PRORODEO Sports - April 24, 2026 Digital Edition

not trying to override them or sit back or get too far forward. I’m just letting the good times roll.” It also worked on his first-round bull, Legacy’s Mongo, which he rode for 87 points to finish in a tie for second

place with Riley Shipy. Jessi Petri won the long round with an 89-point ride on Corey & Lang’s Ma valious. Tristan Mize then kicked off the

final round with a 91.5-point ride on Burch Rodeo’s Cookies N Creme. Wright’s initial short-round bull kept laying down in the chute, and when the Utah cowboy nodded his head, the bull stumbled and went down enough for PRORODEO officials to reward the re-ride. Knowing his history with Ain’t No

Joke, Wright reached inside to find his mental focus, then went to work. Despite the frustration and angst, he found the joy. His Clovis earnings should also propel him to the top five of the Rank 45 Xtreme Bulls Series standings. “I really think it’s because it seems like every guy right after he wins the world, he just expects it to never end,” Wright said. “It really does. It seems like every year, I have to have this talk

with myself, like, ‘Wake up! You’re back to square one, down on the same level as everybody else. The 2025 World Champions are not a thing anymore. We’re on to 2026, and you’ve got to buckle down and do your job again. “On top of doing your job, you’ve got to love it. You’ve got to have fun, and that’s one thing I feel like I

have

to remind myself is that I love doing this.” The passion shows in the way he rides, the way he carries himself and the way he talks about riding bucking animals. “I do this because I love rodeo and want win gold buck- but when I started when I was a kid, was because I loved he said. “That little inside me has to remind my 26-year- self that you’ve got to

to

les,

it

it,” kid

old

keep

having fun.”

APRIL 24, 2026 PRORODEO SPORTS NEWS DIGITAL MAGAZINE 41