ProRodeo Sports News - Nov. 22, 2019

DECEMBER 5-14 LAS VEGAS

Record-Breaker Ryder Wright leads saddle bronc riding

BY MATT NABER R yder Wright has been rewriting ProRodeo history since 2017. That year he set a pair of world records, becoming the youngest saddle bronc riding world champion at 19 and setting the record for most money won in a single season, including the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Before setting foot in theThomas &Mack Center for the 2019 Wrangler NFR, he’s $50,450 away from breaking his single-season earnings record after winning $224,488 during the regular season and earning $10,000 for making the Top 15 in the PRCA | RAMWorld Standings. “It’s pretty cool to hold a record, but I’m sure it will be broken someday,” saidWright, 21. “Records are made to be broken.” With two months remaining in the 2019 regular season, Wright broke the regular-season earnings record for saddle bronc riding by $828 with $184,880 as of July 30. By the end of the regular season, he had surpassed the old record by $40,436. “It’s about taking care of my family really, giving them everything they want,” the young father said. “I try to give those guys a happy homelife for when I’m gone.” Ryder’s uncle, Spencer Wright, wasn’t surprised by Ryder’s 2019 accomplishments. “Ryder’s a pretty unbelievable bronc rider in my eyes,” Spencer Wright said. “I don’t think it’ll be the last record he breaks.” Ryder is the fourth member of his family to win the saddle bronc riding world title. His dad, Cody, won world titles in 2008 and 2010. His uncles Jesse and Spencer won world titles in 2012 and 2014, respectively. This year’s Wrangler NFR will feature Ryder, Spencer, Rusty and Jesse Wright in saddle bronc riding and StetsonWright in bull riding. “You’re not competing against them, it’s against the horse you have,” Ryder said. “You try to do your best, and sometimes it goes your way and sometimes it goes theirs – I want them to win as bad as I want me to win.” Spencer agreed. “The more the merrier – I like being down there with my family,” Spencer said. “There’s nobody better to compete against, and there’s always someone there to help.” Ryder is entering the Wrangler NFR with a $44,987 lead over No. 2 saddle bronc rider ZekeThurston. “Oh, shoot, that lead is nothing when you get down there with as much money as there is at the NFR,” Ryder said. “I’ll try to ride broncs like I have all year and hopefully I draw as good there as I did all year. Hopefully I didn’t use up all my drawing luck.” Ryder’s biggest win of the 2019 season was at The American in Arlington, Texas, where he won $103,000 – $50,000 of which counted toward the PRCA | RAMWorld Standings. Before that win, he was fourth in the world standings. The win vaulted him into first where he remained the rest of the season. “It was pretty cool to be able to win that and compete against my dad when he hadn’t been riding in almost a year,” Ryder said. “I wish he had won it, but since he didn’t, I’m glad I did.” Spencer shared his nephew’s opinion. “We’ve always been a pretty close family,” Spencer said. “We have our little family arguments once in a while like anyone else, but Dad always said, ‘Blood is thicker than water,’ and I think we all try to live by that sort of code.”

2019 SADDLE BRONC RIDING STANDINGS

1. Ryder Wright, Milford, Utah.................. $224,488 2. Zeke Thurston, Big Valley, Alberta........... 176,991 3. Jacobs Crawley, Boerne, Texas. .............. 121,012 4. Spencer Wright, Milford, Utah. ............... 120,105 5. Rusty Wright, Milford, Utah.................... 118,192 6. Chase Brooks, Deer Lodge, Mont............ 116,283 7. Sterling Crawley, Stephenville, Texas...... 114,427 8. Jake Watson, Hudson’s Hope, B.C.......... 108,791 9. Brody Cress, Hillsdale, Wyo.................... 105,872 10. Dawson Hay, Wildwood, Alberta............. 100,311 11. Mitch Pollock, Winnemucca, Nev.............. 99,542 12. Bradley Harter, Loranger, La.. ................... 99,351 13. Jesse Wright, Milford, Utah...................... 96,505 14. Colt Gordon, Comanche, Okla................... 91,071 15. J.J. Elshere, Hereford, S.D........................ 90,811 QUOTABLE “It’s pretty cool to hold a record, but I’m sure it will be broken someday. Records are made to be broken. It’s about taking care of my family really, giving them everything they want. I try to give those guys a happy homelife for when I’m gone.” – Ryder Wright HEAR IT FROM THE CHAMP Wade Sundell 2018 Saddle Bronc Riding World Champion “Words can’t explain it, it’s amazing. I’ve been trying to do it since the first time here. It’s the gold buckle and what everyone wants, it’s the greatest thing ever. Everyone shoots for it and it’s what you always work for. Before tonight (Round 5 of 2018 Wrangler NFR) I felt good and kept firing away at them. I told (flankman) Heith Stewart earlier that they (the crowd) were needing to be wowed and that he was about to see something he hadn’t seen in a while. I was stoked to have that one (Frontier Rodeo's Medicine Woman), and it’s the best she has ever been with me, so I bared down and had fun. Just being here is the coolest thing you ever get to do." Sundell

ProRodeo Sports News 11/22/2019

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