The Cowboy Town Showdown and Challenge of the Champions Invitational, held at the Plaza Hotel & Casino’s Core Arena in downtown Las Vegas, paid more than $63,000 to riders across multiple divisions. But the moment everyone waited for during the high-energy weekend was the crowning of the Holiday Auto Group Challenge of the Champions winners.
The event followed a true round-robin format. Riders competed in three preliminary rounds to determine their ranking before moving into the final matchups. The top four competitors (based on points) advanced to the Final Championship Round, while the remaining riders entered the Final Consolation Round. All finalists started with a clean slate, making the Championship Round a high-stakes showdown where consistency, speed, and cattle-handling precision determined the gold buckle.
Logan Wolfe Tops the Open Division
Logan Wolfe of Wellington, Colorado, claimed the Open Division title after sorting 28 head in 176.08 seconds during the Championship Round, earning $1,909 for the win.
“I had a blast this weekend, and winning the championship round felt special,” he said. “The competition was very strong, and just having the opportunity to go up against some of the top riders in the country is something I don’t take lightly. To come away with the win on top of that is always a great feeling.”
Wolfe also added to his total earnings with wins in Rounds 1 and 3 and a reserve finish in Round 2. His approach to the Challenge of the Champions focused on discipline and consistency.
“The round-robin format rewards consistency so I went in with the mindset of not taking unnecessary chances and simply taking what the cattle gave me,” Wolfe explained. “Patience was my biggest focus in every run, and sticking to that strategy really paid off.”
Wolfe credited his horsepower —his wife’s gelding Spot Boon Baby (Spots Hot x Boon San Baby), ‘Jag,’ and Bruce Thompson and Jennifer Marshall’s, See You Dont See You (Sigala Rey x Cool Cat Magic), ‘Swag’ — for showing up to Las Vegas ready to work and putting forth all the effort to emerge on top.
The Open Division remained tight throughout the weekend. Kevin Reese pressed Wolfe in every round, picking up the Round 2 win and multiple reserve finishes. Travis Roberson and Chris Mangold joined them in the Championship Round, while Matt Stevens and Haily Mangold delivered a competitive showdown in the Consolation Round.
- Round 1 Winner: Logan Wolfe | 40 head in 344.26 seconds | $1,050
- Round 2 Winner: Kevin Reese | 52 head in 312.21 seconds | $1,050
- Round 3 Winner: Logan Wolfe | 57 head in 316.51 seconds | $1,050
Open Championship Round
| Place | Rider | Head | Time | Money Won |
| 1 | Logan Wolfe | 28 | 176.08 | $1,909 |
| 2 | Kevin Reese | 20 | 168.71 | $1,145 |
| 3 | Travis Roberson | 19 | 170.14 | $764 |
| 4 | Chris Mangold | 9 | 177.91 | $382 |
Open Consolation Round
| Place | Rider | Head | Time | Money Won |
| 1 | Matt Stevens | 20 | 109.10 | $1,050 |
| 2 | Haily Mangold | 10 | 54.45 | $700 |
| 3 | Kris Doornink | 10 | 54.65 |
Scott Stresen-Reuter Jumps to First in the Amateur Finals
After holding second behind Viann Hegge through the first three rounds, Scott Stresen-Reuter, surged in the Championship Round. He sorted 19 head in 152.96 seconds to secure the Amateur Division title and $1,909 in earnings.
For Stresen-Rueter of Whitesboro, Texas, this win was special.
“It’s the first win in a while,” he said. “I’ve been making the finals quite a bit but haven’t won. It felt pretty good, it was fun, I enjoyed myself.”
Entering the Championship Round with scores wiped clean, he leaned on strategy and horsemanship.
“Trying to control the cattle is a lot of it,” he explained his strategy for the Championship Round focused around not scattering the herd. “I had everybody else sort and I watched the gate.”
His mares, Epic Flame (CR Gotcha Covered x Mystic Candle) and Color Me A Hot Spot (Color Me Smart x Kinda Hot In Here), excelled at the gate throughout the event, with Stresen-Reuter often anchoring the herd while his partners pushed cattle forward.
- Round 1 Winner: Viann Hegge | 35 head in 323.44 seconds | $1,050
- Round 2 Winner: Viann Hegge | 23 head in 324.17 seconds | $1,050
- Round 3 Winner: Viann Hegge | 38 head in 288.42 seconds | $1,050
Amateur Championship Round
| Place | Rider | Head | Time | Money Won |
| 1 | Scott Stresen-Reuter | 19 | 152.96 | $1,909 |
| 2 | Harper Grace Pierce | 10 | 175.55 | $1,145 |
| 3 | Kim Christy | 9 | 165.65 | $764 |
| 4 | Viann Hegge | 6 | 145.50 | $382 |
Amateur Consolation Round
| Place | Rider | Head | Time | Money Won |
| 1 | Lily Henderson | 11 | 49.25 | $1,050 |
| 2 | Doug Pritchett | 10 | 109.25 | $700 |
| 3 | Doug Whitehead | 1 | 60 |
Angie Lenihan Proves Consistency Wins the Novice
Angie Lenihan of Apple Valley, California, captured the Novice Championship after sorting 22 head in 222.62 seconds to earn $2,250 and the Novice Challenge of the Champions buckle.
Lenihan spent the first three rounds in the middle of the standings, but in the Championship Round, she delivered her strongest performance of the weekend—a ride she described as “amazing.”
Her strategy was to work with the cattle as they came and trust her relatively new horse, Smoooth (Jet Black Patriot x Pheobes Phenom), who lived up to his name by delivering steady, mistake-free efforts through all four rounds.
- Round 1 Winner: Anna Butler | 38 head in 433.22 seconds | $1,350
- Round 2 Winner: Anna Butler | 24 head in 445.83 seconds | $1,350
- Round 3 Winner: Randy Weidner | 50 head in 452.02 seconds | $1,350
Novice Championship Round
| Place | Rider | Head | Time | Money Won |
| 1 | Angie Lenihan | 22 | 222.62 | $2,250 |
| 2 | Anna Butler | 21 | 220.99 | $1,350 |
| 3 | Shawn Lenihan | 13 | 228.10 | $900 |
| 4 | Waynard Schmidt | 12 | 231.66 | $450 |
| 5 | Randy Weidner | 10 | 223.01 | $450 |
Novice Consolation Round
| Place | Rider | Head | Time | Money Won |
| 1 | Ron Vanderziel Jr. | 22 | 164.77 | $1,350 |
| 2 | Suzanne Butler | 18 | 171.71 | $900 |
| 3 | Elizabeth Erb | 13 | 167.95 | |
| 4 | Robin Woessner | 13 | 179.59 |
Eric Turner Dominates the Rookie Division
Eric Turner of Sellersville, Pennsylvania, swept three of the four Rookie Division rounds and sealed his division championship after sorting 12 head in 113.39 seconds during the finals.
“As a challenger, going in and competing against people who had earned more money than me this year, it was an honor to compete against them,” he said. “It has not hit me yet that I won three of the four rounds. It was just an amazing weekend for me.”
Driving across the country to Las Vegas proved more than worthwhile. In addition to the Challenge of the Champions Rookie title, Turner also won every other class he entered: the #15 3-Man 2-Gate, the #18 3-Man 2-Gate, the Hyer Boots #11 Rookie, and the Mil-Spec Liner #6/4 INC.
He credits Cinch RSNC Featured Trainer Kevin Reese of K/R Cowhorses for preparing him, as well as the talent of his two mares. Playn Witha Blueboon (Once In A Blu Boon x Sanjo Play), his 2018 mare known as Denali, carried him through each Challenge round.
“She’s been my absolute go-to when I need to get to the pay window this year,” Turner said.
He also showed Metallic Rose 016 (Metallic Cat x Dual Smart Rosie), a mare making her first appearance back in the arena since a serious summer trailering accident. Turner entered her only in non-Challenge classes to ease her return, but she stepped up when called upon.
“I felt confident knowing the horsepower I was taking was the best I had in the barn,” he said.
- Round 1 Winner: Eric Turner | 24 head in 401.39 seconds | $1,200
- Round 2 Winner: Jerry Davis | 17 head in 364.76 seconds | $1,200
- Round 3 Winner: Eric Turner | 40 head in 371.77 seconds | $1,200
Rookie Championship Round
| Place | Rider | Head | Time | Money Won |
| 1 | Eric Turner | 12 | 173.39 | $2,182 |
| 2 | Kit Doornink | 11 | 172.94 | $1,309 |
| 3 | Jerry Davis | 8 | 111.51 | $873 |
| 4 | Kathy Doornink | 1 | 121 | $436 |
Rookie Consolation Round
| Place | Rider | Head | Time | Money Won |
| 1 | Christy Hayes | 20 | 176.65 | $1,200 |
| 2 | Don Lamont | 16 | 166.93 | $800 |
| 3 | Lauri Vanderziel | 15 | 166.29 | |
| 4 | Stacy Howard | 15 | 178.09 |
About the Challenge of the Champions
The Challenge of the Champions was created to spotlight the most successful ranch sorting competitors of the season and give fans an opportunity to watch top riders compete head-to-head at the Cinch RSNC World Finals.
In 2025, the program expanded with the Challenge of the Champions Invitational at the Plaza Hotel & Casino during the Cowboy Town Showdown, giving riders an NFR-style showcase in Las Vegas. The format mirrors the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo with three go-rounds, nightly payouts, and a Championship Round that determines the buckle.
Competitors received back numbers before competition kicked off, and round winners were recognized each night during the American Hat Company Watch Party inside the Plaza Showroom.
“Being able to compete in Vegas during the NFR with a format like this is something truly special—it’s an atmosphere and opportunity you can’t recreate anywhere else,” said Cinch RSNC Event Director Logan Wolfe.