Cowboy Christmas Is Where the NFR Race Starts to Get Expensive

That point usually arrives somewhere between late June and the Fourth of July.

In rodeo, they call it Cowboy Christmas. The name sounds charming, almost quaint, like a dusty holiday built around truck stop coffee, fireworks, and a stack of entry confirmations. In reality, it is one of the most economically consequential stretches of the professional rodeo season.

For roughly ten days, contestants can run at a concentration of high-paying rodeos that rarely exists anywhere else on the calendar. Greeley. Ponoka. St. Paul. Cody. Prescott. Livingston. Red Lodge. Oakley City. Molalla. Belle Fourche. Basin City. Benalto. And a long list of smaller but strategically useful rodeos that can turn one good week into a season-altering swing.

This is not just the busy part of the year.

This is the part where the math starts to get serious.

The NFR Cutline is not a feeling. It is a number.

The National Finals Rodeo takes the Top 15 in each event at the end of the regular season. That phrase, “Top 15,” gets used so often t can lose its weight. But the number required to get there is substantial.

Heading into the 2025 National Finals Rodeo, the No. 15 cutoff in major PRCA/WPRA events generally landed between about $100,000 and $145,000 in regular-season earnings. The low end was breakaway roping, where No. 15 Macy Young entered with $100,028. Steer wrestling’s No. 15, Gavin Soileau, entered with $105,899. Team roping headers and heelers were just above that, at $114,736 and $111,672, respectively. Tie-down roping required $126,957. Bareback riding required $129,951. Bull riding required $138,918. Saddle bronc riding was the highest of this group, with No. 15 Lefty Holman entering at $144,872. Barrel racing’s published 2025 field showed Katelyn Scott in the No. 15 position with $130,763.

Put another way: across those nine NFR event categories, the 2025 average No. 15 threshold was roughly $122,644.

That is the number Cowboy Christmas begins to chase.

A contestant who wins $25,000 to $35,000 over the Fourth of July run has not merely had a good week. They may have banked 20% to 30% of what it took, on average, to make the NFR in 2025.

That is why this stretch matters.

Why the Fourth of July pays differently

The rodeo economy is not evenly distributed.

There are rodeos that matter because of prestige. There are rodeos that matter because of history. There are rodeos that matter because of geography - don’t forget, contestants are still battling for year-end circuit finals as well. And then there are rodeos that matter because the checks are large enough to alter a contestant’s season in one trip.

Cowboy Christmas is where all of those things stack.

St. Paul Rodeo in Oregon says contestants compete for nearly $500,000 in prize money, with top competitors taking home individual winnings as large as $10,000. Cody Stampede, according to the ProRodeo Hall of Fame, draws 800-900 contestants and has a payout of more than $400,000, while also being a one-header rodeo, which means contestants can compete once and keep moving. Greeley Stampede has recently been reported as paying more than $400,000 as well. Ponoka Stampede’s format can produce large individual outcomes, especially through its finals and showdown structure.

That structure is why Cowboy Christmas is not only about talent. It is about logistics.

A contestant has to draw well, compete well, drive all night, manage horses, manage injuries, hit the right set of rodeos, and make the kind of decisions that do not show up in a results sheet. Do you chase the biggest check? Do you take the rodeo that fits your horse? Do you skip a rodeo to keep one fresh? Do you enter a smaller stop because it is on the route and the odds are better?

The standings reward money. But Cowboy Christmas tests judgment.

The case studies

Halyn Lide

In 2024, barrel racer Halyn Lide became a clean example of what this stretch can do.

Lide was the highest-earning barrel racer over Cowboy Christmas, with reported earnings of roughly $32,550 across the Fourth of July run. Her money came from major stops including Ponoka, Greeley, and Oakley, Utah. She won Greeley and Oakley, and also picked up a go-round win at Ponoka.

The result was not just a good week. It changed the way people talked about her season.

By late November, The Cowboy Channel framed Lide as a first-time NFR qualifier and pointed back to her Cowboy Christmas earnings as a major piece of that climb. That is the function of this run: it turns “watch her” into “she is in the race.”

For fans, that is the moment to pay attention. Not in December, when the back numbers are already assigned. In July, when a contestant starts putting pressure on the bubble.

Emily Beisel

Emily Beisel offers the veteran version of the same story.

In 2024, Beisel finished just behind Lide among Cowboy Christmas barrel racing earners, with $30,211. The breakdown is the important part: $17,460 at Ponoka, $11,086 at St. Paul, and $1,665 at Red Lodge.

That kind of week does two things. First, it moves money into the standings quickly. Second, it confirms a competitor’s summer strategy.

Beisel was not an unknown name. She was already one of the sport’s proven winners. But Cowboy Christmas can serve veterans differently than rookies. For a new name, it creates attention. For a veteran, it creates separation.

In a season where the No. 15 barrel racing cutoff was around $130,000 the following year, a $30,000 Fourth of July run represents nearly a quarter of that benchmark.

That is not momentum as a metaphor. That is momentum as arithmetic.

Riley Webb

Tie-down roper Riley Webb delivered the 2025 version.

Webb reportedly won $32,537 during Cowboy Christmas 2025, with checks at Cody, St. Paul, Killdeer, Basin City, Livingston, and Greeley. The largest piece came from St. Paul, where he won $16,235. He also added $5,090 at Basin City, $4,599 at Greeley, and $4,376 at Cody.

Compare that to the 2025 NFR tie-down roping cutoff: Shane Hanchey entered the NFR at No. 15 with $126,957. Webb’s Fourth of July run alone was equal to roughly 25.6% of that threshold.

That is the scale of the opportunity.

A single week cannot make an NFR season by itself. But a week like that can change the pressure of every rodeo that follows. It can move a contestant from chasing the bubble to defending a position. It can make a sponsor notice. It can make media start writing the name differently. It can make every check in August and September feel like a step toward Las Vegas rather than a rescue mission.

What fans should watch

Cowboy Christmas is not only about who wins the famous rodeos. Sometimes the more interesting story is who places everywhere.

A roughstock rider who wins one major rodeo can make a leap. A timed-event contestant who places at five stops may do even more damage. A barrel racer who gets through Ponoka, Greeley, St. Paul, and a smaller rodeo with clean runs can suddenly become impossible to ignore.

The names to watch are not only the world No. 1s. They are the contestants sitting from roughly No. 12 to No. 25 in the standings before the run begins.

That is the volatile zone.

A contestant already inside the Top 10 can use Cowboy Christmas to build distance. A contestant sitting just outside the Top 15 can use it to break in. A rookie can use it to become a storyline. A veteran can use it to remind everyone that summer rodeo is not won by hype, but by cashing checks in places most fans only see as dots on a map.

Why this matters for rodeo media

For That Western Life, Cowboy Christmas is exactly the kind of stretch that deserves more attention.

Rodeo coverage often gets loudest when champions are crowned. But the more interesting story often starts earlier, when the standings are still unsettled and the sport has not yet agreed on who matters.

This is where the NFR race begins to sharpen.

This is where unknown names become dangerous.

This is where good horses become famous.

This is where a contestant can go from “having a decent year” to “we need to talk about them.”

And this is where fans can learn to watch rodeo differently.

The Fourth of July run is not just a holiday tradition. It is a market correction. It rewards the contestants who can win, travel, manage risk, and keep performing when the sport asks the most from them in the shortest window.

By the time December arrives, the NFR field can feel inevitable.

In July, it is still being built.

The 2022 National Finals Rodeo by State

The 2022 National Finals Rodeo is quickly approaching and we thought we’d take a dive into where our 2022 Contestants are from state-by-state!

Texas

Barrel Racing (8): Jordon Briggs (Tolar, TX) | Stevi Hillman (Granbury, TX) | Hailey Kinsel (Cotulla, TX) | Shelley Morgan (Eustace, TX) | Sissy Winn (Chapman Ranch, TX) | Kassie Mowry (Dublin, TX) | Bayleigh Choate (Fort Worth, TX) | Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi (Lampasas, TX)

Tie-Down Roping (7): John Douch (Huntsville, TX) | Caleb Smidt (Bellville, TX) | Tuf Cooper (Decatur, TX) | Cory Solomon (Prairie View, TX) | Marty Yates (Stephenville, TX) | Ty Harris (San Angelo, TX) | Kincade Henry (Mount Pleasant, TX)

Team Roping (6): Tanner Tomlinson (Angleton, TX) | Tyler Wade (Terrell, TX) | Lightning Aguilera (Athens, TX) | Buddy Hawkins (Stephenville, TX) | Patrick Smith (Lipan, TX) | Wesley Thorp (Throckmorton, TX)

Steer Wrestling (1): Hunter Cure (Holliday, TX)

Bull Riding (2): Jeff Askey (Athens, TX) | Maverick Potter (Waxachie, TX)

Saddle Bronc (1): Wyatt Casper (Miami, TX)

Bareback (4): Rocker Steiner (Weatherford, TX) | Leighton Berry (Weatherford, TX) | Cole Franks (Clarendon, TX) | Tilden Hooper (Carthage, TX)

Oklahoma

Barrel Racing (4): Dona Kay Rule (Minco, OK) | Wenda Johnson (Pawhuska, OK) | Emily Beisel (Weatherford, OK) | Leslie Smalygo (Skiatook, OK)

Tie-Down Roping (4): Clay Smith (Broken Bow, OK) | Joseph Harrison (Marietta, OK) | Tyler Milligan (Pawhuska, OK) | Hunter Herrin (Apache, OK)

Team Roping (4): Andrew Ward (Edmond, OK) | Coleman Proctor (Pryor, OK) | Travis Graves (Jay, OK) | Brye Crites (Welch, OK)

Bull Riding (3): Trevor Kastner (Roff, OK) | Trey Kimzey (Strong, OK) | Lukasey Morris (Union City, OK)

Canada

Team Roping (1): Jeremy Buhler (Arrowwood, AB)

Bull Riding (1): Jared Parsonage (Maple Creek, SK)

Saddle Bronc (6): Zeke Thurston (Big Valley, AB) | Logan Hay (Wildwood, AB) | Layton Green (Millarville, AB) | Kolby Wanchuk (Sherwood Park, AB) | Kole Ashbacher (Arrowwood, AB) | Dawson Hay (Wildwood, AB)

Bareback (1): Orin Larsen (Inglis, MB)

Montana

Tie-Down Roping (1): Haven Meged (Miles City, MT)

Team Roping (1): Clay Tryan (Billings, MT)

Steer Wrestling (2): Ty Erickson (Helena, MT) | Timmy Sparing (Helena, MT)

Saddle Bronc (2): Sage Newman (Melston, MT) | Chase Brooks (Deer Lodge, MT)

Bareback (1): Caleb Bennett (Corvallis, MT)

Kansas

Tie-Down Roping (1):

Team Roping (1): Jake Long (Coffeyville, KS)

Steer Wrestling (1): Tanner Brunner (Ramona, KS)

Bull Riding (2): Trey Holston (Fort Scott, KS) | JR Stratford (Byers, KS)

Bareback (1): Jess Pope (Waverly, KS)

Louisiana

Tie-Down Roping (3): Shane Hanchey (Sulphur, LA) | Zack Jongbloed (Iowa, LA) | Macon Murphy (Keatchie, LA)

Steer Wrestling (3): Tyler Waguespack (Gonzales, LA) | Tristan Martin (Sulphur, LA) | Rowdy Parrott (Mamou, LA)

Idaho

Steer Wrestling (2): Stetson Jorgensen (Blackfoot, ID) | Dirk Tavenner (Rigby, ID)

Bull Riding (2): Garrett Smith (Rexburg, ID) | Tristen Hutchings (Monteview, ID)

Saddle Bronc (1): Kade Bruno (Challis, ID)

California

Team Roping (1): Cody Snow (Los Olivios, CA)

Saddle Bronc (1): Lefty Holman (Visalia, CA)

Bareback (2): R.C. Landingham (Hat Creek, CA) | Clayton Biglow (Clements, CA)

South Dakota

Barrel Racing (2): Jessica Routier (Buffalo, SD) | Lisa Lockhart (Oelrichs, SD)

Team Roping (2): Jr. Dees (Aurora, SD) | Levi Lord (Sturgis, SD)

Utah

Team Roping (1): Rhen Richard (Roosevelt, UT)

Bull Riding (2): Stetson Wright (Milford, UT) | Josh Frost (Randlett, UT)

Saddle Bronc (2): Stetson Wright (Milford, UT) | Ryder Wright (Beaver, UT)

Bareback (1): Kaycee Feil (Genola, UT)

Wyoming

Saddle Bronc (2): Brody Cress (Hillsdale, WY) | Tanner Butner (Daniel, WY)

Bareback (1): Cole Reiner (Buffalo, WY)

Minnesota

Steer Wrestling (1): J.D. Struxness (Milan, MN)

Bull Riding (1): Reid Oftedahl (Raymond, MN)

Bareback (1): Tanner Aus (Granite Falls, MN)

Florida

Barrel Racing (1): Margo Crowther (North Fort Myers, FL)

Team Roping (2): Dustin Equsquiza (Marianna, FL) | Jonathan Torres (Ocala, FL)

Mississippi

Team Roping (1): Jake Orman (Prairie, MS)

Steer Wrestling (1): Will Lummus (Byhalia, MS)

Nevada

Team Roping (1): Jade Corkill (Fallon, NV)

Steer Wrestling (1): Dakota Eldridge (Elko, NV)

Washington

Team Roping (2): Riley Minor (Ellensburg, WA) | Brady Minor (Ellensburg, WA)

New Mexico

Tie-Down Roping (1): Shad Mayfield (Clovis, NM)

Team Roping (1): Logan Medlin (Tatum, NM)

North Dakota

Bareback (1): Ty Breuer (Mandan, ND)

Nebraska

Bareback (1): Garrett Shadbolt (Merriman, NE)

Iowa

Bareback (1): Tim O’Connell (Zwingle, IA)

Missouri

Bull Riding (2): Creek Young (Rogersville, MO) | Cole Fischer (Jefferson City, MO)

Australia

Bull Riding (1): Ky Hamilton (Mackay, QL)

Wisconsin

Steer Wrestling (1): Nick Guy (Sparta, WI)

Oregon

Steer Wrestling (1): Jesse Brown (Baker City, OR)

Alabama

Steer Wrestling (1): Kyle Irwin (Roberstdale, AL)

Tennessee

Team Roping (1): Chad Masters (Cedar Hill, TN)

Georgia

Team Roping (1): Kaleb Driggers (Hoboken, GA)

Colorado

Team Roping (1): Trey Yates (Pueblo, CO)

Brazil

Team Roping (1): Junior Nogueira (Presidente Prudente, SP)

X Factor Roping & Pace Freed

That Western Life Podcast Season 1: Episode 5
X Factor Roping & Pace Freed

“Before I do anything, I ask myself ‘Would an idiot do that?’ and, if the answer is yes, I do not do that thing.” - Pace Freed … sort of?

Growing up on cattle ranches in Idaho, Nevada, and Utah, Pace Freed quickly developed a passion for roping and, specifically, team roping. This led to his creation of X Factor Roping; an all inclusive media program that helps to educate and instruct the future and current generation of team ropers, while also providing analysis, tips, and professional insight from the best in the business. Not only that, but they also livestream some of the biggest team roping events in the country!

Join our That Western Life podcast team as we get the opportunity to interview Pace about his current journey in the world of rodeo and team roping, changes he wants to see in professional rodeo, all things X Factor Roping and the future of his amazing business!

Current ProRodeo Cowboy

X Factor Roping is in its fourth year and has been full time for Pace for the past two and a half years. Balancing a full time business while also finding the time to be able to professionally rope has been a challenge. A successful circuit finals has allowed Pace the opportunity to head to the Ram National Circuit Finals in Kissimmee, Florida, soon which has him rightfully excited about his 2019 season. After not spending much of 2018 rodeoing, Pace has found himself unable to enter the limited-entry Texas winter rodeos, meaning that the RNCFR provides a great opportunity for him to get a head start in the standings.

Podcast Bonus Story: Learn more about Pace and his team roping partner and how they stay mentally strong throughout the season.

What Changes Could Help the PRCA Benefit?

There are many different working pieces when it comes to rodeo; from the added money, stock, and the set-up. It is a very fine balance to get correct for producers and contestants. While rodeo is getting better all the time, Pace believes that we need to continue focusing on the relationships that contestants have with producers, stock contractors and sponsors. This year alone could require the largest amount of money ever needed to qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

Having those smaller rodeos count, those circuit final monies, and the All American ProRodeo Series Finals counting towards the world standings is very important. it helps those that can’t get out every single week to compete, allowing them to also work a full time job, and having a good rodeo at one of those rodeos can give you the funds and confidence to take the next step in a more rigorous rodeo schedule.

“You hope for the best opportunities and then you do the best that you can when you get them.”

Rodeo Series Highlight; The All American ProRodeo Series

By removing the All American ProRodeo series and the subsequent finals that counted towards the World Standings for the next year, it lessens the focus on attending smaller rodeos. In episode three, we talked with JJ Harrison about the importance of those small rodeos and the communities that are the backbone of professional rodeo.

On the flip side, the counting of those monies meant that some of the larger names in rodeo were found at those rodeos competing to make those finals. It can make it challenging for those up and coming contestants to have to knock out those big names to make those finals.

Podcast Bonus Story: “Can you explain the All American, not to be confused with the American Rodeo, in the PRCA?”

Pace Freed’s Backstory

Texas by way of Idaho

“I grew up in Idaho and spent a lot of time in Arizona and Nevada… which were great opportunities for me. My family is from Utah and Idaho, but I felt that if I wanted to get to a high level of roping… I had to be closer to where I could knock heads with the best guys in the world,’ says Pace about his move to Texas.

X Factor Roping came about when Pace realized that he needed something outside of roping, but was still very passionate about the industry. Take care of business as much as possible and roping every day as well has created the ultimate dream setup for Pace. By staying consistent, he finds that it’ll all work out.

“I can’t waste time, I feel guilty if I don’t wake up really early in the morning,” Pace says about his work ethic and how he stays mentally committed to his multitude of goals. A typical day for him includes the gym, working until he can get outside to work horses, and then working some more.

Podcast Bonus Story: Family ranch history with the ropings they produce and the hoses that they raise.

Horse Power

Futurities, training, barrel horses, and rope horses; these are just a few of the specialities that Pace’s family focuses’ on. A seven-year old horse that he’s riding now, he was also able to ride both the sire and dam in competition. These horses that they have raised has provided a unique opportunity for Pace to continue the equine breeding legacy of his family.

Podcast Bonus Story: Family ranch history with the ropings they produce and the horses that they raise.

“I have another horse that is starting to get in the mix a little bit…he is my sisters horse, she rode him in the World Series Finale when he was four,” says Pace about his current horsepower.

Pace breaks down the difference of his various horses that he uses and where they are the most competitive (i.e. jackpot vs. rodeo, etc.). Switching over to Honey Badger for the 2019 rodeo season has resulted in a big move for him in success.

Podcast Bonus Story: If you got to ride and compete on a fellow contestants horse, whose would it be?

Biggest Win to Date

“That’s an interesting question… to me money doesn’t matter … the best wins are easily the ones where I am dead broke and you’re on your last dollars … riding a horse you bred … [those are] the favorite ones.”

Despite the thrill of winning large amounts of money or the time he won a truck when he was 15 years-old, Pace finds his biggest wins are backing a horse you bred, raised and/or trained yourself into a box for big money or big opportunities.

Podcast Bonus Story: Pace talks about barrel horse stud Frenchmens Guy bloodlines and how those horses work in the rodeo arena and the roping box.

Podcast Bonus Story: Most embarrassing story as a team roper.

Podcast Bonus Story: If you had to do one other every, which would you pick?

If You Could Change or Create One PRCA Rule, What Would It Be?

“I don’t like how the vote is set up and rules are passed right now,” says Pace about one of our favorite That Western Life podcast questions.

While he wants it to tilt more in the cowboys favor, Pace recognizes that it has to have a business background. Conversations and talks about growing the sport and that we are all on the same team are very important. In order to make more money, it is a give and take process that we need to continue to work for.

X Factor Roping

What is X Factor Roping?

Instructional videos for team ropers and ropers is how X Factor Roping first started. It has since branched out to create video content and instruction from some of the best competitors in the industry; showcasing the practice skills and mental fortitude needed to compete on the highest level. For the next level, they have started to do high speed camera filming for different jackpots and ropings, such as the Lonestar Shootout. An amazing opportunity, they have up to four different camera angles which gives both entertainment and educational analysis opportunities for the biggest name and the biggest atmospheres in the world of roping.

X Factor Roping Memberships

At $150.00 each for an annual membership, X Factor Roping provides hundreds of videos for aspiring and competing team ropers. An amazing price, it puts so much into roping and practices, you are able to gain quality information whenever you want. It is a great introduction and supplement to roping lessons that you are already taking.

Future of X Factor Roping

Scaling to the size of X Factor Roping as it grows and develops has been one of the more challenging aspects to balance meeting patron needs and ensuring that the business does not plateau. As technology becomes more prevalent, it provides opportunities to host events online and livestream different industry events besides just roping - such as horsemanship.

“I have no idea where exactly it’s going to be but I do know we have the gas pedal down and we are trying to be where we are kicking out the most and best content that we can to promote everybody in the industry that is doing a good job,” says Pace.

Conclusion

Make sure to follow X Factor Roping on all their online channels listed below, as well as Pace himself. You can get your membership to X Factor on their website here!

X Factor Channels

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM

Pace Freed

INSTAGRAM