With the clock ticking loudly on the 2024 regular season, the PRCA calf roping world standings just keeps getting tighter between No. 1 and No. 15 as the battle to see who will rope at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in December reaches its zenith.

On top, Shad Mayfield still leads the way, but Ty Harris and Haven Meged are less than $16,000 behind him. All three have already earned more than $200,000.

The real fireworks are happening on the bottom side as ropers are proving clutch up and down the list as the final chances begin to tick away.

Quade Hiatt hits his late-season stride

One of the most clutch performances over the weekend came from Quade Hiatt. After a relatively quiet August, Hiatt, 24, picked up big dough on Labor Day, earning $10,427 at three rodeos, to close out the month with a bang and pick up much needed momentum.

Hiatt’s biggest check came from a second-place finish in the average at Washington’s Walla Walla Frontier Days where he roped a pair of calves in 17.3 seconds to bank $6,212.

“It was an extremely busy weekend; we were flying around,” Hiatt said, laughing. “Walla Walla was a big one, and Lakeview.”

Hiatt captured another second at Lakeview, Oregon, at the Lake County Round Up for his 9.1 seconds of work. Then came the hard part.

“We drove all night to the little rodeo in White Sulphur Springs, Montana,” he explained. “It was a miserable drive, and we got there right before the slack. I guess it ended up worth it, but I wasn’t sure it was before we roped!”

A fifth-place check there at the Meagher County Labor Day Rodeo netted another $1,148 in a race that will certainly see every penny count.

Now ranked No. 14 in the standings, Hiatt has his first NFR qualification in his sights after splitting time between West Texas A&M and college rodeos the last few years. He finally finished up his marketing degree this year, leaving him free to rodeo full time.

The 2023 College National Champion All Around Cowboy has had a “difference maker” in his trailer in 2024 thanks to “Big Red,” the gelding he bought this spring from another all around hand, Ryan Jarrett.

“He’s honest and gives you the same trip,” Hiatt noted of the 6-year-old. “He tries his guts out every time.”

That level of try will be required as Hiatt and other bubble cowboys sprint to the Sept. 30 finish of the regular season. Only $10,000 separates Hiatt from No. 20 Beau Cooper with big money still on the line.

“I have 20 calves left to rope,” Hiatt laid out the remainder of his season. “Puyallup could be a big deal for a couple of us.”

Hiatt’s NFR bubble breakdown

The first leg of the 2024 Cinch Playoff Series begins Sept. 5 with the top 17 guys in the standings, along with some long shots ranked lower, all slated to compete for a share of the $73,000 total purse.

There’s also the $60,000-added North Dakota Roughrider Cup, a new rodeo slated for Sept. 20-22 in Mandan. It’s limited to the top 32 in the standings and will be a highly lucrative one-header.

“That one could be a major difference maker, too,” Hiatt noted. “Some guys who aren’t in Sioux Falls and ranked way down there 25th and lower still have a shot with that one.”

Sioux Falls hosts the final leg of the Cinch Playoff Series—the $1 million Governor’s Cup—on the final weekend of the regular season. Only the top eight in the NFR Playoff Series standings and the top four from Puyallup will be invited.

Under the pressure cooker of the bubble, Hiatt said he leans on his hauling partner Luke Potter, who knows the bubble better than most, for support and advice. Potter was in the crying hole a year ago, finishing 16th in the final standings, and he is still in the fight for 2024 at 26th.

“He’s outstanding,” Hiatt said.

He also pointed to the support of his parents, Chad and Tygh, who are both well versed in the sport. Chad has roped himself and Tygh, a top all-around competitor at one time, comes from the Myers family with a father (Butch) and brother (Rope) who have PRCA world titles on their resumes.

“I’m extremely blessed,” he said.

Despite the high stakes, Hiatt is ready and keeping the chase in perspective.

“I’m just going to go rope each one, one at a time,” Hiatt asserted. “Take what each calf gives you and do the best I can. I’m not too worried about the money or what the cut-line is. It’s all in God’s hands.”

Labor Day weekend results roundup

Hunter Herrin is fightingto get off the bubble and gave himself a boost with his third career win at the Ellensburg Rodeo in Washington. Herrin was third in the first go and shared the short go win to take the average at 26.4 seconds on three calves, a win worth $9,188.

Indicative of the time of year, Ellensburg was a highly competitive roping: Herrin won by 0.3 seconds over Zack Jongbloed with Riley Webb and Seth Hall less than one second behind. Jongbloed continued his August heater, winning nearly $15,000 on the weekend as he distances himself from the bubble competition, now ranked No. 12.

Macon Murphy stayed in the hunt thanks to a win in White Sulphur Springs. He earned $2,400 to stay No. 18 in the standings.

Cory Solomon is not giving up yet either— the 10-time NFR qualifier won the Magic Valley Stampede in Filer, Idaho, for $4,714, keeping him near the top 20.

Nick Achille may not be battling for a spot in Las Vegas, but he came ready to win the money in Walla Walla against a stacked field with big agendas. Achille roped two calves in 17.2 seconds for the big win, banking $7,073.

Elsewhere, Chet Weitz won $3,472 in Lakeview after stopping the clock in 8.4 seconds, while Webb capped a big week with a win at the Iron County Fair and PRCA Rodeo in Parowan, Utah, worth $3,236. Meawhile, Meged took the title at the IPE & Stampede in Armstrong, British Columbia. His 7.6 seconds of work made him $3,257.

Final stretch bubble stats

Other than Hiatt’s move, the top 15 continued to hold steady for another week with Herrin still at No. 15 and World Champ Marcos Costa getting bumped to 16th.

With everyone who is needing to win seeming to find a way to do it, the race is still super tough. Herrin has $88,976 won, and Costa trails by just $928. Bryce Derrer is also refusing to go away and is just over $3,200 behind Herrin, which is less than a go-round win in Puyallup.

Ironically, all players will be in Puyallup on Thursday.

Above the cutline, things are beginning to separate out some but with the big paydays left on the schedule with Puyallup, Pendleton, Mandan and Sioux Falls, several guys have still got a fighting chance.

Hiatt is ahead of Herrin by just over $2,100 at No. 14, but then there’s a gap of $8,284 up to No. 13 Cole Clemons who, in turn, is a few thousand behind Jongbloed, Dylan Hancock and Joel Harris.

What’s Next—Cinch Playoff Series and more

The Cinch Playoff Series begins in Puyallup, Washington, on Thursday, Sept. 5. Each of the 24 ropers will get two go rounds and the top four from each set (Thursday/Friday and Saturday/Saturday) will advance to Championship Round on Sunday. The final day is a pair of sudden death rounds, beginning with eight and cutting to the final four, who will battle for the titles and the biggest check of the week. The potential max payout to one roper is $19,900 should anybody manage to 40 percent the field.

The cowboys ranked No. 1 through No. 17 have all qualified, but a big batch of the bubble guys will have to make the most of other opportunities on the weekend as they did not make the cut. Those include Murphy, Brushton Minton, Beau Cooper, Trevor Hale, Riley Pruitt, Solomon, Tyler Milligan and Kyle Lucas, ranked 18th to 25th in order.

Ropers like Costa and Derrer have the most to gain as they are lurking just outside the Top 15 going into the weekend. Longshots include Luke Potter (No. 26) and Blane Cox (No. 28)—both need a big win to keep their NFR hopes alive, but Puyallup offers a lucrative enough payout to do it.

For those who didn’t make Puyallup, there are some chances on the schedule: places like Fort Madison, Iowa; Lewiston, Idaho; and Abilene, Texas, offer rich payoffs. Abilene is one of the final NFR Playoff Series stops (Pendleton and Albuquerque next weekend are the last), leaving just three chances to move up into a qualifying position for the $1 million Governor’s Cup in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on the final weekend of the season.

PRCA World Standings as of Sept. 3, 2024

— CalfRoping.com —