Reigning PRCA Bareback Riding World Champion Rocker Steiner will temporarily step away from competition to recover from neck surgery.

The 22-year-old rodeo star claimed his first PRCA Bareback Riding World Championship at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas in December 2025. It was the culmination of one of the most dominant seasons the sport has seen in recent years.

He entered the finals at number one after having secured major victories at RodeoHouston, Ponoka Stampede, Greeley Stampede, and Spanish Fork Fiesta Days. He broke the PRCA record for regular season earnings, raking in a total of $313,000.

During round 10, the NFR, Rocker delivered an exciting 90.5-point ride aboard Calgary Stampede’s “Disco Party.” The score earned him the world champion title and the gold buckle. Additionally, he became the first bareback rider in PRCA history to surpass $500,000 in a single season, finishing the year with more than $507,000.

Watch Rocker Steiner’s championship ride at the 2025 NFR below!

Rocker Steiner Begins 2026 With Success – Will Surgery Halt The Momentum?

Rocker began the 2026 season with wins at Rodeo Corpus Christi and RodeoHouston. It is proving to be a highly competitive bareback racing season, with Rocker in a close battle with Bradlee Miller and Wacey Schalla. Buckin Rodeo reports the current standings as follows:

• 1. Rocker Steiner $122,132
• 2. Bradlee Miller $114,709
• 3. Wacey Schalla $108,831

Now, Rocker stands the chance to lose his lead as he steps away to get a necessary surgery.

According to a text sent by Rocker’s father, Sid, to PRORODEO Sports News, the champion rider will undergo neck surgery on June 2nd. As a result, he will be on a three-month hiatus to recover. Sid said:

“He will be back better than ever!”

Tim O’Connell Explains Rocker’s Surgery

Fellow bareback rider Tim O’Connell broke down Rocker Steiner’s upcoming surgery and explained what it could mean for his season outlook. Tim told Cowboy Plus:

“He’s got two vertebrae that are now touching his spinal cord. But he’s going to the best doctors in Texas when it comes to neck, back, and spine.”

Bareback riders experience a large amount of whiplash in their sport, which can cause trauma to the neck and spine. Tim explains that the pressure on Rocker’s spinal cord has resulted in loss of feeling in his hands. He continues:

“He’s got some numbness in his fingers, but if he continued on the oath of rodeo and ignored this injury, it would get severely worse, if not permanently.”

While the estimated timeline for Rocker’s recovery is three months, Tim explains that it may take longer. If the reigning champion is able to return in September, he will need to earn roughly $15,000-$17,000 more to secure the 15th spot and qualify for the NFR.

Hear Tim O’Connell explain Rocker Steiner’s surgery and aftermath below.