He is a young gun that everyone needs to keep an eye on. With one Wrangler National Finals Rodeo Average title under his belt, Paden Bray has a lead foot on the gas pedal as he heads into Las Vegas for his second NFR.
Bray ropes with Erich Rogers and the two have been on fire the entire 2021 season. He pulled a check in a round at the Sandhills Stock Show and Rodeo and another in a round at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. But Bray got a huge $100,000 pay day at the American when he and Rogers roped a 5.0 to win the Shootout Round.
ERICH ROGERS AND PADEN BRAY AT THE AMERICAN SHOOTOUT ROUND
Bray went on to do well enough with his partner at San Angelo Rodeo that over $9,000 was added to his season earnings when another win came from the San Angelo Cinch Chute Out.
During the summer Bray brought in a check from winning the Ute Mountain Round-Up (Colorado) and from placing at Strawberry Days Rodeo (Utah). Over the last weekend in June, over $8,500 was added to his season earnings after successful trips to Colorado and Utah.
ERICH ROGERS AND PADEN BRAY AT THE SAN ANGELO RODEO CINCH CHUTE OUT
The winning continued as Bray won Round 2 of the Wolf Point Wild Horse Stampede with a 5.1 but it didn’t stop there. At Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo, a 5.0 second run got them the win in Round 1 and they followed it up with a 6.1 to be second in Round 2.
ERICH ROGERS AND PADEN BRAY AT PIKES PEAK OR BUST RODEO
One weekend swing in August consisted of hitting rodeos in Oregon, Utah and Montana that paid off. Bray took home $5,687. His season ended with a bang after Rogers and Bray roped a 4.2 in Round 2 at the Pendleton Round-Up and an 8.4 at California Rodeo Salinas, which happened to also be the Pro Rodeo Tour Finale.
Bray is the No. 3 ranked heeler in the World headed to his second NFR. The twist is that this is his first trip to the Thomas and Mack. However, Bray is loaded with horsepower, confidence and his partner is the No. 2 header in the world, Erich Rogers. Bray is setting up to win the world.
