2020 Wrangler NFR Round 10 Event Program

ALL-AROUND SEASON LEADER

Wright, Cooper, Smith battle for the all-around

The potential to win three world titles boiled down to an eight-second ride on Burch Rodeo’s Lunatic FromHell at the end of the regular season. Luckily, StetsonWright thrives under pressure. With a 90-point ride, the defending all-around world champion simultaneously took the lead in the PRCA | RAM World Standings for the all-around title and qualified in a second event for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo during the Gold Buckle Beer ProRodeo Tour Finale at the end of September. “I honestly wasn’t paying too much attention to the all- around standings since I was third, but when the season ended, I looked and was like, ‘How the heck did that happen?’” Stetson laughed. “I’m not going to lie to myself, I don’t feel like I had a good year at all when it came to bull riding. I started riding good at the end of the year and that is better than having a bad end to the year and carrying that into the Finals.” Wright’s lead, however, didn’t last long. Following the ClemMcSpadden National Finals Steer Roping, Nov. 6-7, Tuf Cooper finished sixth in the steer roping world standings to move into the lead of the all-around stand- ings with $111,450. “I did pretty well at the NFSR, and I have the lead in the all-around now,” said Cooper, 29. “But Stetson has broncs and bulls each night and I have calves. Who knows what will happen? Stetson might ride all 10 (in his events), who knows? Honestly, my focus is winning the world championship in (tie- down) roping. If I win the world championship in (tie-down) roping I’m probably going to win the all-around. Cooper’s brother-in-law, Trevor Brazile, notched his eighth steer roping world title and climbed to second in the world standings. But Brazile isn’t competing at the Wrangler NFR. Then there’s Clay Smith, the two-time defending world champ in team roping heading. Smith is fourth with $80,737 and in contention for his third consecutive heading title.

12, 2014) and one in the all-around (2017) – is competing in tie-down roping at the Finals. “I’m coming in second (in tie-down roping) and I have a bunch to gain on Shad (Mayfield). What I think is cool about the all-around this year is there are only three guys who have a chance to win it. The cool thing is Stetson, Clay (Smith) and I are all doing different events, and it should be a lot of fun to see who wins.” Adding saddle bronc riding to his NFR routine won’t wear down Stetson, instead it revs him up for bull riding. “When I get off my bronc, I feel warmed up and good,” Stetson said. “I feel like I have an advantage since I’ll be fired up by the time I get on my bull.” His brother agreed. “He feeds off pressure,” Rusty said. “If he makes a good bronc ride, or if I do or Ryder does, he feeds off it and will do better in bull riding. So, if anything, it’ll make his bull riding even better.” No longer a rookie, Stetson’s approach hasn’t changed. “He’s always gone at it all the way or not at all,” Rusty said. “You can tell when Stetson has his riding pants on; he can ride the rankest bulls and the rankest broncs, and just like they say in the movie “The Cowboy Way,” ‘Stetson can sure cowboy when he wants to.’” –Matt Naber PRCA ProRodeo file photo 2017 PRCA All-Around World Champion Tuf Cooper will compete against Stetson Wright and Clay Smith for the all-around world title at this year’s Wrangler NFR.

GETTING BOTH EVENTS GOING Although saddle bronc riding is a Wright family tradition – Stetson will be joined by his brothers Rusty and Ryder in the saddle bronc riding competi- tion – Stetson almost pulled out of the race. “In bull riding fromDay 1 of this year I kept getting hurt, but in bronc riding I was so done with it and I didn’t even want to do it anymore,” Stetson said. “I was tired of getting bucked off and making myself look dumb. Then I wasn’t doing well in bull riding and was doing well in saddle bronc riding; but at the end of the season I was riding well in both and I haven’t felt that since high school.” Stetson’s saddle bronc riding turned around in February, but his bull riding wasn’t right until mid-September, he said. Stetson finished the regular season with a $1,037 lead over Tuf Cooper in the race for the all-around title and the roles switched when Cooper picked up $25,903 at the ClemMcSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. Now Stetson has a gap of $24,866 to close. “I hope he (Cooper) has his best Finals yet,” Stetson said. “I want everyone to do well. I don’t want to say I won when everyone had a bad year.” LOOKING TO TIE DOWN ANOTHER TITLE Cooper, a four-time world champion – three in tie-down roping (2011-

WRANGLER NATIONAL FINALS RODEO 15