ProRodeo Sports News - April 1, 2022

EDITOR’S LETTER TRACY RENCK

Brooks Benjamin photo Stetson Wright’s victory binge so far in 2022, included winning saddle bronc riding at the Cave Creek (Ariz.) Rodeo with an 86-point ride on The Cervi Brothers’ Sippin’ On Fire on March 27.

Stetson Wright is on a heater for the ages

I n the history of the PRCA, countless cowboys have gone on victory binges. The ProRodeo Hall of Fame has names upon names of the greatest cowboys who have had memorable seasons. Yet, it is hard to imagine any cowboy has gone on a heater like StetsonWright. No bull or saddle bronc horse appears capable of stopping the Milford, Utah, cowboy. In four rodeo stops all in Texas – Fort Worth, San Antonio, Houston, and Austin and the Swels – Division 1 Xtreme Bulls event in Fort Worth –Wright cashed in big time. Visits to the pay window began Jan. 19 at the Xtreme Bulls event and ended in Austin on March 26. He earned a combined $185,428 at those stops. The list is quite impressive. • Swels – Division 1 Xtreme Bulls ($19,654) • Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo ($25,880) • San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo ($36,750)

“My family and my traveling partners are a big thing for me,” Wright said. “Not many people see the buck offs and my family and traveling partners always help me get my head out of the dumps when I get bucked off. I have just been trying to stay even keel all year. My family and everybody have done a really good job of helping me with that.” Wright acknowledged his goal is to break legendary Trevor Brazile’s PRCA-record of 14 all-around world titles. “I went about a lot of things differently this year,” said Wright, 22. “It doesn’t matter where I’m at, if I get a re-ride, I will take it. It doesn’t matter if it’s three or four (rides) in one night. It does hurt and it wears me down, but I did it in Austin and I would not have made it back in the bronc riding if I wouldn’t of (taken a re-ride). I came back in the broncs and won third there and that momentum drove me into the bull riding, and I rode a bull (Andrews Rodeo’s Wild Onion) I have never ridden before.” Wright’s prowess in the arena has also been reflected in the PRCA | RAMWorld Standings. As of April 1, he led the all-around standings by more than $160,000 and the bull riding by nearly $40,000 and he was in second place in saddle bronc riding hot on the heels of Sage Newman. In the rodeo world, expecting the unexpected is expected. But when it comes to StetsonWright right now rodeo fans need to enjoy his greatness. He’s an all-around cowboy who is on a different level. It’s Stetson’s World and everybody else is just living in it. No one ever thought there would be someone to replace Brazile or even Ty Murray for that matter, but Wright is well on his way. Stop and smell the roses with him and enjoy the ride.

Tracy Renck is the editor of the ProRodeo

Sports News . He previously served more than seven years as a media coordinator at the PRCA. He has three decades of experience in sports journalism with the last several consumed by ProRodeo.

• RodeoHouston ($73,750) • Rodeo Austin ($29,394) Wright’s haul at RodeoHouston is a PRCA record for most money won at a regular-season rodeo – that counted toward the world standings. Wright is immensely talented. He has won three consecutive all-around world championships and one title each in saddle bronc riding (2021) and bull riding (2020). What is hard, he makes look easy. However, he knows he is one piece to his successful puzzle.

ProRodeo Sports News 4/1/2022

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