Dawson Hay

History repeated itself May 18 in Miles City, Mont., as Dawson Hay defended his title as the reigning champion of the World Famous Miles City Bucking Horse Sale Matched Xtreme Bronc Ride. Hay won the event in 2024 with 90.5-point rides during both rounds. After sitting at the top of the leaderboard after the long round, he was the last cowboy to ride in the short go, where the pressure didn’t rattle him but instead helped solidify his victory. The 2025 edition of Miles City was no different.

Round 2 of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo at the Thomas & Mack Center kicked off tonight, and the saddle bronc riders came ready to ride. With many NFR veterans returning to the arena, spectators are sure to see some refined skill from cowboys looking to add to their season pot. In Round 1, there was a quick and notable shift in the rankings when the current world leader in Saddle Bronc Riding, Damian Brennan, was nowhere to be found in the top five results on the night.

Dawson Hay, a four-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier, notched a pair of 90.5-point rides to finish atop the field at the World Famous Miles City (Mont.) Bucking Horse Sale Matched Xtreme Bronc Ride on Sunday. Hay earned $19,336 for his work on two head and his first title at the event since 2021. “It’s unbelievable. I just love Miles City,” Hay told the Cowboy Channel’s Steve Kenyon on Sunday. “This is such a great committee and it’s one of my favorite stops for the whole year.