Well, that was worth the price of admission.

Like two boxers working out of opposite corners, Jade Gardner and Kelly Murnion offered an early preview of the all-around cowboy race at the NRA Finals presented by nuWest Builders.

The cowboys both traveled a long way to compete in Hamilton and Helmville last weekend.

The two rodeos on the western side of the state were more than just places to earn a check.

The Mountain Health Co-op Tour regular season finales offered opportunities to bring gold buckle dreams closer to reality.

The top 10 in each event qualify for the 50thAnnual NRA Finals, Oct. 31-Nov. 1, at Majestic Valley Arena in Kalispell.

Gardner, a roper from Ballantine, leads the all-around cowboy standings. Murnion, a rough stock competitor from Jordan, is second.

Both have gone down this trail before. Gardner won the year-end tie-down roping title in 2020 while Murnion won the all-around and bull riding buckles in 2023.

Murnion swept the bull riding at both Hamilton and Helmville added a share of second place in bareback riding.

At the other end of the arena, Gardner counter-punched with a high-paying second place in tie-down roping and pulled two checks at Helmville. He was second at Helmville in tie-down roping and fourth in team roping with Jody Wacker, coaxing the 2001 tie-down roping champion off his Melstone ranch.

Gardner will have a lead of $1,333.87 over Murnion when the pair arrive in Kalispell.

However, Murnion has qualified in both events, while Gardner will compete in one.

Get your ticket now. This is going to be good.

Furious finish

Four-time reigning all-around cowgirl champion Celie Rogers (formerly Salmond) closed with a flourish.

Rogers, from Choteau, placed second in both barrel racing and breakaway roping at Helmville for $1,720. She also was seventh in breakaway roping at Hamilton. Rogers pocketed $2,254 for less than 24 seconds in the arena.

The money won pulled her within $1,075 of sister Molly Salmond in the all-around standings. Molly Salmond is the defending breakaway roping champion and leads the current standings.

Record setter

It’s been a record-setting season for Lisa Warfield and she’s not done.

The Helena cowgirl shattered the single-season earnings record for barrel racing after punctuating her spectacular summer with a win at Helmville aboard her horse Friday Night Headline.

The reigning champion has earned $14,306 with the high-paying NRA Finals still on her schedule. The previous record was $13,290 by Helena’s Shelley Murphy in 2007.

Warfield has earned the most money of any competitor – male or female – in a single event. Warfield won seven times this summer.

Sharing the wealth

There were 19 checks of $1,000 or more earned at the 30 rodeos on the Mountain Health Co-op Tour.

Competitors from 97 Montana communities returned home with money. The Tour featured competitors from eight different states.

The average distance between 10th and 11thplace for the nine disciplines is $235.

Standings leaders

When the dust settled, these cowboys and cowgirls were atop the standings: Trevar McAllister, Ronan, bareback, $9,112; Colton Haase, East Helena, saddle bronc, $7,217;Justus Peterson, Dillon, steer wrestling, $6,729; Jade Gardner, Ballantine, tie-down roping, $10,002; Miles Kobold, Huntley, team roping heading, $6,459; Matt Schieck, Floresville, Texas, team roping heeling, $6,459; Caden Fitzpatrick, Polson, bull riding, $8,730; Lisa Warfield, Helena, barrel racing, $14,306; Molly Salmond, Choteau, breakaway roping, $9,083; Jade Gardner, Ballantine, all-around cowboy, $12,100; Molly Salmond, Choteau, all-around cowgirl, $11,621; Chaney Akin, Cody, Wyoming, 3,412, junior barrel racing; Bentz Bolich, Belgrade, junior breakaway roping, $1,847; Sylvia Eash, Fortine, junior all-around, $3,306.

Last week

Hamilton winners: Trapper McAllister, Ronan, bareback; Colton Haase, East Helena, saddle bronc; Kelly Murnion, Jordan, bull riding; Ben Ayre, Glendive, steer wrestling; Weston Hersel, Lewistown, tie-down roping; Miles Kobold, Huntley-Matt Schieck, Floresville, Texas, team roping; Haven Wolstein, Helena and Charley Yeager, Choteau, breakaway roping; Chaney Akin, Cody, Wyoming, junior barrel racing; Brooks Bolich, Belgrade, junior breakaway roping.

Helmville winners: Dalton May, Coram, bareback; Cardell Laughery, Ekalaka, saddle bronc; Kelly Murnion, Jordan, bull riding; Justus Peterson, Dillon, steer wrestling; Quinn McQueary, Belgrade, tie-down roping; Radley Day-Kyler Day, Volborg, team roping; Lisa Warfield, Helena, barrel racing; Molly Salmond, Choteau, breakaway roping; Chaney Akin, Cody, Wyoming, junior barrel racing; Zoey Bruyer, Kalispell, junior breakaway roping.

Up next

The 50th Annual NRA Finals presented by nuWest Builders, Oct. 30-Nov. 1, Majestic Valley Arena, Kalispell.

The top 10 cowboys and top 10 cowgirls in nine different disciplines will be competing in three performances to determine the year-end champions. The 2025 all-around cowboy and all-around cowgirl titles will also be decided.

Junior event competitors will be competing for barrel racing, breakaway roping and all-around crowns.

The performances are 7 p.m. each night.