The biggest check of the week at the 2026 Premier Women’s Rodeo Championship went home to Oakdale. Rylee George stopped the clock at 1.93 seconds in the breakaway championship round at Cowtown Coliseum, the only sub-two-second run of the finals, and walked away with the $60,000 event title and a championship-week haul of $62,607.14. She did it on a new mount, a gray gelding named Copper that she picked up from Rickie Fanning back in mid-January, and she did it the hard way, grinding through the three-run aggregate to earn her spot on the final night rather than riding in on a bye. For a California hand who was the 2025 National Finals Breakaway average champion and sits near the top of the world standings, it was still a career moment. “That’s my biggest payout in one place,” George said, and the number backed her up, paying roughly two and a half times what she banked at the National Finals last December.
George’s win headlined a landmark week for the sport. The Premier Women’s Rodeo Championship, held May 12 through 15 in the Fort Worth Stockyards, was the first championship staged under the new PWR banner after PBR acquired and rebranded the former Women’s Rodeo World Championship, and at $803,000 it stood as the richest women’s-only rodeo in the world. The roping stayed strong across the board, with Kenna Francis of Las Vegas, New Mexico, and Whitney DeSalvo of Wilmar, Arkansas, taking the team roping title on a 6.15 in the championship round. Each of them collected a $60,000 check as heading and heeling champions, the second time the pair has topped the event after winning it at the 2024 Women’s Rodeo World Championship. In the barrel racing, Kappie Bryant of Stephenville, Texas, entered as the W26 No. 16 and owned the back half of the week, winning the Pro title with a 13.062 to close out a $68,500 run.
Beyond the roping pens, the week made history of a different kind. For the first time since 2008, a women’s rodeo organization staged bull riding and bucking horse riding at a major event, and Commissioner Linsay Rosser-Sumpter built the rough stock showcase to celebrate every corner of the sport and grow the sisterhood of cowgirls across the country. The field she drew reached well past American borders, bringing ranch bronc riders from Australia, Belgium, and Canada and a bull rider from Brazil into the same historic arena where rodeo’s oldest traditions were born.
The bull riding came down to a familiar last name. Mady Eilert of Topeka, Kansas, laid down a 93.40 aboard Lion Heart, the ride of the night, and edged her own twin sister Dayna for the inaugural PWR bull riding title. Dayna answered with an 89.40 to finish second in the average, and the Eilert twins gave a national television audience, carried by Scripps Sports across ION and GRIT to more than half a million viewers, a reason to believe women’s bull riding has stars ready for the spotlight.
The ranch bronc riding rewarded the rider who did the hard thing twice. Carly Richardson of Honey Grove, Texas, was one of only two cowgirls to cover both of her broncs, riding to an aggregate of 173.40 and sealing it with an 85.40 aboard Momma Tried in the final round. Three riders managed to cover in that last round, but consistency across two head separated the winner, and Richardson had it when it counted.
The goat tying belonged to Mayce Marek of Arp, Texas, and she left no doubt. Marek stopped the clock at an aggregate of 18.95 seconds across three rounds to win the Smarty Rodeo Goat Tying Showcase and $2,720, then claimed the title that mattered most, taking the 2026 Goat Tying World Champion crown on the strength of 7,912 points across the season. PWR, formerly the Women’s Rodeo World Championship, has now paid more than $5.25 million to women athletes since its founding in 2020, and the championship is already set to return to Fort Worth in 2027.
Full championship-round and showcase results follow.
Team Roping, Championship Round
- $60,000, 6.15, Kenna Francis, Las Vegas, NM, and Whitney DeSalvo, Wilmar, AR; 2. $25,000, 7.29, Bella Star Morrison, Grandfield, OK, and Dally Peterson, San Simon, AZ; 3. $15,000, 7.36, Ashtyn Pratz, La Mesa, NM, and Heather Rogers, Round Rock, AZ; 4. $7,500, 7.89, Lari Dee Guy, Abilene, TX, and Kaitlyn Torres, Alice, TX; 5. $1,500, 10.45, Taylor Munsell, Alva, OK, and Danielle Lowman, Gilbert, AZ; 6. $1,000, 12.51, Kayelen Helton, Stephenville, TX, and Lorraine Moreno, Mathis, TX; 7. $800, 13.29, Cassidy Kelly, Sulphur, OK, and Christine Talton, Pueblo, CO; 8. $700, 13.84, Kalyn Nielsen, Verdigre, NE, and Aletha Barkley, Kamuela, HI; 9. $500, 14.30, Mandy Niesen, Gerber, CA, and Kelsey Russey, Chandler, AZ; 10. $500, 18.39, Brittany Rose, Jasper, MO, and Renea Bolling, Checotah, OK. Tied for eleventh with no time, $500 each: Cassie Camarillo, Maricopa, AZ, and Christie McClary, Hollister, CA; Erica Krantz, Davidson, OK, and Kelsie Domer, Dublin, TX.
Barrel Racing, Championship Round
- $60,000, 13.062, Kappie Bryant, Stephenville, TX; 2. $25,000, 13.152, Skyler Nicholas, Rockdale, TX; 3. $15,000, 13.158, Paige Jones, Wayne, OK; 4. $7,500, 13.281, Alishea Jones Broussard, Estherwood, LA; 5. $2,000, 13.304, Tatum White, Montgomery, TX; 6. $1,500, 13.359, Brittney Hipp, Tuttle, OK; 7. $1,250, 13.432, Kennzie Nixon, Pleasanton, TX; 8. $1,000, 13.433, Brittyn Rocha, Covington, TX; 9. $750, 13.477, Stephanie Joyner, Henryetta, OK; 10. $500, 18.067, Bella Skinner, Wills Point, TX; 11. $500, 18.304, London Gorham, Cotulla, TX; 12. $500, 18.378, Katie Loughran, Elm Creek, NE; 13. $500, 18.39, Cari Titsworth, McAlester, OK.
Breakaway Roping, Championship Round
- $60,000, 1.93, Rylee George, Oakdale, CA; 2. $25,000, 2.42, Jackie Crawford, Stephenville, TX; 3. $15,000, 2.66, Arina Dee Haugen, Sturgis, SD; 4. $7,500, 2.71, Jessica Hemphill, Stephenville, TX; 5. $2,000, 3.89, Molly Davis, Carthage, TX; 6. $1,500, 7.29, Cheyanne McCartney, Kingston, OK; 7. $1,250, 7.76, Landry Haugen, Sturgis, SD. Tied for eighth with no time, $500 each: Kashlee Schumacher, Hereford, TX; Kelsie Domer, Dublin, TX; Carlee Hays, Queen Creek, AZ; Clementine Teague, Tucson, AZ; Madison Outhier, Fulshear, TX; and Kashlyn McIntyre, Wittman, AZ.
Goat Tying Showcase
Round 1: 1. $2,125, 6.17, Kristin Vance, Bullard, TX; 2. $1,275, 6.33, Mayce Marek, Arp, TX; 3. $850, 6.42, Allie Calcote, Sugartown, LA. Round 2: 1. $2,125, 6.14, Kameryn White, Iredell, TX; 2. $1,275, 6.15, Brynlee Tetrick, Kingman, KS; 3. $850, 6.28, Alli Autrey, Anson, TX. Short go: 1. $1,020, 6.26, Mayce Marek, Arp, TX; 2. $680, 6.27, Cheyenne Vande Stouwe, Inwood, IA. Average, three-head aggregate: 1. $2,720, 18.95, Mayce Marek, Arp, TX, plus the $1,000 world champion bonus; 2. $2,040, 19.63, Ella Kay, Iowa, LA; 3. $1,360, 20.78, Cheyenne Vande Stouwe, Inwood, IA; 4. $680, 20.90, Jacee Graff, St. George, UT.
Women’s Bull Riding (showcase, $3,000 total, $500 per rider)
Placings on the average: 1. 93.40, Mady Eilert, Topeka, KS, aboard Lion Heart; 2. 89.40, Dayna Eilert, Topeka, KS; 3. 79.00, Jorden Halvorsen, Newcastle, TX. Emily Crowder, Moria Novakoski, and Renata Nunes completed the six-rider field without a qualified ride.
Ranch Bronc Riding (showcase, $3,000 total, $500 per rider)
Placings on the average: 1. 173.40 on two head, Carly Richardson, Honey Grove, TX; 2. 170.40 on two head, Kaite Coker, Nashville, TN; 3. 86.40 on one head, Ilona Bercx, Belgium. Final round: Ilona Bercx, 86.40; Carly Richardson, 85.40 aboard Momma Tried; Kaite Coker, 84.40. Hayley Rose, Josey Millwad, and Obbie Schlom rounded out the field.
Rylee George of Oakdale, California, won the breakaway title with a 1.93-second run in the championship round at Cowtown Coliseum, the only sub-two-second run of the finals. She earned the $60,000 event title and $62,607.14 for the week.
PWR is the women’s rodeo championship formerly known as the Women’s Rodeo World Championship, acquired and rebranded by PBR. The 2026 event was held May 12 through 15 in the Fort Worth Stockyards and paid $803,000, making it the richest women’s-only rodeo in the world.
Kenna Francis of Las Vegas, New Mexico, and Whitney DeSalvo of Wilmar, Arkansas, won the team roping with a 6.15 in the championship round, each collecting $60,000. It was their second title at the event after winning the 2024 Women’s Rodeo World Championship.
PWR has paid more than $5.25 million to women athletes since its founding in 2020.
Yes. For the first time since 2008, a women’s rodeo organization staged bull riding and bucking horse riding at a major event. Mady Eilert of Topeka, Kansas, won the inaugural PWR bull riding title with a 93.40 aboard Lion Heart, and Carly Richardson of Honey Grove, Texas, won the ranch bronc riding.
The championship returns to Fort Worth in 2027.
