$100,000 team-formatted rodeo to determine discipline seeds for the second annual Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo on May 16 in Arlington, Texas at AT&T Stadium
By Kacie Albert
FORT WORTH, Texas – The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo and PBR (Professional Bull Riders) today announced the field of athletes set to compete at the first-ever Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo Qualifier on Jan. 23 inside Dickies Arena. The $100,000 team-formatted rodeo will feature six 2024 PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) World Champions, all looking to help their team earn the top available seeds at the second-annual Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo on May 16 in Arlington, Texas, at AT&T Stadium.
With an upbeat contemporary production and revolutionary timed starts, Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo Qualifier is rodeo reimagined in an exciting new format. Five teams, coached by noted rodeo legends, will field teams of athletes competing as pairs in disciplines that include barrel racing, steer wrestling, bareback riding, tie-down roping, saddle bronc riding, breakaway roping and team roping.
Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo Qualifier will feature Cody Ohl’s and Saylor Ohl’s Convoy, Sid Steiner’s and Joe Beaver’s Jokers, Trevor Brazile’s and Dale Brisby’s Low Riders Charmayne James’ and Justin McKee’s Misty Mountain Hop, and Fred Whitfield’s and Curtis Pederson’s Sledge Hammers.
Each team’s lineup will feature the previously announced drafted contestants, available here. However, coaches had the chance to call upon substitute(s) who will only ride at the Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo Qualifier in the case that one of the originally selected athletes was not available to compete.
The rosters for the teams are:
Convoy (Head Coach Cody Ohl and Assistant Coach Saylor Ohl)
- Bareback Riding: Dean Thompson and Kade Sonnier
- Barrel Racing: Stevi Hillman and Kayla Costa*
- Breakaway Roping: Shelby Boisjoli-Meged and Macy Auclair
- Saddle Bronc Riding: Kade Bruno and Layton Green
- Steer Wrestling: Jace Melvin* and Dirk Tavenner
- Tie-Down Roping: Riley Webb and Blane Cox
- Team Roping: Jake Smith* (Header)/ Douglas Rich* (Heeler) and Clay Smith (Header)/Coleby Payne (Heeler)
* Denotes an athlete competing on the roster as a substitute.
Convoy will ride into Dickies Arena led by bareback rider Dean Thompson and tie-down roper Riley Webb. These two athletes won the aggregate in their respective disciplines at the 2024 National Finals Rodeo and were also crowned World Champion. The Convoy will welcome three substitute competitors: barrel racer Kayla Costa, steer wrestler Jace Melvin and team ropers Jake Smith and Douglas Rich.
Jokers (Co-Head Coach Sid Steiner and Co-Head Coach Joe Beaver)
- Bareback Riding: Cole Franks* and Tim O’Connell
- Barrel Racing: Paige Jones* and Steely Steiner
- Breakaway Roping: Cheyanne McCartney and Madison Outhier
- Saddle Bronc Riding: Mitch Pollock* and Brody Cress
- Steer Wrestling: Bray Armes* and JD Struxness
- Tie-Down Roping: Haven Meged and John Douch
- Team Roping: Nelson Wyatt* (Header)/Jonathan Torres* (Heeler) and Colby Lovell (Header)/Jade Corkill (Heeler)
* Denotes an athlete competing on the roster as a substitute.
2024 World Champion Steer Wrestler JD Struxness will anchor the Jokers at the qualifying event during the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo. The experienced veteran will look to champion a roster which will include five substitutes: Cole Franks (bareback riding), Paige Jones (barrel racing), Mitch Pollock (saddle bronc riding), Brady Armes (steer wrestling) and Nelson Wyatt/Jonathan Torres (team roping).
Low Riders (Head Coach Trevor Brazile and Assistant Coach Dale Brisby)
- Bareback Riding: Jacob Lees and Jess Pope
- Barrel Racing: Italy Sheehan* and Carlee Otero
- Breakaway Roping: Kelsie Chace Domer and Josie Conner
- Saddle Bronc Riding: Chase Brooks and Jacobs Crawley*
- Steer Wrestling: Tyler Pearson and Clayton Hass*
- Tie-Down Roping: Joel Harris* and Shane Hanchey
- Team Roping: Clint Summers (Header)/Jake Long (Heeler) and Tyler Wade (Header)/Wesley Thorp (Heeler)
* Denotes an athlete competing on the roster as a substitute.
The Low Riders will make their way to Fort Worth having had widespread success at the 2024 National Finals Rodeo. The team will be headlined by the 2024 World Champion team ropers Tyler Wade and Wesley Thorp, along with the 2024 NFR team roping aggregate winning duo of Clint Summers and Jake Long. They will also boast 2024 Breakaway Roping World Champion and NFR aggregate winner Kelsie Domer. The team will also tap four substitutes, welcoming barrel racing Italy Sheehan, saddle bronc rider Jacobs Crawley, steer wrestler Clayton Hass and tie-down roper Joel Harris.
Misty Mountain Hop (Head Coach Charmayne James and Assistant Coach Justin McKee)
- Bareback Riding: Roedy Farrell* and Nicholas Pelke*
- Barrel Racing: Wenda Johnson and LaTricia Duke
- Breakaway Roping: Danielle Lowman and Jordan Jo Hollabaugh
- Saddle Bronc Riding: Statler Wright and Lane Schuelke*
- Steer Wrestling: Paul Melvin* and Cody Devers*
- Tie-Down Roping: Kincade Henry* and Jake Pratt*
- Team Roping: Kaleb Driggers (Header)/Junior Nogueira (Heeler) and Korbin Rice* (Header)/ Josh Patton* (Heeler)
* Denotes an athlete competing on the roster as a substitute.
While Misty Mountain Hop will be the lone team without a 2024 World Champion on their roster, they are not short of veteran experience. Their roster returns World Champion team roping duo Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira, who rode to victory for Misty Mountain Hop last season in the Championship Round of Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo. The team will welcome eight alternates inside Dickies Arena including: Roedy Farrell (bareback riding), Nicholas Pelke (bareback riding), Lane Schuelke (saddle bronc riding), Paul Melvin (steer wrestling), Cody Devers (steer wrestling), Kincade Henry (tie-down roping), Jake Pratt (tie-down roping) and Korbin Rice/Josh Patton (team roping)
Sledge Hammers (Head Coach Fred Whitfield and Assistant Coach Curtis Pederson)
- Bareback Riding: Tanner Aus and Chad Rutherford*
- Barrel Racing: Stephanie Fryar and Kalli McCall*
- Breakaway Roping: Taylor Munsell and Martha Angelone
- Saddle Bronc Riding: Cort Scheer* and Cash Wilson*
- Steer Wrestling: Tucker Allen* and Justin Shaffer
- Tie-Down Roping: Shad Mayfield and Riley Pruitt
- Team Roping: Brenten Hall* (Header)/Kaden Profili* (Heeler) and Kellan Johnson* (Header)/ Carson Johnson* (Heeler)
* Denotes an athlete competing on the roster as a substitute.
The Sledge Hammers’ 16-competitor roster is headlined by 2024 PRCA All-Around World Champion Shad Mayfield in the tie-down roping, competing alongside Riley Pruitt. Pruitt will be joined by seven alternates including: Chad Rutherford (bareback riding), Kalli McCall (barrel racing), Cort Scheer (saddle bronc riding), Cash Wilson (saddle bronc riding), Tucker Allen (steer wrestling), Brenten Hall/Kaden Profili (team roping) and Kellan Johnson/Caron Johnson (team roping).
The final team for Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo, the Free Riders, led by Bobby Mote and Linsay Rosser-Sumpter, will be formed following conclusion of the WCRA’s (World Champions Rodeo Alliance) Rodeo Corpus Christi on May 10 in Corpus Christi, Texas. At the first-ever Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo last May, the Free Riders rode lights out, winning three gold medals in Round 1 before cementing their title as champions by winning four disciplines in the championship round.
With their win, the Free Riders will have the No. 1 seed at the 2025 Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo, and those teams at the Qualifier in Fort Worth will be vying for seeds No. 2-6.
At the inaugural Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo Qualifier, both athletes in each discipline for each of the five teams will receive one out in the long round. At the conclusion of the 10 outs, the scores/times from each of the team’s athletes will be combined, with the Top 2 teams holding the lowest aggregate time/highest aggregate score advancing to the Shootout Round. Teams finishing No. 3-6 will receive the respective seed to the Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo.
In the Shootout Round, each coach will pick one athlete to attempt their final out. With the scoreboard wiped clean, the team with the top scoring athlete, or the athlete with the lowest time, will win the discipline and earn a gold medal and the No. 2 seed for the Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo. The runner-up will earn a silver medal and the No. 3 seed in the main event in May.
The overall winning team for the Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo Qualifier will be determined based on medal count, with the winning team earning a check for $50,000, and the runner-up receiving $25,000.
The Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo Qualifier replaces what was called the Texas Champions Challenge, a bracket-style progressive rodeo format with head-to-head competition that was traditionally held on the first Thursday of the FWSSR’s 23-day run.
Tickets purchased for the Texas Champions Challenge will remain valid the Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo Qualifier.
For more information about the 2025 Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo please visit FWSSR.com. Please follow on all social media platforms.
Stay tuned to PBR.com for the latest news and results and be sure to follow the sport on all social media platforms at @PBR.
