CHEYENNE, Wyo. – The famous little buckles and big prize money will be on the line Sunday at Frontier Park as competitors for 130th annual Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo short go were finalized on Saturday. The action starts at 3 p.m. EST on the Cowboy Channel.
The list of names features a mix of familiar faces with plenty of new blood in contention for one of the biggest prizes during rodeo’s summer run. A look at some of the significant storylines ahead of Championship Sunday are below.
Big Opportunities Out There
One thing CFD has had a reputation for is crowning champions with limited previous pedigrees. It’s not uncommon to see cowboys and cowgirls who have toiled away in the middle of the pack or even outside of the top 50 utilize a win in Cheyenne as a springboard to bigger things. Last year, it was steer wrestler Tyke Kipp who parlayed his CFD success last July into momentum he’s carried throughout the 2026 campaign.
And while the format change to qualify for CFD left many wondering if something like that was still possible, the groupings for each event have chances for Cinderella story throughout.
None are bigger than steer wrestling where nine of the 12 qualifiers are outside the PRCA’s top 50 at this moment and only two are inside the top 25. Tristan Martin is the standings leader but only sits at No. 11. Of the 12, only Martin (2), Dirk Tavenner (3) and Nick Guy (8) have Wrangler National Finals Rodeo experience on their resume.
Tie-down roping features five competitors outside the PRCA top 50 with only four inside the top 25.
Chasing Family History
Cole Eiguren’s quest to join his grandfather, Jack Hannum, in CFD royalty is still alive. The Fruitland, Idaho cowboy secured his spot to the finals in tie-down roping earlier in week but came up just shy of advancing in team roping with partner Dylin Ahlstrom. The duo made the semis but failed to advance.
Despite that, Eiguren has still earned money in both events, putting him in position to claim the all-around title – just like his grandfather. Hannum claimed all-around honors in 1977 and 1979.
Reaching for the Record
Is this year Brody Cress inches closer to a new standard in Cheyenne? Cress added his fourth CFD buckle in saddle bronc riding last year, pulling him even with Trevor Brazile (all-around), Jim Shoulders (all-around) and Kristie Peterson (barrel racing) for the second-most buckles ever won at the rodeo.
The only person left to catch is steer roper Fred Lowery who won six titles from 1916-1928. If the Wyoming native could add his fifth, he’d be within striking distance of tying the record next July.
Breakthrough Moment Coming?
Zeke Thurston has just about every accolade possible in ProRodeo – except a buckle from Cheyenne.
The four-time world champion has been downright lethal at the 2026 CFD, winning his qualifying matchup with an 89 earlier in the week before riding for 91.5 in the semifinals to claim that round as well. He’s already $15,900 richer because of two rides in Cheyenne and No. 3 could end a dry streak at the Daddy of ’Em All.
Only Two Top Dogs
While there are quite a few highly ranked cowboys and cowgirls coming back for the finals, only two events feature the standings leader in their respective field.
Bull rider Noah Lee secured his spot with a huge ride during the Saturday’s semifinal round, going for 93 points. The No. 1 bull rider in the PRCA standings has a chance to add more distance if he can post another ride like that.
Meanwhile, breakaway roper Cheyanne McCartney is leading the WPRA standings, currently holding more than $20,000 better than anyone else. She can pad that lead even more with another strong showing Sunday.
Home State Momentum Still Building
Hayden Welsh remains on a Cheyenne heater.
Earlier this week, he posted an 89-point ride in the rodeo to tie for first during the qualifying round. While he wasn’t able to cover his second bull during the preliminaries, he did score 87 on Sunday to lock up a spot in the finals.
Along with two rides to win the Cheyenne Frontier Days Extreme Bulls event, his stay at CFD has already yielded big money, with more possible.
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