Home of the Navajo PRCA Rodeo: Louisiana cowboy leads bareback field

WINDOW ROCK

The 2025 Home of the Navajo PRCA Rodeo kicked off on Friday night with some of the top PRCA hands looking to add to their season standings.

Louisiana bareback rider Waylon Bourgeois is one of those cowboys searching for his first qualification to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and his 88-point ride aboard The Cervi Brothers’ Circle Eyes at the Dean C. Jackson is helping with that cause.

“I knew coming I had a bucker,” Bourgeois said. “One of my buddies got on it at Rodeo Houston earlier in March and I knew it was a bucker, so I was going to nail the mark out and try to stay ahead of him and that is what I did.”

The prorodeo in Window continues tonight with the second performance starting at 7:30 p.m. and it will end tomorrow in Sunday’s matinee.

Currently, the 26-year-old cowboy is sitting No. 13 in the PRCA bareback world standings at $51,247.

“I’ve kind of had a late start,” Bourgeois said of his somewhat delayed rodeo career. “I was in college and so my rookie year wasn’t until 2022. Of course, I rodeoed with my permit, but I wasn’t ready to go to rodeos like I have been. But I’ve been rodeoing ever since.

“I’m just loving it, and I want to thank God for keeping me safe,” he added.

Bourgeois is leading the bareback field as he beat out traveling partners Cole Franks and fan favorite Rocker Steiner in Friday night’s performance.

Franks is sitting second at 86 points while Steiner in third at 84.

“I knew my two traveling partners Waylon Bourgeois and Cole Franks had two of the best horses here,” said Steiner, who was last year’s Window Rock prorodeo winner. “Whenever you draw great and ride great, you win it just like Waylon did today.

“I didn’t have the best horse, but Waylon did, and he capitalized on him,” he added. “I’m so proud of him.”

Steiner is looking to earn a paycheck at the conclusion of the Window Rock rodeo as he currently ranked No. 2 in the world at $88,591 behind Texas cowboy Bradlee Miller, who has amassed $134,868.

“I want to win the world,” Steiner said. “That’s always the goal and that’s the only goal that I got. I want to win the rodeos that I haven’t before. I want to win Cheyenne, Pendleton, and St. Paul. But I really want to go back and win Calgary. I won that once and second another year.

“I want to win that again, and I want to win them all,” he said.

Bareback riding leaders: 1. Waylon Bourgeois, 88 points on The Cervi Brothers’ Circle Eyes; 2. Cole Franks, 86; 3. Rocker Steiner, 84; 4. Jacob Lees, 82.5; 5. Tristan Hansen, 81; 6. Lucas Samaniego, 75.

Steer wrestling leaders: 1. Tyke Kipp, 5.6 seconds; 2. Michael Bates Jr., 6.3; 3. Seth Peterson, 19.4; no other qualified runs.

Team roping leaders: 1. Jack Fischer/Andy Carlson, 5.5 seconds; 2. Rhett Anderson/Caleb Hendrix, 5.7; 3. Gabe Williams/Faron Candelaria, 6.2; 4. Corey Whinnery/Robert Murphy, 6.4; 5. Edward Hawley Jr./Mike Anaya, 6.6; 6. Tyson Charley/Ty Romo, 7.3.

Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Leon Fountain, 78 points on The Cervi Brothers’ Forked Up; 2. (tie) Tate Harmon and Brodie Roessler, 75 each; 4. Ross Griffin, 74.5; 5. Allen Boore, 74; no other qualified rides.

Tie-down roping leaders: 1. (tie) Quint Bell and Cole Eiguren, 8.9 seconds each; 3. Dean Holyan, 9.1; 4. Hayden Ford, 9.2; 5. (tie) John P Etcheverry and Brody Stallard, 9.3 each.

Barrel racing leaders: 1. Anita Ellis, 15.66 seconds; 2. LaTricia Duke, 15.72; 3. (tie) Ashley Castleberry and Lake Mehalic, 15.74 each; 5. Sabrina Ketcham, 15.90; 6. Kiersten Pettus, 15.98.

Bull riding leaders: 1. Luke Mast, 78 points on The Cervi Brothers’ Stinky Winky; 2. Lane Vaughan, 72; no other qualified rides.

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