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Stetson Wright breaks regular season all-around earnings mark again

In just his fifth season of ProRodeo, Stetson Wright continues to rewrite the record books.

After earning $17,927 over the weekend at three NFR Playoff Series presented by Pendleton Whisky rodeos, the Milford, Utah, cowboy has now broken the PRCA record for the most money won in the all-around in a single season again with $332,023 in saddle bronc riding and bull riding.

Last season, Wright broke the record that was previously set by Trevor Brazile in 2015, when he ended the 2021 regular season with $320,482. He would then go on to set the all-time single season earning record after the NFR with $686,513.

At 23 years old, Wright is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. In 2020, he was the PRCA World Champion in the all-around and bull riding. Last season, he added his fourth and fifth gold buckles by winning the all-around yet again and capturing his first saddle bronc riding world title.

He currently sits No.1 in the PRCA | RAM World Standings in bull riding and second in saddle bronc riding. His 2022 season has been spurred by 21 all-around, 11 saddle bronc riding, and 11 bull riding wins so far this season.

Wright will have a golden opportunity to add to his regular season earnings total with still five weeks remaining in the ProRodeo regular season, which concludes on Sept. 30.

The Cinch Playoffs at the Puyallup Rodeo at the Washington State Fair, Sept. 8-11 will play a key role in catapulting athletes into the 2022 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Teton Ridge with a $1 million payout.

Brody Cress wins Xtreme Broncs Finals in Rapid City (S.D.)

The standard exists for Brody Cress. His resume remains bloated with accomplishments. At 26, he has won the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo saddle bronc average title three times, including last season, and qualified for the sport's top event five times.

He defines consistency. So, the performance he delivered on Sunday night at the Xtreme Broncs Finals in Rapid City, S.D., should come as no surprise.

Against a loaded field, Cress posted a 93.5-point ride on Sutton Rodeo's South Point, besting a group that included three other scores in the 90s at the Central State Fair Grandstand Arena.

By finishing with a flourish, Cress captured the two-head average with 180 points, netting $14,382 for the average and $23,059 for the event. Back in 2019, Cress split the win at the inaugural Xtreme Broncs Finals with Wade Sundell.

“It was definitely a good night. Those events are amazing with the competition, and I knew it was going to take something good,” Cress said. “I couldn’t have gotten a better horse. He gives you a chance every time. He had been hurt and we didn’t know if he would compete. But he healed up. So, to ride a horse of that caliber, it was really hard to lose. I was pumped up after that ride.”

It represented a dramatic rally for the star. Cress had an 86.5-point ride on Bailey Pro Rodeo's Capone in his first ride, placing him last among the eight cowboys to make the short round. That left him going first. He set the tone.

It unfolded like this. With the big crowd ready to roar, Cress left the chute on standout horse South Point, who was ornery.

The horse kicked its back legs violently into the air 11 times as he made his way forward. The public address announcer bellowed, "You've got to be kidding! Oh, my goodness!" as Cress stayed in rhythm, hopped off onto his feet and into the prize money.

That's how you set a new arena record and top the likes of Ryder Wright, Lefty Holman, Sage Newman, and Dawson Hay, who won this event last year on South Point.

Cress has said in the past that when he draws a good horse, then "it's up to me to do my job, to stay positive." He learns and moves forward from his runs, which prevents slumps. He also credits his support group for keeping him focused with the right mindset. He's always ready to compete. And triumph.

Cress winning has become a tradition across the country this season – well, really every season since he bought his PRCA card in 2014.

The Rapid City effort represented his 10th victory of the season, joining a list that features; The Daily Record Xtreme Bares and Broncos in Ellensburg, Wash., and La Fiesta De Los Vaqueros in Tucson, Ariz., over the winter.

Cress is defined by his consistency and this season has only reinforced that image.

Watching Cress throw his right arm triumphantly into the air on Sunday in Rapid City, it's not hard to see that scene repeated at this year's NFR.

Tie-down roper Macon Murphy gets huge win in Caldwell

Caldwell, Idaho, is a far place, from Keatchie, La., but the famous Caldwell Night Rodeo fans were like a hometown crowd for tie-down roper Macon Murphy as he captured his first title there on Aug. 20.

Murphy tied three calves in 24.8 seconds to secure the win and take home a much-needed $10,630 along with valuable points on the NFR Playoff Series presented by Pendleton Whisky.

"It's loud every night in Caldwell but there's nothing like the short round," said Murphy, 23. "This was really a special win for me because I have family who live outside of Caldwell, and they were able to come tonight."

"It was good to see someone with the same blood," Murphy joked about months out on the road, far from home. "I got to stay with my cousins and my uncle, put my feet up for a few hours."

Murphy had a long but lucrative week. He roped both his long round calves in Caldwell during the slack on Monday, Aug. 15 before heading to Canby, Ore., Gooding, Idaho, Kalispell, Mont., and Billings, Mont. before arriving back in Caldwell for the finals. Luckily, he picked up a little help just before Billings when buddy Quinn Haughton flew in to help him drive.

Riding his good bay horse Julian in Caldwell, Murphy placed in both long rounds and held a comfortable lead going into the finals.

"I was really going after it, on the barrier and trying to put the pressure on them. I didn't want to do anything stupid, but I was trying to win some money," Murphy said of the first two runs.

Though he says he doesn't watch the PRCA | RAM World Standings, he knows he needs to win to keep his dreams of reaching the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo alive.

"It's the craziest thing. When I left for the summer, I figured it would take about $1,000 a rodeo, so $75,000 to get to the Finals," Murphy said, noting that his estimate kept climbing as the season progressed.

"Now, it's like, I'm going to try to win $150,000. All the right guys keep winning," he noted.

Murphy's trek through the north country brought him close to relatives not only in Caldwell but Montana as well and the familiarity, along with the addition of Haughton for driving, seemed to bring luck.

"We're two for two since I picked him up," Murphy joked, referencing the win in Billings as well. "I told him, I don't care if you have to go back to work, you're staying out here."

Murphy was 17th in the world standings prior to Caldwell, Murphy remains locked in a battle with a handful of other ropers for the final positions into the Wrangler NFR.

"It's actually been pretty fun," he said. "I can't get ahead. If I win something, then Riley Webb does too. If it's not us, then Kincade Henry is winning or Cooper Martin.

"It really is a blast, the head-to-head is what it's all about and it makes you stronger and stronger. I wouldn't have it any other way."

The tough competition coupled with the electric crowd on Saturday had Murphy fired up when he made his final run to seal the championship.

"Normally I'm not one to show much emotion but I definitely let a little out there," he laughed.

Other winners at the $358,958 rodeo were all-around cowboy Stetson Wright ($10,236, saddle bronc riding and bull riding); bareback rider Tim O'Connell (170.5 points on two head); steer wrestler Tanner Bruner (13.0 seconds on three head); team ropers Jr. Dees/Levi Lord (17.8 seconds on three head); saddle bronc rider Dawson Hay (177.5 points on two head); barrel racer Margo Crowther (51.81 seconds on three runs); breakaway roper Beau Peterson (8.4 seconds on three head); and bull rider Stetson Wright (93 points on Powder River Rodeo's Domino).

Ryder Wright wins in Canby (Ore.) with rodeo-record ride

It's been a somewhat subdued season for saddle bronc rider Ryder Wright, at least by the standards set in his first six years as a professional where he's won two World Championships, $1.7 million, an NFR average crown and nearly every major rodeo on the docket.

But with headlines focusing on the breakout season of PRCA | RAM World Standings leader Sage Newman – as well as the continuing press for his little brother, five-time PRCA World Champion Stetson Wright – Ryder Wright has quietly stalked the leaders this season and sits solidly in fourth in the current PRCA | RAM World Standings.

The leaders would be well served to keep an eye over their shoulder, however. Wright has gained momentum through the summer, capped with an outstanding performance in Canby, Ore., on Aug. 17.

Aboard the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo horse Redon Acres from the Calgary Stampede, Wright dished up a 90.5-point score, good enough for a new arena record and the win at the rodeo, which concluded Aug. 20.

"I didn't know that," Wright, 24, admitted days later of the record. "If that's true, that's pretty cool. It never gets old."

The previous mark was 89 points set in 2009 by Wade Sundell and tied in 2018 by Clay Elliot.

The Canby Rodeo was a key stop on the NFR Playoff Series presented by Pendleton Whisky.

Wright, who earned $4,597 for his Canby victory, had matched up with the 17-year-old bronc back in 2016 as a rookie in Puyallup, Wash.

"I was not near as many points that time as I was this time," Wright noted wryly. "He reared out of there and I got a really good mark out. Then he just jumped and kicked across there like he always does; he always does his job."

Wright was marked 48 out of 50 by the judges for his ride.

"It felt good."

It was Wright's second 90-plus effort aboard a Calgary horse in a matter of days on the NFR Playoff Series, after a win last week in Hermiston, Ore.

He's also won nearly $20,000 during the first two weeks of August, prior to the Canby effort.

"I've been drawing well and things have been working out," he said. "I just hope to keep it rolling."

Wright was enjoying a relatively easy week with rodeos bunched close together in Caldwell, Gooding and Burley after Canby.

"It's kinda nice, slow down for a second. Sleep," he joked.

But the pause is temporary, and Wright may be on a hot streak at just the right moment to close the gap on the standings leaders with the Xtreme Broncs Finals Aug. 21 in Rapid City, S.D., as well as the $1 million Cinch Playoff Sept. 8-11 in Puyallup, Wash.

"The X-Broncs usually treats me pretty well so I'm excited for that," Wright said.

As for his motivation to keep hitting the road at the end of the long season? "Good horses, good money . . . the gold buckle is the big motivation."

Wright is looking to capture his third after losing out to Stetson by just $1,187 in 2021.

"It's tough being gone from home," he admitted, "but this is how we take care of our families."

Other winners at the $201,791 rodeo were all-around cowboy Stetson Wright ($2,222, saddle bronc riding and bull riding); bareback rider Keenan Hayes (89.5 points on Calgary Stampede's Soap Bubbles); steer wrestlers Hunter Cure, Taz Olson and Cash Rob (7.8 seconds each on two head); team ropers Clay Smith/Jake Long (10.8 seconds on two head); tie-down roper Shad Mayfield (16.1 seconds on two head); barrel racer Shannon McReynolds (16.42 seconds); and bull rider Josh Frost (88.5 points on Bridwell Pro Rodeos' Louisiana Lightning).

Steer wrestler Stan Branco takes Gooding crown with blistering run

Stan Branco talks deliberately, his speech in juxtaposition to his urgent pursuit. With his recent run of success, he can see a circle forming around his career. An NFR berth sits within reach for the first time since 2013 when he won a Finals round and placed in three others.

The vision of going back crystallized at the Gooding (Idaho) Pro Rodeo this weekend as the steer wrestler turned in the best time of his career, clocking in at 3.2 seconds. It was a bit of a blur. In a good way.

"I thought I broke the barrier, but I didn't hear anybody holler. I was really running it. I knew I was in it," Branco said of the one-header event. "The steers were good there, and that time is by far my fastest (he posted a 3.5 at the NFR nearly a decade ago)."

He earned $3,952 for the victory.

Branco began thinking of the big picture this season after netting $3,128 at the NFR Open in Colorado Springs, Colo. His confidence buoyed; the math started to make sense for a return to the sport's biggest stage with a strong finish over the final few months. It also helps he has Oscar, "a great horse," provided by his friend and fellow steer wrestler Dirk Tavenner. The last time Branco rodeoed full time was on Oscar in 2018-19.

"I have been pretty fortunate this week. Things have gone well," Branco said. "It has all worked out."

Branco is pursuing his goal with a much different motivation than nine years ago. After some tough luck, he moved back home to Chowchilla, Calif. Rodeo was never far away, not when you come from a family steeped in the sport – five generations of competitors on his mother's side and three generations on his father's side. But what happened next changed his perspective. He met and married his wife, Kate. The couple welcomed their first child, baby boy Riggs, on July 6.

"It's been really good (being a husband and dad)," said Branco, 35. "I am older, and I wanted to have kids."

Now, Branco seeks to finish this season strong. His schedule includes a flurry of upcoming events. Branco cannot afford patience or to play it safe. He needs wins to return to the NFR, but his four this season suggest that anything is possible.

"I have an outside chance. I know I am going to have to win a ton," Branco said. "I am going to be going pretty much as hard as I can entering events and if it goes well, who knows?"

Other winners at the rodeo were $173,532 rodeo were all-around cowboy Stetson Wright ($4,829 saddle bronc riding and bull riding); bareback rider Caleb Bennett (89.5 points on Summit Pro Rodeo's Game Trail); team ropers Tanner Tomlinson/Patrick Smith (4.0 seconds); saddle bronc rider Stetson Dell Wright (88 points on Summit Pro Rodeo's Dry Creek); tie-down roper Matt Shiozawa (7.6 seconds); barrel racer Michelle Darling (16.88 seconds); and bull rider Gavin Michel (89 points on Macza Pro Rodeo's Ugly Wish).

News & Notes From The Rodeo Trail

The PRCA and the Cowboy Channel want to give you something to smile about while enjoying America’s western sports streaming on the PRCA on Cowboy Channel Plus App.

The Cowboy Channel is the official network of ProRodeo through 2028 and to celebrate we are including the 2022 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo with an annual subscription to PRCA on Cowboy Channel + for only $99.99. Stream over 750 PRCA Rodeo Performances, AND all ten days and nights of the 2022 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo for only $99.99. This offer is for a limited time and may not be offered again. Never miss a minute of the action, signup at cowboychannelplus.com and get more bang for your bucks!

For monthly subscribers, the 2022 Wrangler NFR WILL NOT be included but you can upgrade to an annual subscription for the same $99.99 and enjoy all the same great rodeos and get the 2022 Wrangler NFR!

2022 PRCA | RAM World Standings

Please see prorodeo.com for the latest standings update. All standings are unofficial.

2022 PRCA Rodeo Results

Current and in-progress results

WPRA Barrel Racing Standings

About The PRCA

The PRCA, headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo., is recognized as the unsurpassed leader in sanctioning the sport of professional rodeo. The PRCA's mission is to unify membership in providing an innovative fan experience, to grow the sport of professional rodeo and provide new expanded opportunities for our membership and sponsors. Since 1986, the PRCA has paid out more than $1 billion in prize money to its contestants. The PRCA offers the best cowboys and the best rodeos, delivering the best fan experience while positively impacting our communities and embracing the spirit of the West. A membership-based organization, the PRCA sanctioned more than 840 events in 2021, and there are more than 40 million rodeo fans in the U.S. The sport’s marquee event, the National Finals Rodeo, has increased its payout to more than $10.9 million in 2022. The PRCA televises the sport's premier events, with the world-renowned National Finals Rodeo on The Cowboy Channel and RFD-TV and streaming on the PRCA on Cowboy Channel Plus App. There were more than 600 rodeos streamed on the PRCA on Cowboy Channel Plus App in 2021. PRCA-sanctioned rodeos donate more than $40 million to local and national charities every year. For comprehensive coverage of the cowboy sport, read ProRodeo Sports News, the official publication of the PRCA. The digital PSN and daily updates of news and results can be found on the PRCA's official website, www.prorodeo.com.

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For additional information about this press release, contact:

Tracy Renck

719.528.4758

trenck@prorodeo.com

Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association

101 Pro Rodeo Drive

Colorado Springs, CO 80919 www.prorodeo.com