2024 PRORODEO Media Guide

SADDLE BRONC RIDING

Zeke Thurston: This Isn’t His First Rodeo

Thurston tied for sixth place in Round 10 with an 86.5-point ride on Calgary Stampede’s Dandy Delight to propel himself to his fourth PRCA Saddle Bronc Riding World Championship.“I had that horse earlier this year at the Ponoka Stampede and that was a great horse,”Thurston said. The Big Valley, Alberta, cowboy now has world championships in 2016, 2019, 2022, and 2023. Thurston said, “I really wanted to go out there and put an exclamation point on the week. That horse was a little bit all over the place and it sure wasn’t a perfect ride, but we weathered it and here we are.” By finishing atop the 2023 world standings with $456,356, he shattered his previous single-season earnings mark of $399,916. Thurston joins Brad Gjermundson, Clint Johnson, and fellow Canadian Pete Knight with his four world championships. Only Billy Etbauer with five and Dan Mortensen and Casey Tibbs with six have more saddle bronc riding world champion

ships.“Yeah, that’s a big deal for me,”Thurston said about joining saddle bronc royalty with at least four world championships. “It’s what I’ve dreamed of doing since I was a little boy. It’s just proof that if you work hard enough and chase your dreams, it’s possible.” Thurston put his world championship quest in high gear in Round 9, claiming the win. He took the victory lap thanks to his 88.5-point ride on Calgary Stampede’s Zaka Kibitz. “Those guys (at Calgary Stampede) build some amazing bucking horses. If you go out there and do your job, they give you a pretty good chance to win.” After winning the world championship and average title Thurstan declared,“I feed off this arena and I just love riding broncs here. There’s nothing better. You pack in 17,000-plus fans in this arena, and it feels like they are sitting right on top of your head. If you show up and show out, they go nuts and there’s no better feeling.” – Tracy Renck

2023 WORLD CHAMPIONS

Saddle bronc rider Zeke Thurston, above, won Round 5 at the 2023 Wrangler NFR with a 91-point ride on Calgary Stampede’s Xplosive Skies. PRCA photo by Clay Guardipee of Zeke Thurston on Xplosive Skies

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2024 PRCA MEDIA GUIDE