The saddle bronc riders of the PRCA are already hustling with big names gracing the top of the World Standings.
While Odessa, Denver and Fort Worth provided top notch champions, the money they paid out has paved the way for some into the perfect spot in the standings. As we continue on the Texas Swing, the Top 20 is sure to shuffle but today, here are the best saddle bronc riders in the World.
No. 1 Wyatt Casper, $34,716
A third-place finish at the Brad Gjermundson Xtreme Broncs boosted Casper in October after he left North Dakota with over $12,000 to his name. He followed it up with a $6,000 Go-Round win at the New Years Eve Buck & Ball (Wyoming) before finishing third at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo.
No. 2 Brody Cress, $33,089
Cress is hungrier than ever for a World Title and there’s no better time to get ahead in the standings than October. He split the win at the Brad Gjermundson Xtreme Broncs, cashing in a total of almost $20,500. In January, a 91-point ride in the National Western Finals was good enough for another $5,500 and the event win.
No. 3 Statler Wright, $30,978
The youngest Wright brother is heating up. An impressive fall included a win at the Industry Hills Charity Pro Rodeo (California) and success at the Wilderness Circuit Finals (Utah). That led into a winter run that just keeps getting better. He kicked it off with a win at the Sandhills Stock Show and Rodeo (Texas) to cash in $4,500 before placing in every Go-Round at Fort Worth, where he finished fourth in the Finals.
No. 4 Ryder Wright, $29,656
Following his little brother, Wright is staying focused on making his classic, textbook, precise rides. It landed him a Go-Round win in New Town, North Dakota that was worth more than $6,000. He also rode to the pay window at the Wilderness Circuit Finals, Brawley Cattle Call Rodeo, Las Vegas Days and before sharing fourth in Fort Worth with Statler.
No. 5 Parker Fleet, $26,854
Between Texas Circuit Finals and Cinch Worlds Toughest Rodeos, Fleet’s regular season has started right. He carried that momentum into both Denver and Fort Worth where he left with a combined total of more than $6,000.
No. 6 Damian Brennan, $26,500
Hot off of his first ever National Finals Rodeo, Brennan came into Fort Worth after a trip home to Australia ready to win and he did just that. After battling his way into the Semifinals through the Wildcard, he put together a showstopping 91.5-point ride on the iconic bucking horse, All Or Nothin of Andrews Rodeo, to win Fort Worth and the $20,000 that came with it.
No. 7 Kade Bruno, $26,222
Bruno was on fire all throughout the 2023 regular season and he is setting up to do it all over again in 2024. He kicked off this season with a $6,000 win at the Bucking Battle in Bismark (North Dakota) before $7,000 came his way at the Chase Hawks Rough Stock Rodeo (Montana). From there, it was the Winnemucca NYE Xtreme Broncs (Nevada) win that added another $9,400 to his earnings.
No. 8 Kolby Wanchuk, $21,383
Wanchuck’s success at two rodeos in particular has him inside the Top 10. At the Brad Gjermundson Xtreme Broncs, the Canadian cowboy cashed in almost $7,000 after consistently placing. In Denver, he picked up a big second-place finish in the Finals that added another $12,000 to his earnings.
No. 9 Logan Cook, $21,097
The Brad Gjermundson Xtreme Broncs and Texas Circuit Finals are responsible for the majority of Cook’s 2024 earnings. Placing second in Round 2 in New Town was worth $3,500 while he earned a total of almost $4,500 at the Texas Circuit Finals.
No. 10 Qwinton Stroh, $20,644
Stroh is a second-year veteran who’s 2024 season started in a big way at the Brad Gjermundson Xtreme Broncs. After splitting the win, Stroh’s season earnings were off and running with $18,871. He followed it up by placing at two Wyoming Rodeos to add another $2,000 to it.
No. 11 Parker Kempfer, $20,340
Kempfer’s fall in his home state of Florida was good to him. It started with a win at the Indiantown Rodeo before he placed at the 10th Annual Arcadia Fall Rodeo. From there, his performance at the Southeastern Circuit Finals added over $12,000 to his earnings.
No. 12 Ben Andersen, $19,284
After finishing third in the Finals at the Brad Gjermiundson Xtreme Broncs to get a piece of it, Andersen went on to finish fourth in Bismark with a ride worth $2,492. He placed in one Go-Round of Fort Worth before he made over $3,000 at the Rodeo Rapid City Xtreme Broncs Match (South Dakota) and another $2,100 at the Cinch Worlds Toughest Rodeo in St. Paul, Minnesota.
No. 13 Ryder Sanford, $18,443
Also reaping the benefits of the Brad Gjermundson Xtreme Broncs is Sanford who finished fifth in the Average. A Go-Round win in Denver came his way and he went on to be fifth in the Finals. He followed it up with a $3,500 payday at the Cinch Worlds Toughest Rodeo in St. Paul.
No. 14 Lucas Macza, $18,082
Almost half of Macza’s earnings came from two rodeos in December. The Chase Hawks Rough Stock Rodeo added over $5,500 to his earnings with his 85.5-point third place finish. He added another $3,500 after an 80.5 was good enough for fourth at the Winnemucca NYE Xtreme Broncs.
No. 15 Zeke Thurston, $18,000
After winning another World Title, Thurston’s 2024 season started in Fort Worth and he is already looking in on right where he needs to be in the World Standings. Winning a Go-Round and the Semifinals was enough for $6,000 in Fort Worth, but the rest of his earnings came from his 90.5-point ride on The Black Tie in the Finals.
No. 16 Dawson Dahm, $17,138
An 86.5-point ride cinched Dahm the NILE ProRodeo (Montana) win that came with more than $2,000. From there, the Canadian cowboy placed at the Chase Hawks Roug Stock Rodeo for another $3,600 before he had success again at the Cinch Worlds Toughest in Des Moines.
No. 17 Sterling Crawley, $16,645
A successful Texas Circuit Finals paired with a second place finish at the Sandhills Stock Show and Rodeo has one of rodeo’s household bronc riders sitting on the edge of the Top 15. His highest marked ride so far comes in at 86 and he has climbed on top notch bucking horses like Border Town of Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s and Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Boomerang.
No. 18 Cole Elshere, $15,809
The Badlands Circuit Finals ended with Elshere claiming one Go-Round and second place in the Average. It started his season with more than $6,000 to his name. Two more second place finished have added another almost $5,000 to his name. One came at Rodeo Rapid City with an 84.5-point ride and the other at the PRCA Championship Rodeo in Bismark, North Dakota.
No. 19 Leon Fountain, $15,305
Fountain’s season kicked off with big matchups at the New Years Eve Buck & Ball. A second place finish in Round 1 was worth $4,700 before he drew Miss Valley in the Finals to finish second with an 86.5-point ride. He picked up another win up north when he rode for another 86.5 points at the Rodeo Rapid City Xtreme Broncs to cash in $3,700.
No. 20 Cort Scheer, $15,289
Scheer stuck close to his Texas home early in the season and it paid off at three rodeos. A win came his way at the Waller County Fair and Rodeo as well as at the Lago Mar Reunion Round-Up. He finished second at the Fort Bend County Fair and Rodeo and with all three combined, he put over $7,000 to his name by Nov. 4. An impressive performance in Denver added even more when he finished third in the Finals.
Standings via ProRodeo.com are accurate as of Friday, Feb. 9 at 5:30 PM ET.
