ProRodeo Sports News 2023 Year-End Edition

SADDLE BRONC RIDING WORLD CHAMPION

Saddle bronc rider Zeke Thurston began his march to his fourth PRCA World Championship when he split the Round 1 win, above, with an 86.5-point ride on Legacy Pro Rodeo’s Vein Reflections. PRCA ProRodeo photo by Click Thompson

PRCA ProRodeo photo by Click Thompson

Four-Timer BY TRACY RENCK T his wasn’t Zeke Thurston’s first rodeo – or PRCA World Championship. Championship on Dec. 16. Thurston tied for sixth place in Round 10 with an 86.5-point ride on Calgary Stampede’s Dandy Delight to propel himself to the world Thurston secured his fourth PRCA Saddle Bronc Riding World

event-best $234,437. “I really wanted to go out there (Dec. 16) 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,” Thurston said. Thurston shattered his previous single-season earnings mark of $399,916 by finishing atop the 2023 world standings with $456,356. Thurston joins Brad Gjermundson, Clint Johnson, and fellow Canadian Pete Knight with his four world championships. Only Dan Mortensen and Casey Tibbs with six and Billy Etbauer with five have more saddle bronc riding world championships. Thurston also joins Knight as the only Canadian cowboys to capture back-to-back PRCA World Championships. Knight accomplished the feat twice in 1932-33 and 1935-36.

“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,” Thurston said. “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,” Thurston said. “If you show up and show out, they go nuts and there’s no better feeling.”

Thurston wins world championship No. 4

championship and average title. “I had that horse earlier this year at the Ponoka Stampede and that was a great horse,” Thurston said. Back in July, Thurston had a 92.75-point ride on Dandy Delight to win the Ponoka Stampede. The rematch didn’t produce as high of a score but did propel Thurston to world championship glory again. The Big Valley, Alberta, cowboy now has world championships in 2016, 2019, 2022, and 2023. Thurston had yet another stellar NFR – earning an

ProRodeo Sports News 12/22/2023

ProRodeo Sports News 12/22/2023

ProRodeo.com

ProRodeo.com

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