BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
Brody Cress seems to win everywhere he goes and this season was no different. The Wyoming native who has won the NFR Average in three of his previous seven appearances and won a whopping 19 rodeos in the 2024 regular season, more than any other saddle bronc rider.
He will enter the NFR in the mix for his first career Gold Buckle at No. 5 with $213,988.
Brad Gjermundson Extreme Broncs, $20,421
There is no better place for your first win of a PRCA regular season than New Town, North Dakota. All the way back in October of 2023, Cress was marked between 84.5 and 86.5 points three straight times to win the Average, which paid more than $10,000. He placed fifth or better in all three rounds and in the end, beat out cowboys like Wyatt Casper, Kolby Wanchuk, and Ryder Sanford.
National Western Stock Show and Rodeo, $10,919
With scores ranging from 82 to 86.5 in the early rounds, Cress put together a 91-point masterpiece in the Finals to capture his second National Western title since 2020.
By January 21, he had already pocketed more than $30,000, winning the two biggest rodeos of the year despite competing in just five events.
Oakley City Independence Day Rodeo, $7,022
Cowboy Christmas sparked the Wyoming native’s season, with his biggest payday coming from an 89.5-point ride on United Pro Rodeo’s Ropin Dreams in Oakley City, Utah, the top score of the year on that horse.
It was one of his three wins over Cowboy Christmas - he was also 87.5 to win the Basin City Freedom Rodeo in Washington and 86.5 to win the Western Stampede in Utah.
All told, it moved him from No. 13 to No. 10 in the PRCA World Standings.
Dodge City Roundup, $7,141
Two rides of 87 and 86.5 points were enough to get Cress one of his PRCA-leading nine Playoff Series wins. His 173.5 points on two were 3.5 points clear of Isaac Diaz and gave him back-to-back victories in Dodge City. A year ago, he won it with 175.5 points on two.
Home on the Range Champions Ride, $13,673
The same weekend as Dodge City, he won even more at a standalone bronc riding in North Dakota. Cress took third in the Long Round with 86 points before winning the Finals, and the Average, with a 90-point ride on Straight Moonshine.
That weekend, he also was 88 points at the Douglas County Fair and Rodeo, so he averaged 87.5 points to kickoff August.
Farm-City Pro Rodeo, $8,516
The week following those three victories, Cress kept the momentum rolling. He claimed a win in Oregon with a stellar 90-point ride on The Calgary Stampede’s Flying Carma, marking his second 90+ ride in two weeks.
August’s second weekend mirrored the first, as Cress wasn’t done yet. Along with his Farm-City triumph, he pocketed another $8,000 by winning the Lea County PRCA Rodeo with an 89-point ride on Pete Carr’s Dirty Jacket.
Horse Heaven Roundup, $7,990
After winning two checks the third weekend of August, Cress was not done winning yet when he arrived in Kennewick, Washington.
There, he swept the rodeo with rides of 87 and 89 points.
By the end of August, Cress had moved from No. 11 to No. 8 in the World Standings.
Governor’s Cup, $18,500
The Finals in Sioux Falls offer the ultimate prize, and Cress earned his spot with two of his first three rides scoring 86.5 points or higher. Despite a fourth place finish in the Four-Man, it still added $7,500 to his year-end total.
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