PRORODEO Sports News - July 2, 2026

PLAYOFF SERIES

WELSH WINS RENO BY TIERNEY MYERS, SPECIAL TO PRORODEO SPORTS NEWS

R esistol Rookie Hayden Welsh put together two electric rides to get the win at the 2026 Reno (Nev.) Rodeo. Welsh placed in both rounds and finished with 177.5 points on two bulls and picked up $20,798 along the way after his winning ride in the finals June 27. Welsh matched up with Big Stone Rodeo Inc.’s Hank in Round 1, and put together an 87.5-point ride, tying him for second in the round with Hud son Bolton. While John Crimber was the winner in Round 1, he bucked off his bull in the finals. Bolton went just before Welsh in the final round and posted an 88.5-point ride on Rosser Rodeo’s Sambo, making him 176 points on two bulls. Welsh would have to be at least 89.5 points on his final bull to take the lead. Aboard Rosser Rodeo’s Com missioner, Welsh delivered in a big way with a 90-point ride. The final round was packed full of young bull riders, including several Resistol Rookies. Welsh said it felt like being back at the high school rodeos again. “Tonight was like a perfect scenar io like the high school finals back in 2022,” Welsh said. “Back then, John rode and put the pressure on me, and then tonight the roles just sort of reversed.” Welsh is now No. 4 in the PRCA | Bill Fick Ford World Standings, trail ing fellow Resistol Rookie, Noah Lee by just more than $4,000. Currently, there are four rookies within NFR qualifying position, and several more sit just outside of the top 15, including Eyer Morrison at No. 20. Welsh said many of them who com

Resistol Rookie bull rider Hayden Welsh celebrates after win ning the 2026 Reno (Nev.) Rodeo. PRCA photo by Lara St. Jacques

peted together in high school rodeos still remain friends now as they take on the PRCA. “Those guys are still my buddies,” Welsh said. “They’re going to come back stronger, and by the middle of the summer, we’re going to be taking everybody’s money.” With $133,110 in season earnings already, Welsh is likely headed to his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. So much young talent thriving at the top of the standings is sure to make for an exciting remainder of the rodeo season.

Other winners at the Playoff Series Rodeo were BAREBACK RIDER KADE SONNIER (260 points on three head); STEER WRESTLERS TRISTAN MARTIN AND DALTON MASSEY (13.2 seconds on three head each); TEAM ROPERS JAMES ARVISO/LEVI LORD (15.0 sec onds on three head); SADDLE BRONC RIDER RYDER WRIGHT (264.5 points on three head); TIE-DOWN ROPER BRYCE DERRER (26.5 points on three head); BREAKAWAY ROPER MADISON OUTHIER (8.2 seconds on three head); and BARREL RACER EMILY BEISEL (50.74 seconds on three runs).

36 PRORODEO SPORTS NEWS DIGITAL MAGAZINE July 2, 2026