PRORODEO Sports News - Nov. 7, 2025

O’Rourke headlines 2025 Resistol Rookies of the Year By Zach Alvira and Tracy Renck

Traver Johnson

Sage Allen

Riley O’Rourke

T he Resistol Rookie of the Year award remains one of the most prestigious honors in PRORODEO. It’s a distinction that can only be earned once during a rodeo athlete’s first year as a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) or Women’s Professional Rodeo Asso ciation (WPRA) cardholder. Each year, Resistol recognizes the top first-year PRCA and WPRA competitors who achieve the highest season earnings in their respective events, including winnings from the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR). As the official hat of the PRCA and one of its original sponsors, Resistol proudly continues honoring these athletes with the annual Resistol Rookie of the Year Lun cheon. Now in its 11th year, the celebration will take place at 11:30 (PT), Dec. 9, at the South Point Hotel & Casino during the Wrangler NFR in Las Vegas. Guests will enjoy live music, a meal and a program hosted by industry lead ers, featuring past Rookies of the Year and World Cham pions who will share their advice and encouragement with the new class. A PRCA rookie is a cowboy competing in his first year as a full member of the organization. Cowboys first join under the PRCA’s permit system, which allows them to compete for some time without becoming full-fledged members. Once a cowboy has “filled his permit” by winning $1,000 at PRCA-sanctioned rodeos he can apply to become a full member. The PRCA’s Resistol Rookies of the Year are the first season cowboys who earned the most money in their

events during that season. The Resistol All-Around Rookie of the Year is the rook ie who earned the most money among all rookies who won $3,000 in each of two or more events. From 1956 through 2010, the PRCA also gave an Overall Rookie of the Year to the rookie who earned the most money in any one or more events. Starting with the 2011 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, money earned at the Wrangler NFR counted in the rookie standings. In 2025, that means that the Bull Riding Rookie of the Year will not be decided until the completion of the NFR, which runs from Dec. 4-13 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas where Resistol Rookies Hudson Bolton, Qynn Andersen, Bryce Jensen and Luke Mackey are competing for the coveted world championship. There have been nine cowboys who have won world championships in their rookie years: - Harry Charters, steer wrestling, 1959 - Bill Kornell, bull riding, 1963

- Roy Cooper, tie-down roping, 1976 - Tee Woolman, team roping, 1980 - Joe Beaver, tie-down roping, 1985 - Sage Kimzey, bull riding, 2014 - Stetson Wright, all-around, 2019 - Haven Meged, tie-down roping, 2019 - Keenan Hayes, bareback riding, 2023

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Nov. 7, 2025