Cole Reiner is back to normal, riding at a high level. He rode Championship Pro Rodeo’s Terry for 89.5 points during Friday’s third performance of Dodge City Roundup Rodeo to take the bareback riding lead.
(PHOTO BY ROBBY FREEMAN)
DODGE CITY, Kan. – A year ago, Cole Reiner wasn’t having much fun.
Yes, competing in rodeo is his full-time job, but it’s also a sport. Having fun is just part of the equation, but it wasn’t happening. After qualifying for the National Finals Rodeo for five straight seasons, he missed the mark in 2025.
He’s fully engaged in the process this season, and it shows. He rode Championship Pro Rodeo’s Terry for 89.5 points during Friday’s third performance of Dodge City Roundup Rodeo to take the bareback riding lead and secure his place in Sunday’s championship round.
“That horse is one of Will O’Connell’s up-and-comers,” Reiner said of Terry, a young bay roan. “He’s probably going to be at the National Finals this year.”
That’s saying something. Only the top 15 contestants in each event at the end of the regular season advance to the sport’s super bowl in December. In bareback riding, those 15 cowboys select the 105 broncs that will be in the mix, too. Of the hundreds of bucking equines, only the elite are part of the 10 nights of rodeo in Las Vegas.
“That is the kind of horse you want,” said Reiner, 27, of Buffalo, Wyoming. “It was just bucking hard enough to make your feet come to your rigging, hard enough that if you don’t put your feet back where they need to go, he’s going to get you down. He’s also giving you time and jumping in the air and doing everything you want a bucking horse to do.”
Being matched with greatness drives cowboys who do it for a living, but there are other aspects of the job that have helped Reiner enjoy his experiences just a touch more. He’s traveling the rodeo trail with fellow bareback riders Tim O’Connell and Jess Pope. O’Connell has three world championship gold buckles, and Pope won the world in 2022. Both are past Roundup champions.
“I don’t usually come to Dodge City, but this is kind of Tim and Jess’ territory,” Reiner said. “Plus, we love getting on Frontier and Championship horses.”
They also love winning. Reiner is 13th in the world standings with about $108,000, while Pope sits fifth with $132,000. O’Connell, who has returned from nearly three years out because of injury, is building his status back with hopes of playing for a fourth gold buckle in 2027.
“Getting in with Tim and Jess, It was great,” he said. “I went about two years there where I didn’t really have traveling partners. Things are just different this year, and I feel like I’ve found my stride again. I’ve refocused my bareback riding, kind of repurposed myself and had a new set of goals. I had gotten a little complacent with just making the National Finals Rodeo the last couple of years.
“This year, I’m back in legitimate contention for a gold buckle, and being with these guys helps make it feel a whole different reason for rodeo.”
It might just be the winning formula come Sunday night.
Dodge City Roundup Rodeo
Dodge City, Kan.
July 30-Aug. 3
Bareback riding leaders: 1. Cole Reiner, 89.5 points on Championship Pro Rodeo’s Terry; 2. Jess Pope, 88.5; 3. Garrett Shadbolt, 87; 4. Kash Loyd, 86; 5. Tim O’Connell, 85.5; 6. Lane McGehee, 84.5; 7. (tie) Roedy Farrell, Tanner Aus and Tanner Aus, 83.5; 10. Andy Gingerich, 81.5; 11. Gauge McBride, 81; 12. Bryce Eck, 80.
Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Rowdy Parrott, 3.6 seconds; 2. Kall Mayfield, 4.1; 3. Tristan Martin, 4.2; 4. (tie) Chance Howard and Darcy Kersh, 4.3; 6. Ethan Price, 4.4; 7. Dalton Massey, 4.5; 8. Jacob Edler, 4.7. Second round leaders: 1. Boyd Sawyer, 3.8 seconds; 2. Trisyn Kalawaia, 3.9; 3. Will Lummus, 4.0; 4. (tie) Emmett Edler, Tanner Brunner, Trace Harris and Jeff Miller, 4.2; 8. Riley Duvall, 4.3. Average leaders: 1. Darcy Kersh, 9.1 seconds on two runs; 2. (tie) Kall Mayfield and Rowdy Parrott, 9.2; 4. Tristan Martin, 10.0; 5. (tie) Trisyn Kalawaia and Riley Duvall, 10.1; 7. Chance Howard, 10.2; 8. Boyd Sawyer, 10.3; 9. Ethan Price, 11.8; 10. Mike McGinn, 12.5; 11. Jude Leonards, 13.1; 12. Nathan Duvall, 16.6.
Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Tyler Tryan/Nicky Northcott, 5.1; 2. Clay Tryan/Will Woodfin, 5.2; 3. (tie) Clayton Van Aken/Jaydon Warner and Dawson Graham/Dillion Graham, 5.4; 5, Kavis Drake/Denim Ross, 5.6; 6. Andrew Ward/Jake Long, 5.7; 7. Luke Brown/Hunter Koch, 5.9; 8. Brye Crites/Ross Ashford, 6.0. Second round leaders: 1. (tie) Nelson Wyatt/Jonathan Torres, Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira and Cody Snow/Lane Mitchell, 4.9 seconds; 4. Kolton Schmidt/Paden Bray, 5.2; 5. Cole Eiguren/Dylan Hancock, 5.3; 6. Tyson Thompson/Kelvin Medeiros, 5.4; 7. Kellan Johnson/Trae Smith, 5.5; 8. Tyler Tryan/Nicky Northcott, 5.7. Average leaders: 1. Tyler Tryan/Nicky Northcott, 10.8 seconds on two run; 2. Nelson Wyatt/Jonathan Torres, 11.3; 3. (tie) Kavis Drake/Denim Ross and Clayton Van Aken/Jaydon Warner, 11.7; 5. Clay Tryan/Will Woodfin, 11.9; 6. Brandon Farris/Braden Harmon, 12.4; 7. Ryon Boatright/Jett Hillman, 13.3; 8. Curry Kirchner/Tanner Braden, 13.6; 9. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 15.2; 10. James Arviso/Levi Lord, 15.8; 11. Coy Rahlmann/Logan Medlin, 16.7; 12. Blaine Turner/Scout McElroy, 17.7.
Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Skinny Parsons, 88.5 points on Double J Rodeo’s Miss Charcoal; 2. (tie) Brody Cress and Mitchie Story, 84.5; 4. Blake Steuck, 84; 5. (tie) Waitley Sharon and Tom Webster, 82; 7. (tie) Traven Sharon and Jett Williams, 81; 9. Jake Finlay, 10.5; 10. Regan Lyons, 80; 11. Bryett Larsen, 79.5; 12. (tie) Wyatt Lavergne and Ross Griffin, 78.5.
Breakaway roping: First round leaders: 1. (tie) Shelby Boisjoli-Meged and Jordan Jo Hollabaugh, 2.4 seconds; 3. (tie) Jackie Crawford, Reagan Davis and Molly Hamilton, 2.6; 6. Marlee Quarles, 2.9; 7. Jackie White, 3.0; 8. (tie) Clare Burcalow, Cali Griffin, McKenna Brennan and Emilee Charlesworth, 3.1. Second round leaders: 1. Taylor Munsell, 1.7 seconds; 2. Suzanne Williams, 1.9; 3. (tie) Winter Williams and Tiffany Schieck, 2.1; 5. (tie) Kendyl Rogers and Hanna Giger, 2.3; 7. (tie) Jessi Everett and Madalyn Richards, 2.5. Average leaders: 1. Shelby Boisjoli-Meged, 5.8 seconds on two runs; 2. Delani Beatty, 6.1; 3. Alli Masters, 6.7; 4. Jackie White, 7.0; 5. Kelsie Domer, 7.3; 6. (tie) Jade Mitchell and Cali Griffin, 7.7; 8. (tie) Kimberly Williams and Josey Murphy, 8.3; 10. Karrigan Graves, 8.4; 11. Sawyer Gilbert, 8.6; 12. Chenoa VandeStouwe, 9.1.
Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Semaj Collins Jr., 8.1 seconds; 2. Shad Mayfield, 8.2; 3. Haven Meged, 8.9; 4. 4. Zane Rampey, 9.3; 5. Bryce Derrer, 9.4; 6. Cole Clemons, 10.0; 7. Zack Jongbloed, 10.1; 8. Dylan Hancock, 10.2. Second round leaders: 1. Sam Lewis, 7.2 seconds; 2. Austin Lawrence, 7.7; 3. Bryce Derrer, 8.4; 4. Chizm KuyKendall, 8.8; 5. Shad Mayfield, 9.1; 6. (tie) Kason Dyer, Buck Calhoun and Cash Hooper, 9.3. Average leaders: 1. Shad Mayfield, 17.3 seconds on two runs; 2. Bryce Derrer, 17.8; 3. Haven Meged, 19.3; 4. Austin Lawrence, 20.0; 5. Dylan Hancock, 20.2; 6. Semaj Collins, 20.3; 7. Chizm KuyKendall, 20.9; 8. Zane Rampey, 21.7; 9. Landyn Duncan, 24.8; 10. (tie) Tripp Taylor and Dillon Grote, 24.8; 12. Brushton Minton, 26.9.
Barrel racing: First round leaders: 1. Loralee Ward, 17.01 seconds; 2. Kylie Kanngiesser, 17.22; 3. Emma Parr, 17.25; 4. Piper Cordes, 17.31; 5. Lanita Peirce, 17.38; 6. Acey Pinkston, 17.44; 7. Morgan Addison, 17.50; 8. Ari-Anna Flynn, 17.53. Second round leaders: 1. Makenzie Mayes, 16.92 seconds; 2. Piper Cordes, 17.17; 3. Kim Squires, 17.19; 4. Tillar King, 17.25; 5. Loralee Ward, 17.30; 6. Faith Nolte, 17.31; 7. Blake Molle, 17.39; 8. (tie) Ari-Anna Flynn and Raelin Jurgens, 17.40. Average leaders: 1. Loralee Ward, 34.31 seconds on two runs; 2. Piper Cordes, 34.48; 3. Makenzie Mayes, 34.58; 4. Emma Parr, 34.69; 5. Acey Pinkston, 34.86; 6. Ari-Anna Flynn, 34.93; 7. Morgan Addison, 35.02; 8. Kaden Burger, 35.05; 9. Blake Molle, 35.08; 10. Torrie Edge, 35.12; 11. Brett Woolsey, 35.22; 12. Makiah Flake, 35.28.
Bull riding leaders: 1. Hudson Bolton, 89.5 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s Riser; 2. Luke Mackey, 87; 3. Noah Lee, 86; 4. Macate Trammell, 84.5; 5. Braxton Whitesell, 80.5; 6. Billy Quillan, 72; no other qualified rides.