As the 2026 PRCA season passes the halfway mark, heads begin to turn toward the year-end leaderboards, taking note of the top athletes to watch along the way. As athletes and fans alike eye the world standings races, they will also eye the Resistol Rookie of the Year races, one of rodeo’s oldest and most prestigious titles.
Only athletes in their first year of PRCA card ownership are eligible for the prestigious honor, making it the only race that athletes have just one shot at. Many of the sport’s greatest competitors started as rookies, navigating the rodeo road and earning the Resistol Rookie of the Year title before becoming world champions and record holders.
This prestigious honor not only reflects an athlete’s ability to compete against the world’s greatest, but also their ability to navigate the trials of the PRCA season, rodeo schedules, precisely timed travels and key horse and gear choices.
With the race officially in full swing, several athletes have made headlines in both the rookie race and the world standings race. Here’s a preview of just a few of the top storylines to watch ahead of the summer rodeo run.
Similar to last year’s thrilling bull riding Resistol Rookie of the Year race — where three rookies qualified for their first NFR and battled for the rookie title under the bright lights of Las Vegas — the 2026 season also features several top riders already well within the top 15 in the world. Noah Lee of Mineral Wells, Texas, currently leads the rookie race with $77,729 earned thus far, while sitting fifth in the world standings. Close on his heels is Wyoming cowboy Hayden Welsh, with $72,637 won, sitting sixth in the world standings.
With a significant paycheck earned at the recent Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, bareback rider Carson Hildre moves to the lead of the rookie standings and 27th in the world standings as he prepares to build on a strong start into the summer run.
Finding consistent success thus far, Colorado saddle bronc rider Waitley Sharon currently leads his event’s rookie race with $30,079 won, sitting 27th in the world standings.
Currently sitting within the top 15 of the world standings, 20-year-old New Mexico cowboy Kyan Wilhite has earned $37,909 thus far, with key wins at rodeos including the Clark County Fair & Rodeo in Logandale, Nev.
Barrel racer Morgan Bagnell has also collected large paydays out west, including a win at the Clovis Rodeo. The Texas cowgirl currently leads the Resistol Rookie of the Year barrel racing standings with $36,701 won thus far, sitting 21st in the world standings.
As the season continues to progress, so will the Resistol Rookie of the Year races. With many athletes already in the top 25 of the world standings, several rookies will also be eyeing their first NFR qualification in their first year of PRCA card membership.
Follow along with Cowboy+’s digital and social channels for the latest rookie and year-end world standings.
