Kaleb Driggers claims back-to-back COJO titles as he and Nicky Northcott deliver a championship-winning performance in Belton
BELTON, TEXAS — Ladies and gentlemen, tighten up those cinches and hang on to your hats! When the dust settled Saturday night at the 2026 COJO Championship Team Roping, it was Kaleb Driggers and Nicky Northcott riding out of the arena as champions, with a truckload of prize money and some mighty impressive hardware to show for it.
The championship duo stopped the clock at 13.52 seconds on three head, winning the COJO Open average and collecting a $75,000 payday.
And that wasn’t all!
Their victory also came with a brand-new Bloomer Trailers trailer and a Bill Fick Ford truck, making it a championship haul that would put a smile on just about any cowboy’s face.
For Driggers, it was another trip to the winner’s circle, marking his second consecutive COJO Championship title.
Driggers and Northcott Turn Up the Heat
You don’t win a championship like this by taking your time!
Driggers and Northcott came into the championship round with momentum after posting a 10.51-second aggregate on two head to win Round Two.
They also delivered the fastest single run of Round Two, stopping the clock at a blazing 3.80 seconds.
That run put another $5,000 in their pockets, bringing their total cash winnings to $80,000 for the day.
Now that’s what you call a good day’s work in the saddle!
With some of the finest team ropers in the business chasing the championship, the winning partnership delivered when the pressure was highest.
Snow and Calmelat Chase Down Second Place
The championship wasn’t handed to anybody.
Cody Snow and Little Michael Calmelat came charging into the competition and finished second in the average with a time of 14.46 seconds on three head.
Their effort earned a mighty respectable $55,000 payday.
For Calmelat, it capped an outstanding week in Belton. Earlier in the event, he teamed up with Colton Ranly to capture the Junior Open championship.
That’s two trips into the spotlight at one major roping event.
Peterson and Warner Take Third and an Incentive Victory
Koda Peterson and Jaydon Warner weren’t about to leave Texas empty-handed either.
The pair finished third in the COJO Open average, posting a 14.57-second time on three head and earning $36,000.
They also captured the #16.5 Incentive title, adding another $5,000 to their winnings.
That brought their combined cash total to $41,000.
Meanwhile, Casper Ringelstein and Kaden Prince secured fourth place and $25,000, while Garrett Tonozzi and Cade Passig rounded out the top five with $20,000.
Tomlinson and Thorp Light Up the Short Round
Hold on to your cowboy hats, because the fastest run of the championship’s short round was something special!
Tanner Tomlinson and Wesley Thorp laid down a lightning-fast 3.42-second run, capturing the short-round fast-time award and an additional $5,000.
The pair also finished sixth in the overall average, collecting another $16,000.
That gave them $21,000 in reported winnings.
Cooper Brittain and Braylon Tryan were another team showing serious horsepower, taking the Round One fast-time award with a 4.37-second run.
And Jonathan Torres proved he could get the job done with more than one partner, placing twice in the championship average. Torres finished eighth alongside Coy Rahlmann and 10th with Tyler Wade.
More Fast Times and Big Performances
There was no shortage of talent or speed throughout the COJO competition.
Pedro Egurrola and Will Woodfin captured the long-go fast-time award with a 10.34-second aggregate on two head.
Colton Ranly and Ty Arnold claimed the long-go fastest incentive time, posting 11.02 seconds on two head.
David Key and Kase Key finished second in the incentive competition with a 9.45-second aggregate on two head.
COJO Open Championship: Top Six
Average times are calculated over three head.
| Placing | Team | Time | Prize money |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Kaleb Driggers / Nicky Northcott | 13.52 | $75,000 |
| 2nd | Cody Snow / Little Michael Calmelat | 14.46 | $55,000 |
| 3rd | Koda Peterson / Jaydon Warner | 14.57 | $36,000 |
| 4th | Casper Ringelstein / Kaden Prince | Not provided | $25,000 |
| 5th | Garrett Tonozzi / Cade Passig | Not provided | $20,000 |
| 6th | Tanner Tomlinson / Wesley Thorp | Not provided | $16,000 |
Prize money shown is for average placings and excludes additional fast-time and incentive earnings.
COJO Championship Brings Together Roping’s Best
Presented by Tractor Supply Co., Cody Johnson’s COJO Championship Event brings together elite team ropers, rising junior competitors, breakaway ropers and all-girl teams for a full week of competition.
The Belton, Texas event showcases the speed, precision, horsemanship and teamwork that make team roping one of rodeo’s most exciting competitions.
When you’re measuring victory in fractions of a second, one missed catch or one slow turn can make all the difference.
And when the biggest money is on the line, the best cowboys know it’s time to deliver.
This time around, Driggers and Northcott did exactly that.
Two straight COJO championships for Driggers. A championship title for Northcott. And $80,000 in cash for the winning team.
That’s a Texas-sized finish to another COJO Championship!
For complete championship results and event information, visit COJOTeamRoping.com.
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