Joel Harris secured the Columbia River Circuit year-end championship while Luke Potter won the average at the 2025 Columbia River Circuit Finals, held Oct. 16–18 in Redmond, Oregon.
Harris closed out the 2025 season with $47,264 in earnings, finishing $7,681 ahead of his brother Ty Harris in the standings. At the finals, he placed third in round two with a 7.6-second run, worth $1,229, and finished second in the average with 26.1 seconds on three head for another $2,765. His finals earnings solidified his second year-end title and another NFR Open qualification.
Potter came into Redmond 10th in the standings, but consistent runs earned him the average win. He split third in round one with an 8.7 for $922, missed the board in round two, then posted an 8.3 to finish second in round three and add $1,844. With 26.0 seconds on three head, Potter claimed the average title and $3,687, securing his second Columbia River average title and a trip to Colorado Springs for the 2026 NFR Open.
Potter Wins Columbia River Average Title
Potter’s focus in Redmond was simply to rope consistently and see what happened. His approach paid off as a little luck in the final round pushed him to the No. 1 spot in the average.
“The first night I had a pretty good calf and just made an okay run,” Potter said. “The second night it got fast, and I had one of the stronger calves and made another so-so run. The third night I had one I liked all weekend and just tried to make a good run. Jake and Ty had a little tough luck and it let me sneak up there and win the average.”
Potter rode a gelding registered as Arrogant Cutter, “Snoopy,” to the win in Redmond.
“Snoopy, he’s kind of my security blanket when nothing’s really going the right way,” Potter said. “You can ride him anywhere, Cheyenne to San Antonio. He’s grouchy and grumpy, tries to bite people and pull back, which is fitting for his registered name, but he’s the same every time. We have a mutual understanding that I don’t mess with him and he does his job.”
The average win gave Potter a chance to reset after what he called a tough year in the arena. Starting the new rodeo season with a win, he said, was exactly the boost he needed.
“I didn’t rope very good all year,” Potter said. “But to start the new year off with a win helps a lot. It kind of makes you feel like it’s not impossible.”
Harris Wins Columbia River Year-End Title
Harris entered the circuit finals with a comfortable lead and held on through three rounds in Redmond to secure his second year-end championship.
“I was happy to get it done,” Harris said. “It was a little bittersweet with Ty not getting to go to Colorado Springs next year, and had I done a better job on my last one, we both would’ve been there. But overall, I’m happy to win the circuit again. Any PRCA saddle is a good accomplishment.”
A key factor in Harris’ consistency at the finals was Cuchara Sal, “Sally,” the great palomino mare that both Harris brothers have had so much success on.
“I have all the confidence in the world on her,” Harris said. “She’s been the same every time and I always feel like I have as good an opportunity as anyone whenever I get to ride her.”
With another Columbia River title added to his resume, Harris is now focused on his plans for the 2026 rodeos, and making it back to the NFR Open is a critical part of that.
“The NFR Open has gotten tougher every year, but you’ve just got to give yourself those opportunities and trust yourself in those times,” Harris said. “Between Calgary and Colorado Springs, that time of year gives you a lot of chances at big money.”
Harris pointed to his runner-up finish at the Pendleton Round-Up as the turning point of his season, both for his circuit title chase and his second NFR qualification.
“Pendleton’s such a big paying rodeo nowadays that it can put you in a spot where it’s going to be hard to reach you in the circuit finals,” Harris said. “That run sealed my NFR qualification and made the circuit title possible.”