ProRodeo Sports News - Dec. 20, 2024

with a ton of opportunities. “And the competition is so tough now that those guys at the top have literally made me step my game up.” The tandem finished 11th in the NFR Average with 23 seconds on six head. Clint Summers and Jake Long locked up the average championship at 44.3 seconds on nine head. Wade finished with $361,480 to best runner-up Summers and win his second world title. Thorp also finished with $361,480 to top runner-up Long. The duo set new single-season earnings records, besting the previous mark of $340,708 set by Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira in 2022. RYDER WRIGHT WINS SADDLE BRONC TITLE Ryder Wright needed a quality out in Round 10 of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Teton Ridge to break through and win the world. Wright did that and more in his final ride of the season on Andrews Rodeo’s All or Nothin. The duo paired for 89.5 points to tie for the round win with Lefty Holman and lock up Wright’s third PRCA Saddle Bronc World Championship. “After I got bucked off (in Round 2), they tried to shut the door on me,” Wright said. “I stuck my foot in there, scratching and clawing my way back into this fight. I won my first gold buckle (2017) with two no scores, so I’m no stranger to this environment. Yeah, I was just gunning for go-rounds every night and it paid off.” It marked Wright’s third world title and first since 2020. He racked up $479,958 in the process and finished seventh in the NFR average at 786.5 points on nine head. THOMPSON STUNS FIELD, WINS FIRST BAREBACK TITLE Dean Thompson needed everything to go his way in Round 10 of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Teton Ridge. It did. After entering championship Saturday fourth in the PRCA | RAM World Standings, Thompson recorded an 88.5-point ride on J Bar J’s Straight Stick to finish second in the final go. When the dust settled, the ride proved enough to propel him to the top

and earn Thompson his first PRCA | RAM World Championship and NFR Average Championship. “Like I said all week, people say you’re in the

hunt for the world title right now, and it kind of shocks me that they didn’t know I was already in the hunt from Round 1,” Thompson said. “But it’s a different thing when it all works out. You almost can’t even imagine it.” Thompson finished the season with $412,121, besting runner-up Rocker Steiner by $17,934. STEER WRESTLER J.D. STRUXNESS CLAIMS WORLD TITLE Steer wrestler J.D. Struxness needed the pieces to fall into place in Round 10 to win his first world championship. And they did. Struxness placed second in the round with a 3.6-second run to collect a $26,624 check and then moved into the final hole in the average to add another $8,150, thanks to having a 36.0-second time on 10 head. Calculating all the earnings and Struxness finished atop the world standings with $309,220. He edged Will Lummus who came in second with $307,713. “We’ll find out when I wake up, it’s still settling in right now, still in the hustle n’ bustle,” said Struxness, 30, about winning his first career gold buckle. “When we get a second to sit down and relax a little bit, I’m sure it will sink in, been waiting a while to hear that.” Struxness was quick to credit his horsepower. He was riding Crush the Nutrena Horse of the Year presented by AQHA in steer wrestling. MOWRY ADDS TOP GUN TO FIRST WORLD TITLE In addition to winning her first world title, Kassie Mowry also claimed the RAM Top Gun Award as the top money earner at the NFR. Over 10 nights, she earned $295,526, including five rounds wins. “This is a great opportunity to come here and win just about what I won all year,” Mowry said. “I went out there and just tried to make the best of every single night. My dad did put a little tidbit in my ear about winning a truck if this were to happen and it did. So, I just might have to get that truck.”

Complete results/Page 72

Tie-down roper Riley Webb gets off to make his Round 5 run at the NFR. He clocked the run in 9 seconds to stay in the average and set him up for an other PRCA World Championship. PRCA ProRodeo photo by Hailey Rae

ProRodeo Sports News 12/20/2024

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