By Alex Riley, Special to ProRodeo Sports News
A little uncertainty with a chance to chase history – for Ryder Wright, that proved to be a winning combination.
When his draw for Vernal’s (Utah) Dinosaur Roundup was unveiled, the veteran saddle bronc rider was matched up with Powder River Rodeo bucking horse Big Handful. It’s a name he was somewhat familiar with, even though that familiarity was a bit dated.
Big Handful was a saddle bronc horse several years ago before being moved into Powder River’s pen of bareback horses. This season, he’s transitioned back to saddle bronc competition.
Wright’s younger brother, Stetson, faced off with Big Handful in a saddle bronc matchup a few years ago, leaving the older brother with intel, albeit outdated.
“I knew he could be good because Stetson had him in Cortez (Colo.) and he was 89 on him so I knew he could be good, but I didn’t know how it was going to be because that was three years ago,” Wright said. “I didn’t know what to expect, so I just kept throwing my feet and hoped it worked out.”
The end result was the lone 90-point ride of the entire rodeo, allowing the Beaver, Utah, native to easily pick up his second straight win in Vernal and a $5,795 paycheck. Coleman Shallbetter was runner-up with an 88-point effort.
The outcome was exactly what the three-time PRCA Saddle Bronc Riding World Champion was looking for heading into the summer run as he aims to maintain his grip on the top spot in the PRCA | Bill Fick Ford World Standings.
After a win at RodeoHouston in March, Wright has continued to amass earnings, routinely picking up checks to keep himself in first place. But the Dinosaur Roundup win was part of a three-rodeo swing over the weekend that gave him a much-needed shot of confidence.
Along with the victory in Vernal, Wright also placed second at both the Eagle (Idaho) Rodeo and Ute Mountain Round-Up in Cortez, Colo. Between the three events, he piled up around $10,700 in earnings, helping him stay more than $20,000 ahead of Dawson Hay in the world standings.
With another big showing to his credit, Wright has no intention of slowing down. If anything, that No. 1 spot is right where he wants to be.
“I feel good. I like having that target on my back. I’d just as soon stay there if I could,” Wright said. “Hopefully I keep drawing good horses and keep plugging away.”
Other winners at the Playoff Series Rodeo were all-around cowboy Stetson Wright ($2,028, saddle bronc riding and bull riding); bareback rider Wacey Schalla (86.5 points on Powder River Rodeo’s Twisted Tea); steer wrestler Cole Walker (3.5 seconds); team ropers Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira and Hiyo Yazzie/Shawn Murphy (4.3 seconds); tie-down roper Shad Mayfield (7.7 seconds); Hailey Gibson-Stillwell and Jordynn Knight (16.90 seconds); and bull rider Trevor Reiste (85.5 points on Powder River Rodeo’s Seven Shy).
Full Results:
Vernal’s Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo
Vernal, Utah, June 12-14
All-around cowboy: Stetson Wright, $2,028, saddle bronc riding and bull riding.
Bareback riding: 1. Wacey Schalla, 86.5 points on Powder River Rodeo’s Twisted Tea, $6,063; 2. (tie) Gavin French and Bradlee Miller, 84.5, $4,042 each; 4. (tie) Mason Stuller and Dean Thompson, 84, $1,819 each; 6. Drake Amundson, 83, $1,011; 7. Colton Clemens, 82.5, $808; 8. (tie) Jacek Frost Frost and Jacob Lees, 82, $303 each.
Steer wrestling: 1. Cole Walker, 3.5 seconds, $4,347; 2. (tie) Trisyn Kalawaia and Connor McKell, 3.6, $3,580 each; 4. Jesse Brown, 3.7, $2,812; 5. Tyler Waguespack, 3.8, $2,301; 6. Rooster Yazzie, 4.1, $2,045; 7. Justin Shaffer, 4.8, $1,790; 8. (tie) Gavin Soileau and Dirk Tavenner, 4.9, $1,406 each; 10. (tie) Landon Beardsworth and Jake Faulkner, 5.1, $895 each; 12. Chet Boren, 5.4, $511.
Team roping: 1. (tie) Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira and Hiyo Yazzie/Shawn Murphy, 4.3 seconds, $4,780 each; 3. (tie) Shay Dixon Carroll/Levi Lord, Dawson Graham/Dillon Graham and Cody Snow/Hunter Koch, 4.4, $3,528 each; 6. Kolton Schmidt/Sid Sporer, 4.5, $2,732; 7. Kreece Thompson/Jace Helton, 4.7, $2,390; 8. (tie) Cash Duty/Trae Smith, Jayse Tettenhorst/Trace Porter, Tyler Tryan/Denton Dunning and Aaron Tsinigine/Jeremy Buhler, 4.8, $1,579 each; 12. (tie) Dylin Ahlstrom/Dan Scarbrough and Andrew Ward/Jake Long, 4.9, $854 each; 14. Clay Elkington/Whitt Crozier, 5.1, $512; 15. Brayden Schmidt/Jaydon Warner, 5.3, $341.
Saddle bronc riding: 1. Ryder Wright, 90 points on Powder River Rodeo’s Big Handful, $5,795; 2. Coleman Shallbetter, 88, $4,443; 3. Kade Bruno, 87, $3,284; 4. Brody Wells, 86, $2,125; 5. Bailey Small, 85.5, $1,352; 6. Weston Patterson, 85, $966; 7. (tie) Kaden Chance Horrocks and Stetson Dell Wright, 84.5, $676 each.
Tie-down roping: 1. Shad Mayfield, 7.7 seconds, $5,252; 2. Seth Hall, 8.0, $4,552; 3. (tie) Cash Fuesz and Lane Livingston, 8.5, $3,852 each; 5. Dylan Hancock, 8.6, $3,151; 6. Marcos Costa, 8.8, $2,801; 7. Roan Hudson, 9.0, $2,451; 8. Riley Pruitt, 9.1, $2,101; 9. R.J. Johnson, 9.3, $1,751; 10. John Douch, 9.4, $1,401; 11. Tuf Cooper, 9.5, $1,226; 12. Kincade Henry, 9.6, $1,050; 13. Tyson Durfey, 9.8, $700; 14. (tie) Tom Simpson and Chase Webster, 10.3, $438 each.
Breakaway roping: 1. (tie) Erin Johnson and Summer Williams, 2.2 seconds, $5,503 each; 3. (tie) Kinlie Brennise and Maddy Deerman, 2.3, $3,516 each; 5. (tie) Reagan Davis, Jill Tanner and Macy Young, 2.5, $1,936 each; 8. Willow Wilson, 2.6, $1,376; 9. Cheyenne Britain, 2.7, $1,223; 10. (tie) Timber Allenbrand and Ali Norcutt, 2.8, $994 each; 12. (tie) McKenna Hickson and Aspen Miller, 2.9, $688 each; 14. Calli Kaufman, 3.0, $459; 15. (tie) Samantha Haardt and Sierra Spratt, 3.1, $153 each.
Barrel racing: 1. (tie) Hayle Gibson-Stillwell and Jordynn Knight, 16.90 seconds, $5,592 each; 3. Hailey Kinsel, 16.97, $4,039; 4. Andrea Busby, 17.06, $3,107; 5. Caitlyn White, 17.16, $2,485; 6. (tie) Megan McLeod-Sprague and Sue Smith, 17.23, $1,709 each; 8. Taylor Carver, 17.26, $1,398; 9. (tie) Lisa Lockhart and Darby Riemer, 17.27, $1,165 each; 11. Makenzie Mayes, 17.28, $932; 12. Carlee Otero, 17.31, $777; 13. Sherry Cervi, 17.33, $621; 14. Jordon Briggs, 17.34, $466; 15. Gracie Beckstrom, 17.35, $311.
Bull riding: * 1. Trevor Reiste, 85.5 points on Powder River Rodeo’s Seven Shy, $10,986; 2. Koby Jacobson, 81, $9,549; no other qualified rides. *(all totals include ground money).
Total Payoff: $253,076.
Stock Contractor: Powder River Rodeo.
Sub-Contractors: Dan Mundorf and Burch Rodeo.
Rodeo Secretary: Eva Chadwick.
Officials: Mike Nauman, Carey Hurd and Doug Harrison.
Timers: Dalonna Guthrie-Hurd and Bille Pierson.
Announcer: Roger Mooney.
Specialty Acts: Cody Sosebee and John Payne.
Bullfighters: Dusty Tuckness and Weston Rutkowski.
Clown/Barrelman: Cody Sosebee.
Flankmen: John Franzen and Rooster Gilstrap.
Chute Boss: John Franzen.
Pickup Men: Tate Shepherd and Clint Humble.
Music Director: Wil Moorhead.
Photographers: Lexi Christopher, Click Thompson and John Pyle.