This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Las Vegas • Saddle bronc rider Ryder Wright didn't win a world championship at the $10 million Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, which concluded Saturday night.
But the 18-year-old from Milford, Utah, made history.
Wright became the first rookie to win five rounds at the National Finals — victories that added to $131,153 to his season bankroll. He finished fourth in the 2016 world standings despite not placing in any of the other five rounds at the NFR.
In a 15-man saddle bronc field that included his father, Cody, and older brother Rusty, Wright won rounds 1-4. He also captured the ninth round with a score of 88.5 on the horse named Alpha Dog to cap his historic run.
"It's awesome," Wright told prorodeo.com. "I just tried to stay positive and keep everything together — to remember that I didn't get here off of luck and I deserved to be here."
Six other saddle bronc riders from Utah fared well, too.
CoBurn Bradshaw of Beaver finished fourth in the NFR average and third in the world after winning Round 6 and placing in two others.
Cody Wright, Ryder's father, used a spectacular finish to tie for fifth in the NFR average and place sixth in the world. He won the eighth round, finished fourth in Round 9 and won the 10th round. In three nights, he earned nearly $85,000.
Utah's other qualifiers included Allen Boore, Jake Wright, Rusty Wright and Jesse Wright.
Boore, who is from Axtell, placed in four rounds to finish seventh in the world. Jake Wright placed in four rounds and ended up eighth. Rusty Wright was the runner-up in Round 3 and finished ninth. Jesse Wright placed in four rounds, including each of the last three, to end up 10th in the world.
Other Utahns who competed in other events at the National Finals:
• Caleb Bennett of Tremonton rode nine of his 10 horses in the bareback competition. He placed in five rounds and finished fourth in the world.
• Steer wrestler Baylor Roche of Tremonton placed in two rounds. He ended up 15th in the world standings with season earnings of $93,636.
• Team roper Quin Kesler of Holden and his partner, Matt Sherwood of Pima, Ariz., won two rounds and placed in another. They finished eighth in the world.
• In barrel racing, Kimmie Wall of Roosevelt won Rounds 2 and 6. She placed in three others to finish fourth in the NFR average and fifth in the world standings.
• Bull rider Joe Frost of Randlett completed five of his 10 rides. He finished fourth in the average and fourth in the world with season earnings of $217,033. Tim Bingham of Honeyville used back-to-back second-place finishes in Rounds 9 and 10 to earn $41,400 and end up 12th in the world.
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Storylines
R Ryder Wright of Milford won five rounds in saddle bronc riding at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
• Wright is the first rookie in Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association history to win five rounds at the NFR.
• Twelve other Utahns participated in the $10 million Wrangler National Finals, which concluded Saturday night.