Two-Win Weekend Propels Saddle Bronc Rider Into Season Home Stretch

The three-time NFR average champ inched a little closer to locking up his eighth-straight appearance in Las Vegas with more than $23,000 earned over the last few days.

Saddle bronc rider Brody Cress rode his way to two wins and more than $23,000 in earnings over the weekend. / Click Thompson/For PRCA

On Sunday afternoon, Brody Cress sounded refreshed and energized – and for good reason. 

Coming off a win at the Home on the Range Champions Ride in Sentinel Butte, N.D., on Saturday, Cress got into Kansas early for his Sunday short-round matchup at the Dodge City Roundup. He checked into the hotel and opted to keep the curtains closed and the alarm off well into the afternoon. 

When he woke up, Cress was mentally and physically set for his next ride against a Frontier Rodeo bucking horse branded 777. Ironically, it was an animal he had ridden to win the first-go at last year’s Dodge City Roundup. 

“I’m just glad that I have one that I kind of know and have gotten to get on and know that she’s going to give me a chance,” Cress said ahead of the matchup. “She might not be the strongest horse in the pen, but it’s dang sure a horse I know I can put a 23 or 24-point spur ride on every single time, so it’s really up to me to go out there and get as much out of her as I can.”

In typical fashion, the Hillsdale, Wyo., native made the most of the opportunity, riding for 86.5 points to tie with Sterling Crawley and Logan Cook for the high score of the round. Coupled with his first-go ride of 87 points, Cress’ aggregate of 173.5 on two head was easily the best total of the rodeo, lifting him to another championship. 

Brody Cress is now the man to beat in Dodge City after 87 points on Frontier Rodeo's Big Sister last night! pic.twitter.com/3pg489C1Mf

— The Cowboy Channel (@Cowboy_Channel) August 2, 2024

It was the perfect finish to a monster weekend of competition, as Cress picked up significant checks at all three events he participated in, leading to a combined $23,238 in earnings. 

Following his first-go ride in Dodge City and a third-place effort at the Douglas County Fair and Rodeo in Castle Rock, Colo., Cress took part in the Home on the Range event, a one-day, two-ride competition for saddle bronc athletes. 

He had previously ridden the first horse he drew, J Bar J’s Stacked Deck, but was unfamiliar with his short-go foe, J Bar J’s Straight Moonshine. What he heard about the horse was it could produce big scores but had also bucked off some high level riders. 

“I knew she was going to be plenty of horsepower for me to go out there and win that short-round, so I just needed to be able to do my job and it worked out,” Cress said, doing just that with a 90-point effort. 

Home on the Range put a little over $13,000 into his ledger, while Dodge City added another $7,000-plus. In all, it was a big stretch that should help cement an eighth-straight berth in the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo’s field of 15. 

Coming into the weekend, Cress was ninth in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s World Standings with just under $117,800 in earnings for the season. Once his latest success is added this week, Cress should be close to a spot in the top five. 

But that’s not something the veteran competitor is worried about right now. There’s still a lot of action left to play out and even more money up for grabs, making continued focus crucial as the regular season slowly draws to a close. 

“I try not to look at the standings at all just because I know how much money is out there still and guys are riding good. I’m just trying to focus on taking it one horse at a time,” Cress said. “I’ve lucked out and been able to draw some really good horses this week and I’ve got some really good horses next week to so I’m just trying to stay focused and make sure to take it one day at a time not put the cart before the horse and think I’ve got stuff won before I go get on bucking horses.”