GOODING, Idaho – It’s only fitting that the final night of the 100th celebration of the Gooding Pro Rodeo featured an arena-record-tying ride by possibly the winningest cowboy of this generation.

Eight-time world champion Stetson Wright rode Summit Pro Rodeo’s Cowboy Fool for 90 points Saturday night to tie an arena record established 12 years earlier … by his father, Cody Wright. The result was the saddle bronc riding victory at the Gooding Pro Rodeo.

“I didn’t really get to rodeo with my dad,” Stetson Wright said. “That was something Rusty and Ryder did, so the closest thing I can do is try to tie records and do what he did and try to do it better. He set the bar pretty high. To be able to tie an arena record with him is pretty awesome, especially one that’s been held for that long.

“You don’t get too many rodeos these days where the record’s held for that long, and just to top it off and have it be with my dad, that’s super special. In and out of the arena and every aspect of my life, he’s my hero, my idol, what I look up to. I’m going to cherish this moment forever.”

He made it memorable for many reasons. When he was awarded his championship buckle, Wright went directly to Summit Pro Rodeo’s J.D. Hamaker, then handed the livestock producer the trophy after autographing it.

“He just liked the horse and was 90 on one of our horses, and he thought enough of it to give the buckle to me,” Hamaker said. “He could have taken it home and put it in his trophy room.

“He’s just a quality guy.”

Wright has a lot of trophies. The whole family does, but Stetson Wright owns five all-around world championships, two bull riding gold buckles and a saddle bronc riding title. The family is synonymous with rodeo excellence: brother Ryder is a three-time bronc riding world champ, dad Cody has two and uncles Spencer and Jesse also have reached that elite status.

There’s no pressure to follow in their footsteps, but there’s the stress they put on themselves to excel. If they need any motivation beyond that, they just look at one another.

“I rodeo with the top-end guys,” Stetson Wright said. “I know they’re my brothers, but Ryder right now is riding with a back injury, and it’s kind of crazy what he’s done with it. Rusty’s riding with a torn up knee, and he’s got a femur bruise. Then Statler, he’s had some bumps and bruises all year long, and they seem to be adding up.

“When them guys are ahead of me in the world standings, I just look over there and think, ‘Dude, you’ve got to be a cowboy; you’ve just got to cowboy up, because they’re not complaining about it.’

“Every little injury I’ve had, it seems like it’s not even a big deal because you’ve just got to ride through it. You don’t hear them talking about it. I’ll brag on them and tell you how tough they are because I get to see it every single day. They give me no option other than to get better.”

Gooding Pro Rodeo
Aug. 13-16
All-around cowboy: Wacey Schalla, $1,031 in bareback riding and bull riding.

Bareback riding: 1. Richmond Champion, 87.5 points on Macza Pro Rodeo’s Stevie Nicks, $6,874; 2. Cooper Cooke, 87, $5,270; 3. Sage Allen, 86.5, $3,895; 4. (tie) Mason Stuller and Jess Pope, 86, $2,062 each; 6. (tie) Wacey Schalla and Clay Jorgenson, 85.5, $1,031 each; 8. (tie) Jacek Frost, Donny Proffit and Tanner Aus, 85, $229 each.

Steer wrestling: 1. Riley Duvall, 3.4 seconds, $4,746; 2. Will Lummus, 3.6, $4,188; 3. Riley Westhaver, 3.7, $3,629; 4. (tie) Cody Devers and Rowdy Parrott, 3.8, $2,792 each; 6. (tie) Tristan Martin, Landris White and Talon Roseland, 3.9, $1,954 each; 9. (tie) Jacob Edler, Trisyn Kalawaia and Garrett Oates, 4.0, $1,117 each; 12. (tie) Don Payn and Darcy Kersh, 4.1, $279.

Team roping: 1. Brye Crites/Tyler Worley, 4.0 seconds, $5,272; 2. (tie) Kolton Schmidt/Chase Tryan and Tyler Tryan/Denton Dunning, 4.3, $4,393 each; 4. (tie) Brodi Jones/Cody Burnside, Cory Kidd V/Will Woodfin, Clint Summers/Jade Corkill and Dustin Egusquiza/J.C. Flake, 4.5, $2,987 each; 8. (tie) Kavis Drake/Denim Ross and Jake Smith/Douglas Rich, 4.6, $1,933 each; 10. Korbin Rice/Cooper Freeman, 5.0, $1,406; 11. (tie) Dylin Ahlstrom/Dan Scarbrough, Dawson Graham/Dillon Graham and Derrick Begay/Colter Todd, 5.1, $996 each; 14. Riley Kittle/Landen Glenn, 5.5, $427; Cyle Dennison/Lane Mitchell, 5.6, $351.

Saddle bronc riding: 1. Stetson Wright, 90 points on Summit Pro Rodeo’s Cowboy Fool, $6,768; 2. Mitch Pollock, 89, $5,189; 3. (tie) Statler Wright and Zac Dallas, 88.5, $3,158; 5. Tanner Butner, 87.5, $1,579; 6. (tie) Damien Brennan, Lefty Holman and Ben Andersen, 87, $902 each.  

Breakaway roping: 1. (tie) Aubryn Bedke, Kash Gay and Brooke Bruner, 2.1 seconds, $5,531 each; 4. (tie) Maddy Deerman, Beau Peterson and Hali Williams, 2.2, $2,709 each; 7. (tie) Jessi Everett and Rylee George, 2.3, $1,609 each; 9. Shayla Hall, 2.4, $1,355; 10. Bradi Good, 2.5, $1,185; 11. (tie) Martha Angelone, Erin Johnson, Taylor Raupe and Kinlie Brennise, 2.6, $762 each; 15. Brittany Truman, 2.7, $339.

Tie-down roping: 1. (tie) John Douch and Riley Webb, 7.4 seconds, $5,067 each; 3. Cody Craig, 7.7, $4,343; 5. 4. Bryce Derrer, 8.2, $3,619; 5. (tie) Seth Hall, Shad Mayfield, Bo Pickett and Chet Weitz, 8.4, $2,714 each; 9. Shane Hanchey, 8.5, $1,810; 10. (tie) Tyler Calhoun and Brushton Minton, 8.6, $1,357 each; 12. Hagen Houck, 8.8, $1,086; 13. Tom Crouse, 8.9, $734; 14. (tie) Justin Brinknerhoff, Britt Bedke and Chase Webster, 9.0, $302 each.

Barrel racing: 1. Summer Kosel, 16.66 seconds, $6,740; 2. (tie) Halyn Lide, Kassie Mowry and Anita Ellis, 16.72, $4,381 each; 5. LaTricia Duke, 16.74, $2,696; 6. (tie) Hayle Gibson-Stillwell and Tayla Moeykens, 16.75, $1,853 each; 8. Jordan Driver, 16.78, $1,516; 9. Caitlyn White, 16.87, $1,348; 10. Katie Halbert, 16.88, $1,179; 11. Katelyn Scott, 16.90, $$1,011; 12. Julia Johnson, 16.93, $842; 13. Carlee Otero, 16.96, $674; 14. Tricia Aldridge, 16.97, $505; 15. (tie) Julie Plourde and Morgan Beckstrom, 16.99, $168 each.

Bull riding: 1. Ky Hamilton, 87.5 points on Korkow Rodeos’ 883, $6,571; 2. (tie) Trevor Reiste and Scott Wells, 87, $4,380 each; 4. Jordan Spears, 86.5, $2,409; 5. Cutter Kaylor, 86, $1,533; 6. Luke Mackey, 85, 1,095; 7. Billy Quinlan, 83.5, $876; 8. Qynn Andersen, 83, $657.