Slade Wood Continues Winning Ways Ahead of National Steer Roping Finals

Originally posted on Rodeo on SI | By Kate Robinson | Last updated Oct 31, 2025 2:30 PM ET

The end of the 2025 regular rodeo season may have come to a close, but these National Finals Rodeo athletes aren’t slowing down any time soon. Rodeos continue to take place all over the country, giving a sneak peak into what fans can expect to come out of the finals.

Steer roper, Slade Wood, is making his NFSR run to compete at the Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane, Kansas. The steer roping national finals has a total payout of $550,000, giving it the largest earnings potential for these athletes all season long.

Wood isn’t just in the race for top steer roper, at No. 5 in the world standings, he also sits at No. 11 in the race for the all-around title. He has qualified for the NFSR four times now, and is still reaching for his first world title. This season marks his highest world rank since beginning his career in 2020, and at just 23 years old he is making his mark in the sport.

Wood pulled in a title at three rodeos this season for steer roping, and three for the all-around. Most recently at the Cooks Days Rodeo, Wood proved to be one to watch as we barrel into the NFSR and head into the 2026 season.

Slade Wood Is Vying For His First World Title At The NFSR

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Winning the All-Around at Cooks Days for steer roping and team roping, he earned $2,102. While it doesn't count towards his NFR total for 2025, it’s still a huge payday to start 2026 for the athlete as he was one of the only riders there competing for the all-around title in Lubbock, Texas over the weekend.

With a season earnings total of $92,524 ($67,626 from steer roping), Wood has the chance to break into the top three in the world if his NFSR performance is solid. He remains at least $10,000 behind Scott Snedecor (No. 3) and Riley O'Rourke (No. 2) but the NFSR gives these athletes the chance to at least double their season earnings.

The Cooks Days Rodeo had a payout of over $200,000 with it’s biggest prize going to Trent Ferreir with an 87-point bull ride on Smith Pro Rodeos' Hacked Off, the ride brought him $9,577. Ferreir was one of only two cowboys to successfully top their bull for eight seconds.

Every rodeo from here on out is indicative of how these athletes will perform come December, and Slade Wood will be one to watch as he heads into the arena for the fifth time, searching for his first-ever World Title.