2026 Media Guide

TEAM ROPING HEELER

JAKE LONG Team Roping (Heeler)

introduced as a world champion on The Chute Bosses podcast. “The big guy was watching out. We drew a great steer, thankful for the family and everybody who got us here and kept supporting us all our lives. I’m just grateful.”

Ward and Long decided to team up this offseason after roping with different partners last season. This marked Ward’s sixth trip to the NFR and Long’s 15th qualification to compete at the Finals. Their offseason decision paid off, as Ward finished with $373,838 to win the heading title and Long earned $372,092 to win the heeling championship. Ward and Long’s earnings are new single-season records in heading and heeling, respectively. The duo won the average at 44.0 seconds on nine head, besting Clint Summers/Jade Corkill by 5.7 seconds. “He’s a great partner,” Long said. “He compliments me and gives me everything that I like in a partner. Obviously, he heads great. That’s No. 1. Then he’s just a great guy, a great person and a great human. I’m a little more of an emotional roller coaster, and he keeps me flatlined.”

2025 WORLD CHAMPIONS

Andrew Ward and Jake Long at the 2025 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. PRCA photo by Kathryn Coleman

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2026 PRCA MEDIA GUIDE