Stetson Wright has seven Gold Buckles to his name so far with sights set on many more. After the Triple Crown evaded him in 2022, he came into 2023 with one goal - win three Gold Buckles.
His success in the saddle bronc riding during the regular season has him on his way there as he enters Las Vegas No. 1 in the World with $251,626, about $2,000 off of the regular season record set by Sage Newman in 2022.
After breaking through first as a bull rider, Wright proved that his all-around prowess included championship level bronc riding, when he won the World Championship in 2021 by outdueling Brody Cress and his brother Ryder.
BIGGEST PAYDAYS
San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, $25,500
A good start to San Antone for Stetson Wright was winning Round 1 and 3 of Bracket 1, and it got even better from there during the second stop of the Texas Swing. An 87.5-point ride on Mustard of Sankey Pro Rodeo and Phenom Genetics in the Semifinals moved him to the Finals where he wound up a whopping 92.5 points to be the Champion. That matched his highest marked ride of the season.
Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, $23,080
A strong Texas Swing started for Wright in Fort Worth when he split the win with Dawson Hay. After being the No. 1 cowboy to advance from Bracket 7, he won the First Semifinal before going 90.5 points on Calgary Stampede’s Xena Warrior in the Finals, which paid both him and Hay $16,000.
Xtreme Broncs Finals (South Dakota), $19,529
Wright’s 87-point ride in Round 1 was only good enough for fifth, but he bested that when he climbed Freckles of Mosbrucker Rodeo to be 90.5 points for a second-place finish in Rapid City. Wright was paid $11,459 for his two-head total of 177.5 points. Wyatt Casper was first 181 on two.
Rodeo Austin, $17,839
After not winning RodeoHouston, Wright got back where he belonged during the fourth rodeo of the Texas Swing. He finished first or second in all three rounds he competed in with three straight rides marked 88 points or higher. The best was in the Finals, where he was 90 points on Brutus of Andrews Rodeo to win by two points over a three-way tie that included Zeke Thurston, Wyatt Casper and Q Taylor.
HIGHEST MARKED RIDE
Brad Gjermundson Extreme Broncs (North Dakota), 92.5 Points
Before calendar turned to 2023, Wright laid the foundation for a prosperous season. A 92.5-point ride on J Bar J’s Painted J won Wright the Second Round and $5,157 in New Town, North Dakota. It was the highest marked ride of the event by 2.5 points
San Angelo Cinch Chute Out, 91 points
On the last day of action in San Angelo, Wright swept the competition and his ride in the Finals would go on to be his second highest score of the entire regular season. Aboard Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Larry Culpepper, Wright rode for 91 points to win $7,500. It would be a critical first step to erasing the deficit to RodeoHouston champion Sage Newman and returning to the No. 1 ranking.
Utah Days of ’47 Rodeo, 91 Points
Wright would end up the Silver Medalist in Salt Lake City, Utah after a 91-point ride in the Gold Medal Round fell a point and a half short of the win. But that 91 on C5 Rodeo’s Storm Warning topped Wright’s personal charts. It was one of a PRCA-best 10 rides of 90 Points or More he had in 2023.
NOTABLE WINS
National Western Stock Show and Rodeo, 90 Points in Finals
Wright won the first two rounds of his bracket then went 90 on The Cervi Brothers’ Ed Bishop to win the first PRCA Playoff Series Rodeo of the 2023 season.
Ellensburg Rodeo (Washington), 177.5 Points on Two
A third-place finish in Round 1 of the Labor Day Weekend rodeo got Wright into the Finals where he drew Calgary Stampede’s Business Girl. Eight seconds later and Wright easily took the lead with the 90.5 to cruise to a six-point win in the Average.
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