The 2026 National Western Stock Show and Rodeo kicked off January 10 with Colorado Versus The World rodeo inside the Denver Coliseum in Denver, Colorado. The NWSSR pro rodeo will officially begin January 15 and run through January 25.
Amanda Welsh Wins Colorado Versus The World
DENVER, (January 10, 2026) — As the dust settled over opening day of the National Western Stock Show, the first champions in the Denver Coliseum were crowned at Colorado Versus The World. Rodeo action kicked off at 11 a.m. with The World performance. The Colorado performance saw athletes representing Colorado rodeos performing and then the evening featured the best from the earlier events.
Colorado Versus The World has been a tradition at the National Western for more than a decade. Fans were not disappointed as the best of the best got to open up the event which is celebrating 120 years in Denver. Bareback riding, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding, women’s barrel racing and bull riding were featured at each of the three performances.
At the Cinch Jeans Team World performance, contestants represented the Dodge City (Kansas) Round-Up, Cheyenne (Wyoming) Frontier Days, Rodeo Rapid City (South Dakota), Rodeo Austin (Texas), RodeoHouston, Calgary (Alberta) Stampede, San Angelo (Texas) Stock Show & Rodeo, and the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo.
The Pendleton Whisky Team Colorado athletes competed Saturday afternoon. The rodeos they were playing for are all based in the home state of the National Western Stock Show. Along with the rodeo here, they were also from the Larimer County Fair Rodeo (Loveland), Colorado State Fair Rodeo (Pueblo), Greeley Stampede, Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo (Colorado Springs), Rooftop Rodeo (Estes Park), and the Elizabeth Stampede.
The field was narrowed to the point that the best contestant from The World went head-to-head with the best contestant from the Colorado team. The winner-take-all Shootout saw the most exciting action of the day. A highlight was watching Amanda Welsh win her second title in the barrel racing.
Welsh was competing for Rodeo Austin in Texas, and was riding her 2010 sorrel gelding Frenchman Fire Fly that took her to the National Finals Rodeo in 2021. “Firefly” has had to have extra special care since then because of injuries. After lots of rehabilitation, he was back here in 2024 when they won the title the first time. Then he was off again and she brought him back. Together, Welsh and Firefly have earned more than $332,988 in EquiStat reported earnings.
Prior to the National Western, Welsh had loaned the gelding who’s by Frosty Frenchman out of Princess Bar Dash, by Hot Dasher, to a to a young girl who’s been enjoying barrel racing with the 16-year-old gelding. This year, Welsh called to see if she could get him back to ride at the Colorado Versus The World Rodeo. That paid off with the victory.
Colorado Versus The World Results
The following are results from Super Saturday, Colorado Versus the World rodeo, Jan. 10, 2026
Cinch Jeans World Team Performance – contestant, rodeo represented.
Women’s Barrel Race: 1, Amanda Welsh, Rodeo Austin (Texas), 15.511, $1,050. 2, Alyssa Urbanek-Wade, San Angelo (Texas) Stock Show and Rodeo, 15.520, $750. 3, Chandler Camblin, Calgary (Alberta) Stampede, 15.749, $650. 4, Bertina Olafson, RodeoHouston, 15.832, $550.
Bareback Riding: 1, Tuker Carricato, Cheyenne (Wyoming) Frontier Days, 84 points, $1,050. 2, Tanner Drueke, Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, 78, $750. 3, Brazos winters, Dodge City (Kansas) Round-Up, and Spencer DeNaeyer, Rodeo Rapid City (South Dakota), 71 and $467 each.
Steer Wrestling: 1, David Gallagher, Rodeo Rapid City (South Dakota), 5.91, $1,050. 2, Brady Buum, San Angelo (Texas) Stock Show & Rodeo, 7.32, $750. 3, Eli Lord, Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, 8.48, $650. 4, Tyke Kipp, Cheyenne (Wyoming) Frontier Days, 14.86, $550.
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Waitley Sharon, Cheyenne (Wyoming) Frontier Days, 80, $1,050. 2, Thayne Elshere, RodeoHouston, 75, $750. 3, (tie) Brady Irvine, Dodge City (Kansas) Round-Up and Colby Smith, 74 and $467 each.
Bull Riding: (one ride)1, Thayne Elshere, Rodeo Houston, 83, $2,400. (also advancing, no score) Adam Cook, Rodeo Austin (Texas); Caden Bunch, Rodeo Rapid City (South Dakota); and Bodeee Burr, Dodge City (Kansas) Round-Up.
Pendleton Whisky’s Team Colorado Performance – contestant, Colorado rodeo represented
Women’s Barrel Race: 1, Loralee Ward, Larimer County Fair Rodeo, 15.401, $1,050. 2, Chris Gibson, Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo, 15,590, $750. 3, Amy Jo Reisdorfer, Colorado State Fair Rodeo, 15,749, $650. 4, Mackenzie McCuistion, Greeley Stampede, 15,832, $550.
Bareback Riding: 1, Roedy Farrell, National Western Stock Show Rodeo, 81, $1,050. 2, Kash Martin, Rooftop Rodeo, 78.5, $750. 3, (tie) Tyler Ferguson, Colorado State Fair Rodeo, and Jade Taton, Larimer County Fair Rodeo, 74 and $600 each.
Steer Wrestling: 1, Logan Kenline, Greeley Stampede, 5.20, $1,050. 2, Tait Kvistad, Wild Card, 10.22, $750. 3, Brian Snell, Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo, 10.99, $650. 4, Kalane Anders, National Western Stock Show Rodeo, 17.18, $550.
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Spencer Wright, Elizabeth Stampede, 81, $1,050. 2, Quirt Carroll, National Western Stock Show Rodeo, 78, $750. 3, Garrett Long, Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo, 76, $650. 4, Brayden Betsworth, Greeley Stampede, 75, $550.
Bull Riding: 1, Hayden Welsh, Rooftop Rodeo, 82.5 points, $1,050. 2, Mason Reine, Wild Card, 80, $750. 3, Dawson Gleaves, Colorado State Fair Rodeo, 76, $650. 4, Dillon Tyner, Larimer County Fair Rodeo, 73, $550.
Showdown – Colorado Versus The World Results
Contestant, followed by team, score and money.
Women’s Barrel Race: (Semifinals) Amanda Welsh, World, 15.288, $1,200. Loralee Ward, Colorado, 15.450, $1,200. (Final) Welsh, 15.402, $8,000.
Bareback Riding: (Semifinals) Tuker Carricato, World, 80, $1,200. Roedy Farrell, Colorado, 79, $1,200. (Final) Carricato, 84, $8,000
Steer Wrestling: (Semifinals) Tyke Kipp, World, 6.77, $1,200. 2, Kalane Anders, Colorado, 4.43, $1,200. (Final), Kipp, 5.48, $8,000.
Saddle Bronc Riding: (Semifinals) Thayne Elshere, World, 86, $1,200. Spencer Wright, Colorado, 83, $1,200. (Final) Elshere, 84.5, $8,000.
Bull Riding: (Semifinals) Thayne Elshere, World, 83, $1,200. 2, Hayden Welsh, Colorado, 88, $1,200. (Final) Welsh, 86, $8,000.
