Bull Rider Closes 2024 With $10,000 Payday At Top Gun Invitational

Scott Wells rolls into the new year with more than a third of what he earned during the last PRCA season already in his ledger.

Second-year pro bull rider Scott Wells picked up a big win on New Year's Eve in Fallon, Nev. / Alexis Cady/@wildredrodeo

A familiar foe on the final day of 2024 propelled bull rider Scott Wells into the new year with some significant momentum. 

On New Year’s Eve at the Roughy Top Gun Invitational presented by the City of Fallon (Nev.), the Snyder, Texas cowboy got a second shot at Legacy Pro Rodeo’s Don Juan. And this time he made it count. 

“Seeing him again, I was pretty happy about it,” Wells said with a laugh. 

After being bucked off at the Strawberry Days Rodeo in Pleasant Grove, Utah last June, Wells stayed on for eight seconds in the rematch, notching an 83.5-point ride. 

The result proved to be more than enough to launch him into 2025 as it won the round, giving him an advantage over the field – one he wouldn’t relinquish. 

In the short go, all eight bull riders were bucked off, meaning Wells’ first-round victory was enough to earn him the average title and $10,951 in total earnings from the event. 

Scott Wells' win at the Rough Top Gun Invitational gave him nearly $11,000 in additional earnings as 2025 begins. / Alexis Cady/@wildredrodeo

After a strong start, Wells was worried he wouldn’t stay atop the leaderboard. He pulled his groin during his ride against Don Juan, leaving him uncomfortable heading into the finals. Fortunately, his win made Wells the last to go in the short round. He watched in disbelief as everyone else in the competition failed to stay on. 

“I was kind of going in thinking somebody would stay on another one. But it worked in my favor,” Wells said. 

His second ride against Legacy Pro Rodeo’s Train Station resulted in a buck off, a familiar trend for the animal as it was only ridden once in 2024. 

While it wasn’t the most exciting finish to the event, the result was exactly what Wells needed. In 2024, he finished fifth in the Resistol Rookie of the Year Bull Rider race with a little more than $61,500 in earnings, placing him 40th in the PRCA World Standings. 

As 2025 begins, he’s already amassed $22,359 in winnings thanks to success at the Texas Circuit Finals and Three Hills Rodeo FFA Edition. 

The goal now – keep the momentum rolling. 

“Last year wasn’t too bad, it just didn’t quite end up how I wanted it to. But 2025 should be good, I’ll hopefully go to the NFR and things like that,” Wells said.