PRORODEO Sports News - August 5, 2026

COOPER COOKE BESTS LOADED FIELD AT NFR OPEN finishing fourth in the round for an average of 166 points on two head. In the championship round, Cooke knew everything was shaping up for a great night when he saw Mustard next to his name on the draw.

C ooper Cooke competed at the NFR Open in 2024 and failed to advance from pool competition. The two-time NFR qualifier from the Wilderness Circuit flipped the script this year. Not only did Cooke move on to the short round, but he won the champi onship go-round with an 87.5-point ride on Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics’ Mustard. His victory helped propel the Wilderness Circuit to the team championship. “It’s awesome,” Cooke told the PRORODEO Sports News. “I’ve shown up here one time before, and the outcome didn’t really happen as I expected. I think it was a learning and growing experience. I came back this year and had my head on straight, knew exactly what I wanted to do and it happened.” Cooke opened Pool C with an 85-point ride on Hi Lo Pro Rodeo’s Desert Inn and a second-place finish in Round 1. He clinched his spot in the short round with an 81-point trip on Powder River Rodeo’s Shady Deal,

Cooper Cooke matches Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics’ Mustard for an 87.5-point trip in the championship round of the NFR Open July 18 in Colorado Springs, Colo. PRCA photo by Nicole Stevens

“Wade Sankey raises a bunch of great bucking horses,” Cooke said. “That one I’m fortunate to have been on before, and I had a little game plan coming into this. I knew what she was and she went out there and did exactly what I thought. She had some big air and was strong in the front end... It worked out.” Cooke’s $13,000 payday on the final night of action and $3,000 in pool action helped the Wilder ness Circuit win the team title with $103,542 earned across the event. Competitors from the circuit were rewarded with a $15,000 bonus cour tesy of Acumatica. Cooke’s victory also scored him a Polaris Ranger and an automatic bid to the Wild Card Round of the Cinch Playoffs at the Puyallup (Wash.) Ro deo in September.

8 PRORODEO SPORTS NEWS DIGITAL MAGAZINE August 5, 2026