PRORODEO Sports News - October 4, 2024

MANDAN, N.D.

NORTH DAKOTA ROUGHRIDER CUP

Ticket Punched

Statler Wright uses win to capture first NFR bid BY KENSIE DARST-TODD Special to ProRodeo Sports News T he Wright family continues to leave its mark on professional rodeo, and the latest chapter is being written by 21-year-old Statler Wright from Beaver, Utah. Carrying on the family legacy, which began with his father Cody in 1998, Wright has now qualified for his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Teton Ridge, a major milestone in his young career. His journey to the NFR was solidified by an 87.5-point ride in Mandan, N.D., on Macza Pro Rodeo’s Squash Blossom Steely Dan, a horse he knew could deliver a great ride. “I knew the horse was honestly the one to have there,” Wright said. “I knew that if I did what I could do, that horse was going to do what he usually does, and it was going to work out.” Wright had seen this horse in action before, including a ride by his brother, Stetson Wright, who scored 88 points on the same horse at the Utah Days of ‘47 Rodeo in Salt Lake City, Utah. Wright’s standout performance at the North Dakota Roughrider Cup, which offered more than $500,000 in prize money, one of the highest payouts in PRORODEO, earned him $17,935 and boosted him to ninth place in the PRCA | RAM World Standings. “When I hit the ground, I knew that I had done everything I could have done to put myself in the position to win,” Wright said. “I won almost $18,000 there for them to put that kind of money up, but for a one header, it’s just unreal.” The pressure was on for Wright heading into the North Dakota event, as it was critical for securing his qualification to the NFR. Although his family reassured him that he had already done enough, Wright wasn’t at ease until his qualification was official. “My family told me before ‘you made it – you don’t have to worry’ but I never could get the feeling of relaxation of knowing I made it.,” Wright admitted. “The atmosphere of the rodeo was very laid back, calm, and easygoing, which I love those kinds of rodeos because they are easier to stay focused at.” Wright will be heading to Las Vegas for the NFR, where he will compete not only for his first world title but also against his brother Ryder Wright, who will be gunning for his third. “Competing against them is awesome and awful at the same time,” Wright shared. “In my opinion, they’re the hardest guys to beat. When they get on a roll, they’re very hard to beat and I think beating them, I get the confidence that I am good enough to be here and good enough to go to the NFR.” Already looking ahead to the 2025 season, Wright has his sights set on more success. “My goal this year was to go into the finals No. 1 and that didn’t happen,” Wright said. “That’ll be my goal for next year is to start the year off with a win in Newtown, N.D., and try to lead going into the NFR.”

TOP SCORES

TOP MONEY EARNER Weston Timberman ($18,260, bareback riding) BAREBACK RIDING

Timberman

1. Weston Timberman ............... 91 pts. 2. Leighton Berry .......................... 86.5 (Tie) Bradlee Miller ................... 86.5 STEER WRESTLING 1. Tyler Waguespack ................ 3.4 sec. 2. J.D. Struxness ............................ 3.7 3. Cash Robb .................................. 3.8 TEAM ROPING 1. T. Wade/W. Thorp ................ 3.6 sec. 2. T. McLeod/S. Sporer ................... 4.0 3. K. Driggers/J. Nogueira .............. 4.1 SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Statler Wright ..................... 87.5 pts. 2. Dawson Hay ................................ 87 3. Damian Brennan ....................... 86.5 TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Dylan Hancock ..................... 7.9 sec. 2. Chet Weitz .................................. 8.0 3. Tom Crouse ................................ 8.1 (Tie) Lucas Potter ....................... 8.1 BARREL RACING 1. Tiany Schuster ................. 17.04 sec. 2. Summer Kosel ........................ 17.07 3. Hailey Kinsel ........................... 17.11 BULL RIDING 1. T.J. Gray ................................ 88 pts. 2. JR Stratford .............................. 87.5 3. Maverick Smith ......................... 86.5 (Tie) Hayes Weight ................... 86.5

Complete results/Page 58

Chuck Miner photo Statler Wright got one step closer to making his NFR debut at the North Dakota Roughrider Cup. Wright won the rodeo with an 87.5-point ride on Macza Pro Rodeo’s Squash Blossom Steely Dan.

ProRodeo Sports News 10/4/2024

ProRodeo Sports News 10/4/2024

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