After falling just short of the National Finals Rodeo each of the last two seasons, the youngest Wright brother has secured his first trip to the Thomas & Mack.
Statler Wright will nod his head under the bright lights of Las Vegas as the No. 9 ranked saddle bronc rider in the World.
With 16 wins to his name this season, Wright made his NFR dreams come true by claiming more titles than any saddle bronc rider other than Brody Cress.
Wilderness Circuit Finals, $6,133
Wright promptly got his season started how he wanted when he found major success at the Circuit Finals in the first weekend of November 2023. He won Round 3 with an 87-point ride on Western Rodeo’s Hippy Mountain after placing in Round 2. He would wind up the No. 1 cowboy in the Average.
The early success train got its start earlier when Wright picked up the win at the Industry Hills Charity Pro Rodeo on Bridwell Pro Rodeo’s Chuck Wagon, his first rodeo of the year. The Wilderness Circuit Finals were his second.
Sandhills Stock Show and Rodeo, $4,563
Wright rang in the New Year with a win in west Texas at the season’s first Playoff Series Rodeos. The 87.5-point ride he made on Beutler and Son Rodeo’s Rawhide would get the win in Odessa by 3.5 points over Sterling Crawley and Riggin Smith who split second.
In his first five rodeos of the 2024 season, Wright won three of them and notched a second and third place finish.
Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, $8,750
The highest marked ride of Wright’s regular season would come early on during the first leg of the Texas Swing. The matchup with Calgary Stampede’s Urgent Delivery in Round 2 of Bracket 5 was worth 90 points. All four of his rides in Fort Worth were marked 86.5 or better and he went on to finish fourth.
San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo
Wright once again shined during the pressure of the Texas Swing. He was marked 82.5 points or better on all four of his rides and made the Finals in San Antone, winning the Second Semifinal along the way.
Southeast Livestock Exposition, $4,089
Big Sister of Frontier Rodeo would be Wright’s partner to pick up a win in Alabama. He was 86.5 points to beat out a tie between his brother Ryder and Sage Newman. With Wyatt Casper and Kade Bruno finishing fourth and fifth, the Top 5 at this rodeo all finished in the Top 10 in the World Standings.
Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo, $3,920
In the panhandle of Oklahoma, Wright would get another Playoff Series win when he covered Watch Kitty of Frontier Rodeo for 87.5 points. He avenged a 66-point ride from his first appearance in Guymon a year ago.
Home of the Navajo PRCA Rodeo, $3,807
The month of May would wrap up with the second 90 of Wright’s season. The Cervi Brother’s R. Watson Ed Bishop would be the horse next to Wright’s name that would help get the winning score.
Mountain Valley Stampede, $6,571
Wright teamed up with Powder River’s Kansas for 88 points, the highest marked ride of the year on that horse by six points, to win in his home state during the first weekend of August.
The same weekend, he also won the War Bonnet Roundup with 89.5 points.
It was all part of a stretch where he made eight straight rides of 81 points or better and won eight straight checks of at least $1,000.
North Dakota Roughrider Cup, $17,935
Wright’s highest paying rodeo of the year was one of his last and the hefty payday would come aboard yet another Macza Pro Rodeo bronc. The draw for Wright in North Dakota was none other than Squash Blossom Steely Dan and the winning score would be 87.5 points.
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