank & Trust will be well represented at the 65th annual Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nevada in December.
14 of the top 50 riders slated to compete in the NFR in December were recognized in the final results of the 144th Mandan Rodeo, including five of the top ten in the world.
How are back numbers assigned to athletes?
The ProRodeo athletes who qualify for the NFR are assigned a back number based on the amount of money earned throughout the regular season, and the back numbers for the 2023 Wrangler NFR have been made official along with the 2023 PRCA | RAM World Standings with the completion of the annual audit.
The Top 15 competitors in each event will pin the following numbers to the back of their shirts or vests at the Wrangler NFR at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Dec 7-16
To view the full list, click here.
Stetson Wright | World #1
Stetson Wright competed in both saddle bronc riding and bull riding competition at the Mandan Rodeo. He placed 7th in the saddle bronc riding standings with a score of 84.5, taking home $978.
Wright was granted a re-ride in bull riding competition and elected to do so despite scoring an 86, which would have been good enough for third place in the Mandan Rodeo standings. Wright was not able to complete a qualifying ride on his second chance.
Despite not placing in bull riding in Mandan, the superstar cowboy from Beaver, UT still took home $620,256.39 in 2023. A year ago, he set the PRCA record in the all-around and bull riding for the most money won in a single regular season before the Wrangler NFR.
With less than two weeks remaining in the regular season – it ended on Sept. 30 – Wright had already blown past those totals from 2022. As of Sept. 19, he had earned $403,913 in the all-around and $324,128 in bull riding.
We cemented his all-time season with a 90-point ride at the Cinch Playoffs: Governor’s Cup in Sioux Falls, SD, which boasts a purse of over $1 Million making it the richest rodeo in South Dakota history.
In 2022 during Round 2 at the National Finals Rodeo, Mandan’s. very own Dakota Rodeo challenged Wright when he rode multiple time NFR/PBR World Finals bull, Pookie Holler.
Kennan Hayes | World #4
Keenan Hayes, a 20-year-old bareback rider from Hayden, CO, finished third in Mandan with a score of 84.5, securing him $4,055. It was a part of a span of nearly $19,000 in winnings during the first week of July 2023, helping him earn the No. 4 spot in the world for the NFR.
Hayes also placed during the 143rd Mandan Rodeo, finishing in a three way tie for 6th with a score of 83. Hayes biggest win of the season came at the Cinch Playoffs: Governor’s Cup in South Dakota, where an 86.5 earned him second place and $19,000.
He is currently the No. 1 bareback rider in the world.
Ky Hamilton | World #5
Ky Hamilton took home the bull riding crown during the 144th Mandan Rodeo, with a score of 88.5 on Dakota Rodeo’s Sun Country, which earned him $6,853. His win in Mandan helped him earn the No. 5 spot in the world for the NFR.
The 23-year-old earned $254,165 in 2023, nearly as much as he earned in all of 2022 when he finished 3rd in the 2022 NFR and took home $165,761 ($278,412 total in 22′).
Sage Newman | World #6
Sage Newman secured the saddle bronc riding victory in Mandan in 2023 with an 87 point ride on Stace Smith Pro Rodeos’ Flashcard Champ, earning him $7,332.
Newman’s ride was one of four top place finishes during the first week of July, also taking home the crown at the Western Stampede (West Jordan, UT), Cody Stampede (Cody, WY), and the Black Hills Roundup (Belle Fourche, SD).
Newman enters the NFR as the No. 2 saddle bronc rider in the world and will compete in his 3rd NFR in December.
Kade Bruno | World #8
Kade Bruno from Challis, ID secured $1,222 with an 85.5 saddle bronc ride on Stace Smith Pro Rodeoes’ Buck Owens in Mandan in 2023, which was part of his road to a top ten ranking heading into the 2023 NFR.
Bruno’s PRCA career has continued on the upswing since 2021, cemented by his 2023 Cinch Playoff: Governor’s Cup victory — taking home $25,000 in Sioux Falls in September.
• Kaleb Driggers, World No. 17 | Team Roping
• Junior Nogueira, World No. 18 | Team Roping
• Clayton Biglow, World No. 19 | Bareback Riding — finished 2nd in 144th Mandan Rodeo Days
• Tim O’Connell, World No. 23 | Bareback Riding — finished 1st in 144th Mandan Rodeo Days
• Leighton Berry, World No. 26 | Bareback Riding
• Nelson Wyatt, World No. 27 | Team Roping
• Trey Kinzey, World No. 35 | Bull Riding
• Levi Lord, World No. 41 | Team Roping — finished 1st in 144th Mandan Rodeo Days
• Dustin Equsquiza, World No. 42 | Team Roping — finished 1st in 144th Mandan Rodeo Days
Be apart of Mandan’s 145th Mandan Rodeo Days at Dale Pahlke Arena
Help us continue to support the world’s best Pro Rodeo athletes during the 145th Mandan Rodeo presented by Dakota Community Bank & Trust, July 2nd-4th, 2024. In 2023, Mandan Rodeo Days had a total payoff of $191,576 in its first competition at the brand new Dale Pahlke Arena in Mandan, a world class permanent rodeo facility.
Don’t miss your chance to experience the thrill of the best riders in the World! Multiple days of the 2023 Mandan Rodeo sold out and we expect them to sell out again in 2024. Become a member of the Mandan Rodeo’s priority list to gain first access to tickets when they go on sale and get special offers, news, updates, and more straight to your inbox.