Joel Lesh and Tanner Keith topped the All Levels, sorting 40 head in 179.15 seconds over four rounds at the 2026 Cinch RSNC World Finals in Fort Worth, Texas, for $9,274.
A Partnership With a Track Record
This wasn’t a new pairing finding chemistry. In 2025, Lesh, of Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Keith, of Austinville, Virginia, won big in the Open, taking the Cinch RSNC World Finals Open Sort title together. The partnership kept rolling into January, when the two reunited to win the inaugural Cowtown Showdown, riding the same two horses to a $40,000 payday at a benefit that raised $85,000 for kids fighting cancer. They rode into the 2026 World Finals determined to keep the streak alive.
“I’ve been riding with him really solid the last three years,” Lesh said. “We probably see each other at about eight or 10 shows a year. I can call him a good friend. We’re not just partners.”
Finishing the Week Right
For Lesh this win was the move he needed to turn a week of just missing out on final rounds around. This partnership proved invaluable at making them successful.
Lesh credited the pair’s lack of ego for their success.
“When Tanner and I ride together, there’s no one really in charge,” Lesh said. “We’re listening to what the other one’s doing. Even if we have a mistake happen, we don’t let it change what we’re going to do next.”
Lesh rode Hot Baloo (Lil Catbaloo x Hotstuff An Then Sum), a 2020 chestnut mare he calls “Kahlua.” Keith rode Metal Rebel (Metallic Rebel x Aristocrats Rose), a 2018 gelding known as “Lucky.” Both horses have carried the pair for almost two years.
It was a big week for Lesh beyond this win, too. He also took the Spalding Labs Western Heritage All Levels title with Cali Brookshire for $7,972, and finished seventh in this same All Levels class with Darren Roberts for $1,806.
Keith’s week was just as loaded. He won the Pro Futurity with Brian Buckner for $8,800, took the Challenge of the Champions Open title for $1,000, and placed second in the #14 Ranch Hand class with Nelson Mas for $8,242.
All Levels — 2026 World Finals Champions
| Champions | Joel Lesh (Stillwater, Oklahoma) & Tanner Keith (Austinville, Virginia) |
| Winning run | 179.15 on 40 head |
| First-place payout | $9,274 |
| Total class payout | $33,596 |
Top 10 Payouts
| Place | Team | Payout |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joel Lesh / Tanner Keith | $9,274 |
| 2 | Kody Ward / Leo Ferraz | $6,468 |
| 3 | Waynard Schmidt / Kris Doornink | $4,612 |
| 4 | Trever Field / Trisha Field | $3,010 |
| 5 | Cash Fowler / Gage Moore | $2,558 |
| 6 | Tanner Keith / Jared Lesh | $2,106 |
| 7 | Joel Lesh / Darren Roberts | $1,806 |
| 8 | Matt Stevens / Travis Roberson | $1,504 |
| 9 | Jp Dutra / Larry Keith | $1,204 |
| 10 | Billy Nell / Millah Frost | $1,054 |
