Cowboy has no regrets winning on a permit

Hayden Welsh chooses not to dwell on what could have been.

Yes, he earned enough money to buy his PRCA card at some point during the 2025 season. But back in January, he made the decision to remain on his permit, a move that seemed prudent as he balanced professional and collegiate competition during the winter and spring.

If he had bought his card, his earnings would have reset to zero, and the Gillette, Wyo., cowboy figured it was more important to get experience in the PRCA, rather than hope to sneak into the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

More than $147,000 later, Welsh still has no regrets.

“There’s only what ifs in horseshoes and hand grenades,” Welsh quips with a laugh. “Man, it was just a super blast and it was awesome. There was some ups and there was some downs — but there were a lot more ups. Being able to experience it and know that I can accomplish and succeed in my dreams that I’ve had since I was 4-years old is a big blessing. It’s something you’ve been dreaming about your whole life, and to know you can do it is incredible. It’s an unreal feeling.”

In 2022, bareback rider Keenan Hayes earned a little more than $81,000, a then-PRCA record for a competitor on their one-year permit.

Welsh shattered that mark thanks to a season-ending flourish.

Midway through July, Welsh estimates he had less than $60,000 in his ledger. Starting with the Kit Carson County Pro Rodeo in Burlington, Colo., on July 24-26, Welsh earned money at 11 of the 17 rodeos he competed at through the month of August, including five outright victories.

That momentum carried over into September. Within a five-day window, he won the Lewiston (Idaho) Roundup, placed second in the short round at the Puyallup (Wash.) Rodeo and captured the average title at the Pendleton Extreme Bulls Tour Finale. That stretch netted Welsh more than $40,600.

“I feel like I probably could’ve done 30 backflips that day,” Welsh said of his adrenaline after the Pendleton Finale. “That was kind of like my final transition and the cap of the season. You always know things like that could happen, but then when they happen to you, it’s a blessing. I’ve just got to keep that ball rolling for this next season.”

If all the results played out exactly the same, and every dollar he earned over the course of the regular season counted as a fully-fledged PRCA competitor — rather than on permit — Welsh would have qualified for the NFR as the No. 14 bull rider in the world standings.

Those kinds of what ifs might gnaw at someone else. Welsh presents himself as unbothered. He missed out on the NFR, but what he gained is worth the exchange.

Competing for Odessa College, he qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo in June, finishing eighth overall in the standings. He credits Odessa coach Tom Kelly as a big contributor to his growth. The pen of bulls at school helped him gain consistency during the year.

Of course, being the son of seven-time NFR qualifier Bobby Welsh probably doesn’t hurt either.

Like his father, Hayden always had a passion for rodeo. Since bucking his first steer at 4-years old, he’s had hopes of competing at rodeo’s highest level. But he wanted to reach that goal on his own, not rely on family legacy or reputation.

In 2025, he showed he has the talent and drive. In 2026, Hayden is aiming to officially join the ranks of the sport’s elite.

He’s got a head start, already claiming the average championships at the PRCA Permit Finals and Mountain States Circuit Finals. The Mountain States win gave Hayden nearly $11,200 in prize money, putting him second in the initial Resistol Rookie Bull Rider standings.

He’s also the current Caprock Region bull riding leader in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association, aiming for a return to the College NFR next June.

This time last year, Welsh was a wide-eyed college freshman, unsure of what was coming. Now, he’s gained perspective, not only on rodeo but life. There’s no guarantee of another whirlwind season that ends with him accomplishing his NFR dream.

So Hayden chooses to be grateful for the experiences he’s had so far and hopeful for those still to come.

“Last year around this time, I was asking the boys (at college) if they could buy me a $5 meal deal at McDonald’s. Now, to win almost $150,000 in a year is such a blessing,” Hayden said. “All these boys get mad at me now because I’m like, ‘I’ll get your food.’ I want to pay them back. They helped me out.

“It’s such a blessing to look at where I used to be and the things I was doing in my life, to where my faith is at now and what the Lord has blessed me with.”