This isn’t just a rodeo.

It’s a celebration.

The NRA Finals presented by nuWest Builders is celebrating 50 years this weekend at Majestic Valley Arena in Kalispell.

This year’s Finals, Oct. 30-Nov. 1, is the culmination of the 2025 Mountain Health Co-op Tour. The three-performance rodeo features the top 10 in each event and will determine the year-end champions for nine disciplines and two all-around titles.

The NRA Finals will also feature the junior events.

And how many Finals can boast a record-setting cowboy for one of the most prestigious awards in professional rodeo and a legitimate rocket scientist?

This summer, more than 6,300 members participated in 30 rodeos across The Treasure State. Cowboys and cowgirls took a collective $766,130 back to 97 Montana communities. So respected is the Northern Rodeo Association and Northern Women’s Rodeo Association is that it attracted riders, ropers and racers from eight different states.

However, the Finals qualifiers are not finished padding their pockets.

With go-round and average payouts at a record rate, 70 competitors can double their regular-season earnings in three evenings. Cowboys and cowgirls will be chasing almost $140,000 in Finals money.

But the Finals are more than just about money. It’s about who will call themselves champion when the arena dust settles.

The story lines are plenty:

Celie Rogers stands on the cusp of history.

The Choteau cowgirl is trying to become only the second competitor to win five consecutive all-around cowgirl titles. She is competing in barrel racing and breakaway roping.

A year ago, Rogers set the single-season earnings record – for female or male – earning money in barrel racing, breakaway roping and team roping.

But to make it five straight all-around crowns, she will have to get past her sister, Molly Salmond, who has a lead of $1,075 in the all-around standings. Salmond, also of Choteau, is the defending breakaway roping champion.

The sisters have finished 1-2 in the all-around standings for three straight years.

Jade Gardner of Ballantine is trying to add the all-around cowboy title to his resume. Already a past tie-down roping champion, Gardner cashed 14 checks in his primary event and added three in team roping.

He leads the tie-down roping standings by $1,879 over defending champion Quinn McQueary of Belgrade.

Gardner has a lead of $1,333 over Kelly Murnion of Jordan in the all-around standings. Murnion won the all-around and bull riding in 2023. Murnion has qualified in bull riding and bareback riding and also earned money in tie-down roping.

Traver McAllister of Ronan was a nine-time bareback winner on Tour. Trailing by $1,299 is brother Trapper. The pair finished 1-2 at five rodeos this summer.

Justus Peterson of Dillon traded tackling ball carriers for taking down steers. The former Montana Tech defensive back has a lead of $3,852 over Huntley’s Casey Collins. Collins works with nuclear warheads when not competing. Also in the field is Montana State University rodeo coach Kyle Whitaker, a 10-time winner of the prestigious Linderman Award.

The tightest race is in team roping where Miles Kobold of Huntley leads Cut Bank’s Shawn Bird by just $490 in the team roping heading standings. Partner Matt Schieck leads Kyler Day of Volborg by $1,040 for the headers.

Schieck and wife Tiffany are both competing. Tiffany Schieck qualified in breakaway roping, Both call Floresville, Texas home.

Teenager Colton Haase of East Helena was a six-time saddle bronc winner and leads Judd Applegate of Deer Lodge by just $580.

The bull riding field includes the past four champions: Devyn Hundley of Darby, Murnion, defending champion Caden Fitzpatrick of Polson and Cut Bank’s Kobe Whitford.

Those are some narratives to watch.

There will be new champions for steer wrestling, team roping header, team roping heeler and all-around cowboy. Lisa Warfield of Helena has already clinched her second straight barrel racing gold buckle with a record-breaking season.

Every other event is up for grabs.

The list of past champions and Finals participants reads like a Who’s Who of rodeo.

Who will be next to add their name to the list?