Bull Rider Clayton Sellars’ Splendid Season Means a Fourth Trip to the National Finals Rodeo

Meet the NFR Athletes is presented by Montana Silversmiths

Clayton Sellars NFR 2021

STEVE WRUBEL

Clayton Sellars made his return in the PRCA in the Summer of 2023 and was back for a full season in 2024, which paid off by returning to the National Finals Rodeo for the first time since 2021. Coming in hot at the No. 5 ranked bull rider in the World, Sellars’ season was full of Xtreme Bulls success.

With more than 10 wins to his name this year, Sellars was unstoppable all the way through the final weekend of the regular season when he cashed in on one of the biggest paydays in rodeo.

Rodeo Rapid City Xtreme Bulls, $8,989

Things got rolling at the end of January when Sellars made a winter trip to South Dakota. An 86-point ride on Sankey Pro Rodeo and Phenom Genetics Bugatti won him Round 1 while an 87 on Sutton Rodeo’s Rocky was enough to put him second in the Finals. He topped the Average with 173 points on two, finishing a half-point ahead of the eventual No. 6 man in the World Jeter Lawrence.

San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, $27,083

The Texas Swing went well for Sellars on leg No. 2 when he kicked off Bracket 2 in San Antonio by winning Round 2 and 3 to be the No. 1 man to advance to the Semifinals. His 88-point ride in the Semifinals put him in the Finals where he matched up with Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Yellowstone to be 90.5 points to win the whole thing. It was his first of three wins in Texas in 2024 and his first career Texas Swing victory.

Silver Spurs Rodeo, $4,035

The Florida native returned to his home state in February to split the Silver Spurs win with Colt Gaven after the two each put an 86-point ride on the board. Sellars’ came courtesy of an eight second ride on Silver Spur Club’s C Buddy.

San Angelo Xtreme Bulls, $14,778

Serenity’s Pet of United Pro Rodeo would be Sellars’ Round 1 bull in San Angelo and the 84.5 would move him on to the Finals. There, he matched up with Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Timebomb, a multi-time NFR bull, to be the only qualified ride while also coming in at 88.5 points. Between the X Bulls and the rodeo, Sellars was 3-for-4 in San Angelo.

Black Hills Roundup, $5,772

Sellars was 5-for-8 across his eight Cowboy Christmas events and made more than half of his money for a second place finish in Belle Fourche, which was also the highest marked ride among them, 85.5 on Fettig’s War Department.

Spanish Fork Fiesta Days Xtreme Bulls, $14,923

The one header that kicks off the Fiesta Days Rodeo went in Sellars’ favor in Utah. An 85.5-point ride on Frontier Rodeo’s Gladiator’s Hammer would beat Utah’s own Josh Frost for the top spot by just half a point.

Ellensburg Rodeo Xtreme Bulls, $29,857

It was a hefty payday for Sellars over Labor Day Weekend. In Washington, his 89-point ride on Wayne Vold Rodeo’s Wild Time would be four points more than Trey Kimzey for the Go-Round wi to kick things off. And with zero qualified rides in the Finals, Sellars was named the event champion, which came with paycheck of more than $17,000 to bring him from No. 9 to No. 5 in the World Standings.

Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup, $30,000

On the final weekend of the 2024 regular season, Sellars did his job in Sioux Falls. He covered both bulls in the first two rounds to advance to the Eight-Man. Although he was a no score in that round, only two qualified rides meant his Average from the first two advanced him once again. In the clean slate, Four-Man Finals, Sellars and Burch Rodeo’s Cookies & Cream topped the leaderboard with 88 points to end the regular season with his biggest payday and solidify his Top 5 spot entering the NFR.

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