ProRodeo Sports News 2022 Wrangler NFR Preview Issue

ALL-AROUND COWBOY

Fab Four? Stetson Wright aims for 4th consecutive All-Around title BY TANNER BARTH S tetsonWright showed he cannot and will not be stopped at the 2021Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Teton Ridge. The Milford, Utah, cowboy secured his third consecutive PRCA All-AroundWorld Championship, making him the first cowboy in ProRodeo history to win three straight all-around titles to begin his career. “I do take a lot of pride in the all-around,” saidWright, a seven-time Wrangler NFR qualifier. “It’s the most prestigious buckle in the world. It’s the only buckle that says cowboy. So, it means a lot to me.” In 2021, he added his fourth and fifth gold buckles as he also captured his first PRCAWorld Championship in the saddle bronc riding. He said every world title means something different to him and the all-around last season was no different. “All of themmean a lot to me because they’ve all required me doing different things to get them,” he said. “It seems like every year I learn a bunch of new things. It’s hard to put into words what a gold buckle means to someone.” He hasn’t slowed down one bit in 2022. He broke his own record for the most money won in regular season before the NFR with already $370,000 earned. He sits first in the bull riding, second in saddle bronc, and leads the all-around race. He said even with all of his success there was a time he considered not even riding bulls. “When I was really little my goal was to do both events as a pro. Then when I started getting a little older I kind of just got to where I wanted to be just like my dad and just ride saddle bronc,” Wright said. “After about a week of doing that, I decided I was a bull rider as well. Nothing has changed since then.” He believes he success in 2022 is a result of everything finally clicking a year ago, leading him to a PRCA season earnings record of $686,513. He won the all-around title with a record $585,850, which broke Trevor Brazile’s PRCA record for most money won in a

QUOTABLE “A year ago, I set myself up in a spot to win three gold buckles. That’s kind of how I felt like the all-around came together last year. It had a lot to do with me going into the NFR with a ton of confidence.” – Stetson Wright

2022 ALL-AROUND COWBOY STANDINGS

1. Stetson Wright, Milford, Utah. ............... $378,340 2. Caleb Smidt, Bellville, Texas..................... 147,744 3. Haven Meged, Miles City, Mont................ 142,436 4. Josh Frost, Randlett, Utah........................ 138,675 5. Zack Jongbloed, Iowa, La......................... 126,550 6. Marty Yates, Stephenville, Texas.............. 119,898 7. Paul David Tierney, Oklahoma City, Okla.. 118,792 8. Taylor Santos, Creston, Calif.................... 118,055 9. Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla................... 115,858 10. Rhen Richard, Roosevelt, Utah............... 102,528 11. Erich Rogers, Round Rock, Ariz................ 79,085 12. Brush Minton, Witter Springs, Calif.. ........ 61,522 13. Stan Branco, Chowchilla, Calif.. ................ 59,150 14. Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta............... 57,230 15. Hudson Wallace, George West, Texas....... 52,007

FROM THE CHAMP

“When I was really little my goal was to do both events as a pro (saddle bronc riding and bull riding). Then when I started getting a little older I kind of just got to where I wanted to be just like my dad and just ride saddle bronc,” Wright said.

Wright

“After about a week of doing that, I decided I was a bull rider as well. Nothing has changed since then.” – Stetson Wright

season at $518,011, which he accomplished in 2015. “It just took me realizing I can win in the bulls and the broncs,” Wright said. “It went clear from 2019 to 2021 for me to realize that I had an actual shot of being a world champion in the bulls and the saddle bronc and once I realized that last year I started winning more. “A year ago, I set myself up in a spot to win three gold buckles. "That’s kind of how I felt like the all-around came together last year. It had a lot to do with me going into the NFR with a ton of confidence.” And he has his sights set on adding a fourth PRCA All AroundWorld Championship to his name this season. “That’s the plan and I want to win my second saddle bronc and bull riding titles. I’mmore than ready for another NFR.”

Stetson Wright won saddle bronc riding at Cheyenne Frontier Days in 2022 and is going for his fourth straight all around title at the Wrangler NFR. Jason Suntych photo

ProRodeo Sports News 11/18/2022

WRANGLER NATIONAL FINALS RODEO

DEC. 1-10, 2022

ProRodeo Sports News 11/18/2022

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