Rodeo Daily

Wright Returns Strong in Round Four As He Pursues Another World Championship

Round four brought the eliminators in the saddle bronc riding at the National Finals Rodeo.

Teal Stoll

Ryder Wright
Ryder Wright / PRCA Photo by Roseanna Sales

The saddle bronc riding kept us in anticipation in round four, with not one, but two re-rides in the eliminator pen of broncs. Damian Brennan's re-ride was held over until the bull riding, so we had to wait it out alongside him. Coming into tonight, Brennan still held the top spot in the World Standings and this race continues to heat up as the week progresses.

After round three, all ten cowboys had three horses ridden, but Ryder Wright is down one in the average for a missed mark-out in round two. After the eliminators tonight, Logan Hay and Brody Cress both came down with no scores, knocking them down in the average race.

Damian Brennan's first horse, Kay's Big Bay from Sankey Pro Rodeo and Phenom Genetics, tripped to his knees for a couple strides. He came back in his re-ride on Avenger from Cervi Championship Rodeo to take the sixth-place check.

Lefty Holman made a great ride aboard Bridwell Pro Rodeo's Indian Burn, for an 87-point ride. The trip aboard the massive bay was good for third place and Holman's first check of the week.

Wyatt Casper matched up with Stockyards Babe from Pete Carr Pro Rodeo for an 87.5, putting him at 3/4 for checks so far.

The big story of the night was Ryder Wright, recovering from a missed mark-out in round two that left him with a no score. He was after a round win tonight and determined not to repeat that mistake, holding his feet for an extra breath coming out of the chute. He paired up with Championship Pro Rodeo's Tickled Pink for a 90.5-point ride to take the win and keep him in the World Championship race.

Wright was ranked third in the World Standings after the third round, roughly $15,000 behind Damian Brennan. With has two World Championships (2017, 2020) to his name, the Beaver, Utah, cowboy has qualified for the NFR for nine straight seasons and also won the NFR Average in 2020. Wright capitalized on that Cinch Playoffs series that we talk about so often - winning the Cinch Playoffs in Puyallup, Wash., and the $30,000 finals at the Governor's Cup in Sioux Falls, S.D. That late-season momentum appears to have carried directly into Wright's NFR thus far and he is hunting another World Championship.

This race is going to be an exciting one to watch, with Damian Brennan, Zeke Thurston, and Ryder Wright in a dead heat for this World Championship. Thurston is chasing his fifth World Championship, while Brennan chases his first after an outstanding season - where he broke the regular season earnings record.

Round Four

1. Ryder Wright / 90.5 / $33,687
2. Wyatt Casper / 87.5 / $26,624
3. Lefty Holman / 87 / $20,104
4. Brody Wells / 86 / $14,127
5. Dawson Hay / 85 / $8,693
6. Damian Brennan / 84.5 / $5,433

Published
Teal Stoll
TEAL STOLL

Teal Stoll is a lifelong Wyomingite from a working ranch family of several generations. Both sides of her family have deep roots in rodeo, as contestants and stock contractors. Teal grew up horseback and actively competes in rodeos and barrel races. She has degrees in both business and accounting, which she uses operating her own bookkeeping service. Teal enjoys spending time with her horses, training colts, and maintaining her string of athletes. When she isn’t at the barn, she can be found reading, doing yoga, or on her paddle board at the lake. Teal lives with her fiancee and a plethora of animals, because she can’t say no to a displaced critter with a sad story. When she isn’t on the road running barrels, she spends her time helping with day to day operations on the family ranch.

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