LOVINGTON, N.M. – When Q Taylor and Tanner Butner left southeastern New Mexico earlier this week, they had to like their 88-point rides sitting atop the saddle bronc riding leaderboard.

When the dust cleared Saturday night at the Lea County Fair and Rodeo, they finished tied for fourth. It got a bit Western in Lovington on the final night of the nine-day exposition, with Stetson Wright and Brody Cress sharing the victory with 91-point rides.

“Oh, yeah, I’m having lots of fun,” said Wright, 26, an eight-time world champion from Beaver, Utah. “These last couple of weeks, I’ve seemed to hit my groove in bronc riding again. The bull riding clicked was fast coming back, but the bronc riding was so slow. I finally just started creeping up, winning and getting on horses like that.”

Wright matched moves with Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Northern Exposure to set new standard. Two rides later, Wells scored big during his rematch with Carr’s Larry Culpepper – he was 90 on the red roan at Pecos, Texas, in June.

“Larry is a legendary bronc,” Wells said of the bronc that’s bucked at the National Finals Rodeo six times. “I probably watched Cort Scheer win a round at the 2019 NFR on that horse a thousand times when I was younger. It’s an honor to put your saddle on him. A bronc like that doesn’t come around too often. He’s a special horse.”

Each man pocketed $7,299, big earnings with less than two months remaining in the regular season. Wright entered this week 14th in the world standings with nearly $115,000 in earnings. He’s atop the money list in both the all-around ($366,668) and bull riding ($299,521).

In Saturday’s bull riding, Wright was bucked down by Carr’s Hostel Take Over. He suffered a concussion. Before he wrapped his hand to the bull, he was happy with his bronc ride.

“That was everything that I wanted,” Wright said of his matchup with Northern Exposure. “I didn’t have high expectations on that horse coming in. It’s a young one. They’ve had some low scores, and most of the guys buck off. I just gave him a little more rein, and I was hoping it would help. It looks like it did. I’m just pumped up to be here.”

He sat out all of the 2024 campaign with a hamstring injury. It was the first time in five years that someone other than Wright had earned the PRCA all-around world title. He’s back in the hunt for a sixth, and being back on the rodeo trail has been the perfect medicine.

“I got super hungry (to compete again),” Wright said. “I got so deprived of it, I couldn’t even think straight. Everybody told me that I should be done that I should hang it up and find a new career. I couldn’t wrap my head around that. I just kept dreaming I’d be back in these situations, these moments. This was everything.

“A ride like that is what I shoot for every day. That’s what all these guys are out here doing. I’m just glad to be part of it.”

While he competed at his first NFR a year ago, Wells understands the sentiment. Having the opportunity to test his skills on a horse he’s already found success was just icing on the cake. While he was 90, Wells finished second to Tanner Butner. Larry Culpepper, however, guided Zeke Thurston to 92 points to win Oakley, Utah, and Sage Newman to 88.5 to win the Days of ’47 Rodeo in Salt Lake City. This was the bronc’s third victory in a row.

“To have him here in Lovington where they’ve got a pile of money up in a one-header, you want to have a bucker like that,” Wells said. “I just showed up trying to be aggressive and glad to hang out. He actually bucked a lot harder than the first time.”

Lea County Fair and Rodeo
Lovington, N.M.
Aug. 7-10
All-around cowboy: Coleman Proctor, $8,749 in team roping and steer roping.

Bareback riding: 1. Cole Franks, 87.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Pink Smoke, $8,037; 2. (tie) Roedy Farrell, Bradlee Miller, Waylon Bourgeois and Dean Thompson, 86, $3,885 each; 6. Richmond Champion, 85, $1,340; 7. Jayco Roper, 84.5, $1,072; 6. (tie) Toby Deudney and Orin Larsen, 84, $402 each.

Steer wrestling: First round: 1. Gary Gilbert, 3.7 seconds, $2,879; 2. Riley Duvall, 4.0, $2,503; 3. Jacob Daniell, 4.1, $2,128; 4. (tie) Bray Armes, Trevor Duhon and Grady Payne, 4.4, $1,377 each; 7. Brandon Harrison, 4.6, $626; 8. Tucker Allen, 4.7, $250. Second round: 1. (tie) Gary Gilbert, Jacob Edler and Tyke Kipp, 4.0 seconds, $2,503 each; 4. Justin Shaffer, 4.2, $1,752; 5. (tie) Jake Shelton and Garrett Oates, 4.4, $1,189 each; 7. (tie) Marc Joiner, Cole Walker and Jacob Daniell, 4.6, $292 each. Average: 1. Gary Gilbert, 7.7 seconds on two runs, $4,318; 2. Jacob Daniell, 8.7, $3,755; 3. (tie) Jake Shelton and Grady Payne, 9.4, $2,010 each; 5. Chance Howard, 10.0, $2,065; 6. Marc Joiner, 10.2, $1,502; 7 Jacob Edler, 10.4, $939; 8. Colt Honey, 10.9, $375.

Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Blane Cox, 9.0 seconds, $3,052; 2. Ryan Thibodeaux, 9.2, $2,654; 3. Tyler Calhoun, 9.4, $2,256; 4. (tie) Chet Weitz and Marty Yates, 9.5, $1,658 each; 6. (tie) Paden Bray, Tyson Durfey and Austin Lawrence, 9.7, $663 each. Second round: 1. (tie) Kincade Henry and Quade Hiatt, 8.2 seconds, $2,853 each; 3. Marty Yates, 8.3, $2,256; 4. Ty Harris, 8.7, $1,857; 5. Monty Lewis, 9.4, $1,459; 6. Cade Wallis, 9.5, $1,061; 7. (tie) Lane Livingston and Brody Stallard, 9.6, $464 each. Average: 1. Marty Yates, 17.8 seconds on two runs, $4,577; 2. Kincade Henry, 18.4, $3,980; 3. Blane Cox, 18.9, $3,383; 4. Ty Harris, 19.3, $2,786; 5. Cole Clemons, 20.2, $2,189; 6. Paden Bray, 20.3, $1,592; 7. Pecos Tatum, 20.58, $995. 8. Bryce Derrer, 20.7, $398.

Breakaway roping: First round: 1. Taylor Munsell, 2.2 seconds, $2,566; 2. (tie) Cheyanne McCartney and Hali Williams, 2.3, $2,016 each; 4. (tie) Timber Allenbrand, Madalyn Richards and Leigh Ann Scribner, 2.4, $1,263 each; 7. (tie) Jessi Everett and Macy Young, 2.6, $611 each; 8. (tie) Shacie Marr, Sequin Brewer, Jackie Crawford and Tibba Smith, 2.7, $153 each. Second round: 1. Haiden Thompson, 2.3 seconds, $2,383; 2. Nicole Hadley, 2.3, $2,383; 3. (tie) Haley Sage and Justine Doka, $1,711; 5. Erin Johnson, 2.5, $1,711; 6. Cheyanne McCartney, 2.7, $978; 7. Hali Williams, 2.8, $733; 8. TiAda Gray, 2.9, $489; 9. (tie) Taylor Munsell and Bailey Bates, 3.0, $306 each. Average: 1. Cheyanne McCartney, 5.0 seconds on two runs, $3,849; 2. Hali Williams, 5.1, $3,299; 3. Taylor Munsell, 5.2, $2,750; 4. Leigh Ann Scribner, 5.5, $2,383; 5. Madalyn Richards, 5.7, $1,833; 6. Neelley Armes, 6.0, $1,466; 7. Kinlie Brennise, 6.1, $1,100; 8. Ariana Varischetti, 6.7, $733; 9. Kendra Lewis, 7.2, $550; 10. Josie Goodrich, 8.3, $367. 

Saddle bronc riding: 1. (tie) Brody Wells, on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Larry Culpepper, and Stetson Wright, on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Northern Exposure, 91 points, $7,299 each; 3. Statler Wright, 89, $4,682; 4. (tie) Tanner Butner and Q Taylor, 88, $2,479 each; 6. Rusty Wright, 86, $1,377; 7. (tie) Ben Andersen and Sage Newman, 86.5, $964 each.

Team roping: First round: 1. (tie) Roan Oldfield/Jake South and Cody Snow/Hunter Koch, 5.1 seconds, $2,783 each; 3. Jr. Dees/Coleby Payne, 5.3, $2,201; 4. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 5.5, $1,812; 5. Jeff Flenniken/Buddy Hawkins II, 5.6, $1,424; 6. Brenten Hall/Kaden Profili, 5.7, $1,036; 7. Cory Kidd V/Will Woodfin, 5.8, $647; 8. (tie) Seth Hall/Pace Blanchard and Chet Weitz/Faron Candelaria, 5.9, $129 each. Second round: 1. Cody Carter/Blake Bentley, 4.5, $2,977; 2. McCray Profili/McCoy Profili, 4.6, $2,589; 3. Tyson Charley/Cameron Tsinigine, 4.8, $2,201; 4. (tie) Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin and Seth Hall/Pace Blanchard, 4.9, $1,618 each; 6. Derrick Begay/Colter Todd, 5.1, $1,053; 7. Paul Tierney/Casey McCleskey, 5.2, $647; 7. (tie) Kolby Krieger/Michael Fortenberry and Cody Snow/Hunter Koch, 5.4, $129 each. Average: 1. Coleman Proctor/Logan Medlin, 10.4 seconds on two runs, $4,466; 2. Cody Snow/Hunter Koch, 10.5, $3,884; 4. Seth Hall/Pace Blanchard, 10.8, $3,301; 4. Kolby Krieger/Michael Fortenberry, 11.5, $2,719; 5. Jeff Flenniken/Buddy Hawkins, 11.9, $2,136; 6. (tie) Corey Whinnery/Robert Murphy and Cash Duty/Trae Smith, 12.5m $1,262 each; 8. David McCallister/Brandon Baca, 14.5, $388.

Steer roping: First round: 1. Quay Howard, 11.6 seconds, $2,450; 2. (tie) Kyle Cauthorn and J. Tom Fisher, 12.2, $1,971 each; 4. Cody Lee, 13.1, $1,491; 5. Tyler Waters, 13.3, $1,172; 6. Coleman Proctor, 14.0, $852; 7. Martin Poindexter, 15.0, $533; 8. Jarett Holliday, 15.6, $213. Second round: 1. Jake Clay, 10.9 seconds, $2,450; 2. Slade Wood, 11.6, $2,131; 3. Ivan Bigsby, 12.6, $1,811; 4. (tie) Trenton Johnson and Tyler Waters, 12.9, $1,332 each; 6. Will Eddleman, 13.0, $852; 7. (tie) Cash Myers and Scott Snedecor, 13.1, $373 each. Third round: 1. John Clark, 10.2 seconds, $2,450; 2. Slade Wood, 10.4, $2,131; 3. Taylor Santos, 10.6, $1,811; 4. Billy Wood, 10.7, $1,491; 5. Corey Ross, 11.3, $1,172; 6. Cash Myers, 11.5, $852; 7. Kelton McMillen, 12.0, $533; 8. (tie) Kim Ziegelgruber and Jake Clay, 12.4, $107. Average: 1. Slade Wood, 39.0 seconds on three runs, $3,675; 2. John Clark, 40.7, $3,196; 3. Cody Lee, 44.3, $2,717; 4. Wade Shoemaker, 47.1, $2,237; 5. Don Eddleman, 51.0, $1,758; 6. Ty Williams, 51.5, $1,278; 7. Cash Fretwell, 57.1, $799; 8. Jake Clay, 23.3 seconds on two runs, $320.

Barrel racing: 1. Helen Nowosad, 17.37, $7,385; 2. Emily Beisel, 17.44, $5,908; 3. Brittney Hawley, 17.55, $4,800; 4. Kiersten Pettus, 17.57, $3,692; 5. Emma Parr, 17.58, $2,954; 6. Kately Scott, 17.61, $2,215; 7. Jana Bean, 17.70, $1,846; 8. Bristan McCarley, 17.74, $1,662; 9. Paige Jones, 17.75, $1,477; 10. Avery Ledesma, 17.78, $1,292; 11. Sabrina Ketcham, 17.79, $1,108; 12. Tara Seaton, 17.80, $923; 14. (tie) Fallon Forbes and Dena Kirkpatrick, 17.83, $462.

Bull riding: 1. Hunter Kelly, 87.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s E. TO, $8,206; 2. Jace Trosclair, 87, $6,292; 3. Rawley Johnson, 86.5, $4,650; 4. (tie) Qynn Andersen and Jessi Petri, 85, $2,462 each; 6. (tie) Luke Mackey and Robbie Taylor, 83.5, $1,231 each; 8. (tie) Tyce Willis and Ramo De Souza, 81.5, $410 each.