Stetson Wright is one of the youngest PRCA bull riders in history. With five world titles to his name, including three in all-around (2019-21), he has the potential to become one of the greatest rodeo athletes in the sport.
While growing up as a rodeo royalty may seem like a lot of pressure, Stetson keeps it in check and always puts his family first. He says they are his biggest competition and he always has their backs.
All-Around Cowboy
Stetson Wright, a native of Milford, Oregon, is one of the most successful cowboys in history. He has won many titles and holds several PRCA records, including the highest earnings at a single rodeo, lifetime earnings, most money won in one season, and most titles won in multiple categories.
Wright is a skilled bull rider and has won world championships in both the bull riding and saddle bronc riding divisions. He also has a knack for team roping and tie-down roping.
He is the first bull rider to win two consecutive all-around world championships. He is also the first to win three consecutive all-around gold buckles at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
Stetson Wright has had a solid week at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Teton Ridge in Las Vegas. He had earned a total of $586,513, and was atop the all-around and saddle bronc riding standings.
Bull Riding
Stetson Wright has a unique skill set and is one of the top rodeo professionals in the country. He is known for his success in Bull Riding and Saddle Bronc Riding.
For those who aren’t familiar, bull riding is a highly competitive event that requires riders to mount a bull with perfect style for eight seconds. It is a timed event that uses four judges to score a rider and bull on a scale from 0-100 points.
The winner of the event earns a cash prize and two gold buckles. Riders must qualify for the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) through a series of rodeos that are held throughout the year.
Wright, who competes in both saddle bronc riding and bull riding, started his PRCA career with a bang, earning back-to-back all-around world championship titles and last year’s bull riding title. He added a saddle bronc riding title to his resume at the 2022 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, which took place before 17,506 spectators at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Saddle Bronc Riding
Stetson Wright of Milford, Utah, is making a name for himself in the world of professional rodeo. He’s won three straight all-around world championships and added bull riding (2020) and saddle bronc riding (2021) titles this past season.
Originally a way for cowboys to break in horses, saddle bronc riding evolved into the competitive sport we know today. It requires finesse, balance and agility, along with a lot of timing, spurring and precise placement of the rider’s hand on the buck rein.
It also involves teamwork. Cowboys rely on their friends and relatives to help them prepare their horses for the competition.
Saddle bronc riding traces its roots back to the Wild West, when cowboys fought for their livelihood by breaking in and training wild horses on ranches. It’s a tough event that takes discipline and technique, but it is also very rewarding to watch.
NFR Qualifier
When Stetson Wright takes the stage at the NFR, he is hoping to add a fourth PRCA all-around title to his collection. But if his ambitions are to become the best saddle bronc rider and bull rider the PRCA has ever seen, he will have to make a lot of go-round wins this week at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
The 23-year-old Milford, Utah, cowboy already has a three-time PRCA all-around title and two world championships in the saddle bronc riding discipline. He’s also a four-time NFR qualifier and has more than $378,440 in qualifying all-around earnings this year.
He’s also currently leading the bull riding standings by a healthy margin and has about $60,000 to spare in the saddle broncs. But he knows a few go-round wins can make up that ground quickly, especially if he adds a couple of all-around victories to his collection. That’s exactly what he hopes to do this week.
