DODGE CITY, Kan. – One of the fascinating aspects of rodeo is the variety it brings to sports. Not only are their different events – both timed events where the fastest runs win and roughstock events that are based on judges scores – but there are different levels.

Hundreds of cowboys and cowgirls are on the road all summer long chasing their chance at world championships, and the only way to grab rodeo’s gold is playing in the sport’s grand finale, the National Finals Rodeo. Alas, only the top 15 on the money list at the end of the regular season get that chance.

Oklahoma team ropers Mason Appleton and Rance Doyal are in that hunt. Appleton is the 26th-ranked header, while Doyal is No. 29 in heeling. They need some big-time money over the final two months of the 2025 campaign to secure their first bids to Las Vegas in December. They’re trying to make that move by virtually locking themselves into Championship Sunday at Dodge City Roundup Rodeo.

“To win this would be really cool,” said Doyal, 21, of Kenefic, Oklahoma. “I had a chance a couple years ago and slipped a leg in the short round, so to come back and have a chance to redeem myself is something I’m looking forward to.”

This is an important rodeo for the tandem. Not only does it have NFR implications, but both cowboys are in the Prairie Circuit, which is made up of contestants and events primarily in Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. They need to earn enough money at those regional rodeos to secure their bid at the Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo, which will take place in November at Mulvane, Kansas.

“Until today, the Kansas run (this week) and the circuit rodeos haven’t been good to us,” said Appleton, 21, of Chelsea, Oklahoma. “We need to do good this week. We’re at Phillipsburg (Saturday) night, then back over here Sunday.”

In rodeo, dollars equal points, and this week is a great opportunity to collect on both fronts. Every penny earned can help the pair collect the points necessary to compete in Mulvane and Las Vegas. The key is to limit mistakes, take advantage of drawing good steers and making the best of the cows that aren’t as desirable.

After having a good draw in the opening round – “We probably had the best steer,” Doyal said of their morning run – they just made sure to catch their second steer during Friday’s performance.

“He wasn’t my favorite run,” Appleton said. “We made a good run this morning, so we were just trying to catch, get by this one and hope they draw us another good one for the short round.” 

They’ve proven to be prolific when they’ve been matched with a good cow. Appleton and Doyal set a world record in late June with a 3.2-second run in Idaho. They’ve been the talk of team roping ever since.

“It all depends on the steer we get,” Doyal said, noting that the team will be more aggressive on good steers. “Whenever you have one you know you can’t win first on, then you’ve just got to back off and make the best of the steer.”

Good runs and good steers help ignite rodeo dreams.

Dodge City Roundup Rodeo
Dodge City, Kan.
July 30-Aug. 3
Bareback riding leaders: 1. Roedy Farrel, 85.5 points on Championship Pro Rodeo’s Sum Buck; 2. Waylon Bourgeois, 85; 3. Tanner Aus, 84.5; 4. Cole Franks, 84; 5. Andy Gingerich, 82; 6. Wacey Schalla, 80.5; 7. (tie) Nick Pelke and Tucker Carricato, 79; 9. Clay Jorgenson, 76; 10. Quintonn Lunsford, 75; 11. Gauge McBride, 62.

Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. (tie) Will Lummus and Garrett Oates, 3.7 seconds; 3. Seth Peterson, 4.0; 4. (tie) Shane Frey and Trell Etbauer, 4.2; 6. (tie) Mike McGinn, Gavin Soileau, Riley Duvall and Chase Crane, 4.4. Second round leaders: 1. Darcy Kersch, 3.8 seconds; 2. Riley Westhaver, 3.9; 3. Ty Allred, 4.0; 4. (tie) Gus Franzen, Shayde Etherton and Jake Holmes, 4.2; 7. Rhett Witt, 4.3; 8. Sawyer Strand, 4.4. Average leaders: 1. Seth Peterson, 8.6 seconds on two runs; 2. Darcy Kersh, 9.;0; 3. (tie) Shayde Etherton and Garrett Oates, 9.2; 5. (tie) Justin Shaffer and Mike McGinn, 9.3; 7. Gus Franzen, 9.8; 8. Tucker Allen, 10.4; 9. Sawyer Strand, 10.5; 10. Nick Guy, 11.1; 11. Riley Westhaver, 11.3; 12. Ryan Shuckburgh, 11.6.

Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Mason Appleton/Rance Doyal, 4.7; 2. Nelson Wyatt/Jonathan Torres, 4.9; 3. (tie) Cory Kidd V/Will Woodfin and Luke Brown/Trey Yates, 5.2; 5. (tie) Blake Barnes/Lathan Dickson, Andrew Ward/Jake Long, Peyton Walters/Tyson Thompson and Cyle Denison/Lane Mitchell, 5.3. Second round leaders: 1. J.C. Yeahquo/Ross Ashford, 4.1 seconds; 2. Ryon Boatright/Jett Hillman, 4.8; 3. Tanner Tomlinson/Travis Graves, 5.0; 4. (tie) Cody Snow/Hunter Koch Klay Yaussi/Kash Yaussi, 5.3; 6. (tie) Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira and Lane Mitchell, 5.4; 8. Cory Kidd/Will Woodfin, 5.6. Average leaders: 1. Cyle Denison/Lane Mitchell, 10.7 seconds on two runs; 2. Cory Kidd/Will Woodfin, 10.8; 3. (tie) Cody Snow/Hunter Koch and Mason Appleton/Rance Doyal, 10.9; 5. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 11.3; 6. J.C. Yeahquo/Ross Ashford, 1.5; 7. Jhett Trenary/Gralyn Elkins, 11.7; 8. Peyton Walters/Tyson Thompson, 11.9; 9. Luke Brown/Trey Yates, 17.3; 10. Jesse Stipes/Cordell Collins, 21.4; 11. Jesse Boos/Reed Boos, 27.1; 12. Ryon Boatright/Jett Hillman, 4.8 seconds on one run.

Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. (tie) Ryder Sanford, on Championship Pro Rodeo’s Colorado Kool-Aid, Shorty Garrett, on Frontier Rodeo’s 015, and Tom Webster, on Mo Betta Rodeo’s Sweet Sue, 85.5 points; 4. (tie) Isaac Diaz and Lefty Holman, 85; 6. Brody Cress, 84.5; 7. (tie) Shea Fournier and Brady Hill, 80.5; 9. (tie) Waitley Sharon and Trent Burd, 80; 11. Gus Gaillard, 79; 12. Tejay Angland, 78.

Breakaway roping: First round leaders: 1. Erin Johnson, 2.4 seconds; 2. Alli Masters, 2.5; 3. Aspen Miller, 2.8; 4. Taylor Munsell, 2.9; 5. Whitney Profili, 3.0; 6. (tie) Samantha Haardt, Winter Williams, Mataya Eklund and Alex Loiselle, 3.1. Second round leaders: 1. Chenoa VandeStouwe, 1.9 seconds; 2. Chloe Lambert, 2.6; 3. 3. Shalee King, 2.7; 4. Shelby Boisjoli-Meged, 2.8; 5. (tie) Bandee Winn and Jackie White, 3.2; 7. Mollie Bassett, 3.3; 8. KC-Gail Churchill and Tomi Womack, 3.4. Average leaders: 1. (tie) Shelby Boisjoli-Meged and Taylor Munsell, 6.5 seconds on two runs; 3. Jackie White, 6.7; 4. Winter Williams, 7.3; 5. Sequin Brewer, 7.4; 6. Mollie Bassett, 8.2; 7. (tie) Reagan David and Mable McAbee, 8.3; 9. Whitney Jennings, 9.0; 10. Bandee Winn, 9.1; 11. Morgan Kessler, 9.7; 12. Carlee Potter, 10.3.

Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Andrew Burks, 8.5 seconds; 2. Hunter Herrin, 8.9; 3. Brodey Clemons, 9.6; 4. Quade Hiatt, 9.7; 5. (tie) Haven Meged and J.T. Adamson, 9.8; 7. Kyan Wilhite, 9.9; 8. Tyler Calhoun, 10.0. Second round leaders: 1. Kyan Wilhite, 7.6 seconds; 2. Marty Yates, 8.2; 3. (tie) Tyson Durfey and Riley Pruitt, 8.5; 5. Tom Simpson, 8.8; 6. Richard Newton, 8.9; 7. Kincade Henry, 9.1; 8. Macon Murphy, 9.3. Average leaders: 1. Kyan Wilhite, 17.5 seconds on two runs; 2. Andrew Burks, 19.4; 3. Tyler Calhoun, 19.5; 4. Quade Hiatt, 19.8; 5. Riley Pruitt, 10.0; 6. Kincade Henry, 20.4; 7. Richard Newton, 20.6; 8. Haze Wright, 21.0; 9. Macon Murphy, 21.3; 10. Luke Potter, 21.7; 11. Austin Lawrence, 21.8; 12. Brody Stallard, 22.2.

Barrel racing: First round leaders: 1. Avery Ledesma, 17.15 seconds; 2. Kim Squires, 17.16; 3. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 17.22; 4. Austyn Tobey, 17.28; 5. (tie) Piper Cordes and Katelyn Scott, 17.29; 7. Lindsey McCuistion, 17.33; 8. Jana Bean, 17.40; 9. Sabrina Ketcham, 17.41; 10. Tracy Nowlin, 17.43; 11. Dena Kirkpatrick, 17.48; 12. Ivy Hurst, 17.51. Second round leaders: 1. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 16.94 seconds; 2. Piper Cordes, 17.10; 3. Austyn Tobey, 17.17; 4. Ivy Hurst, 17.18; 5. Cheryl Wallace, 17.25; 6. Kim Squires, 17.29; 7. Erica Klein, 17.38; 8. Ruby Lightfoot, 17.41; 9. Carol Waters, 17.42; 10. (tie) Jana Bean and Lindsey McCuiston, 17.44; 12. Kallie Gates, 17.48. Average leaders: 1. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 34.16 seconds on two runs; 2. Piper Cordes, 34.39; 3. (tie) Austin Tobey and Kim Squires, 34.45; 5. Ivy Hurst, 34.69; 6. Lindsey McCuiston, 34.77; 7. Jana Bean, 34.84; 8. (tie) Cheryl Wallace and Erica Klein, 34.99; 10. (tie) Carol Waters, 35.01; 11. Sandy McElreath, 35.06; 12. Ruby Lightfoot, 35.31.

Bull riding leaders: 1. Kody Aldrich, 85.5 points on Frontier Rodeo’s 202; 2. J.R. Stratford, 85; 3. Hayden Welsh, 85; 4. (tie) Qynn Andersen, Cutter Kaylor and Mason Moody, 84; 7. Danien Wood, 82; 8. Ky Hamilton, 75.5; no other qualified rides.