Jorgensen Sweeps Bracket 1 as San Antonio Semifinalists Begin to Take Shape
· Yahoo Sports
At the San Antonio Stock Show, consistency is often rewarded. However, an average race is not considered for the title or advancing on. If an athletes has a chance at the championship in San Antonio, they need to be consistently in the money from the beginning.
In each bracket there are three rounds. Money earned carries through. The four highest earners in each event advance to the semifinals. That is what makes a clean sweep stand out.
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Six-time NFR Steer Wrestler Stetson Jorgensen did exactly that during Bracket 1. The Blackfoot, Idaho, bulldogger was 3.9, 4.0 and 4.1 seconds across three rounds to sweep the bracket and finishing with $8,256 earned already.
Jorgensen, who made his sixth NFR appearance in 2025 and finished fifth in the world standings after a big Round 10 win, has been close to a gold buckle before. He was reserve world champion in 2020. Early in his career, he even considered bull riding, winning the Idaho High School State Finals Rodeo in the event in 2011 before focusing on steer wrestling. He also won the Central Rocky Mountain Region steer wrestling title for Central Wyoming College in 2012.
San Antonio once made him nervous. His PRCA bio notes that he considered the 2019 San Antonio rodeo one of his most challenging because of its size and stage. That is not the case now. At the top of his game, Stetson has been to every big stage rodeo has to offer, and knows how to capitalize on any of them.
Married to 2017 NFR barrel racer Kellie Collier Jorgensen and now a father, Jorgensen looks steady and confident. He sits fifth in the world standings early in 2026, and a San Antonio title would be a major step toward the gold buckle that has narrowly eluded him in past years.
Joining him in the steer wrestling semifinals from the first bracket are Colin Fox and a tie between Denell Henderson and Ryan Shuckburgh.
Bareback Riding
Reigning World Champion Rocker Steiner opened his San Antonio run with confidence. Steiner won two of the three rounds in Bracket 1 and finished with $7,431 to lead the field comfortably into the semifinals.
Cooper Cooke, who won Round 1, advances in second with $4,403, followed by Kade Sonnier with $3,578 and Gavin French with $2,753.
Team Roping
Kellan Johnson and Trent Vaught were the only team to place in all three rounds of the team roping, earning $4,404 and the top spot in the bracket. Vaught, fresh off a Fort Worth win, currently sits No. 1 in the world standings on the heeling side. Johnson is also inside the top 10 on the heading side.
They are joined in the semifinals by Cory Kidd & Carson Johnson and Nelson Wyatt & Jonathan Torres, who tied for second and third. Wyatt Bray & Tyler Worley finish out the top 4.
Saddle Bronc Riding
Roper Kiesner, who earned his way into San Antonio through the Uvalde qualifier last November, topped Bracket 1 in the saddle bronc with $4,954. Lucas Macza follows close behind with $4,770. Will Pollock and Shea Fournier tied for the final two advancing spots at $2,752.
Breakaway Roping
The breakaway race came down to the dollar, literally. 2021 World Champion Sawyer Gilbert used runs of 2.6 and 4.4 seconds to earn $4,404, just one dollar ahead of Cadee Williams with $4,403 after her round 3 win. Veteran Erin Johnson and rookie Kirby Rawlinson each secured a round win and advance tied at $2,752.
Tie-Down Roping
Brushton Minton came out firing with an 8.6-second Round 1 win and followed with an 8.4 in Round 2. That early momentum carried him to the top of the bracket at $4,954.
Tyson Durfey, Marcos Costa, and Monte Lewis also move on.
Barrel Racing
Emily Beisel and Liza won two of three rounds, earning $7,155 to lead the field. Katie Jo Halbert placed in all three rounds and advances second with $5,504 won. Jordan Driver and Judge stopped Beisel’s streak with a Round 2 win and finishes third with $3,853. Hailey Garrison Graham claims the final spot with $2,202 to her name so far.
Bull Riding
Cody McElroy and Cimarron Rucker tied at the top with $5,321 each. Rucker’s 87 point ride in round 2 was the highest marked of the bracket. Cullen Telfer earned $4,220 and Mason Moody with $4,128 to round out the semifinalists.
Bracket 2 is now underway, and more world champions are stepping into the arena. In San Antonio, they have to stack money early on to get to that title.
After three rounds, the path to that title is already starting to narrow.