PRORODEO Sports News - August 5, 2026

TRAVER JOHNSON EARNS SEASON-DEFINING WIN AT NFR OPEN

T raver Johnson needed a boost at the NFR Open at the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo presented by John Deere. The 22-year-old steer wrestler from Eltopia, Wash., sat outside the Top 25 of the PRCA | Bill Fick Ford World Standings with a significant amount of ground to make up to get inside the coveted Top 15 by season’s end on Sept. 30. Johnson found his groove in Colo rado Springs, Colo., with a 3.7-second run to win the championship round, cash a $13,000 paycheck and receive an automatic bid to the Wild Card Round of the Cinch Playoffs at the Puyallup (Wash.) Rodeo, Sept. 10-13. “That’s huge, especially with where I am right now in the standings, to get in there at the end of the year,” Johnson told the PRORODEO Sports News. “Puyallup is a big deal for me to maybe be able to get into the NFR.” Johnson advanced to the short round out of Pool B with an 8.9-sec

ond average time on two head. He completed a 5.0-second run in Round 1 to place second and earn $2,250, and a 3.9-second run to win Round 2 and add $3,000 to his ledger. “My mindset was to get out of the barrier on the first two and get into the finals,” Johnson recalled. “I drew a really good (calf) tonight. I had Jaden Whitman on the hazing side, and he stayed an extra day just to haze for me, and I really appreciated it a lot. I just had to get out of the barrier and make a good run on the final one.” As of July 22, Johnson bumped up to 24th in the standings and hopes the win at Norris Penrose Event Center gets him rolling before he takes advantage of his opportunity to qualify for the Cinch Playoffs Gover nor’s Cup in Sioux Falls at the Cinch Playoffs Wild Card Round at the Puyallup Rodeo.

Steer wrestler Traver Johnson clocks a 3.7-second run to win his first circuit national championship on July 18 in Colorado Springs, Colo. PRCA photo by Nicole Stevens

August 5, 2026 PRORODEO SPORTS NEWS DIGITAL MAGAZINE 9