With five weeks remaining on the ProRodeo regular season, Resistol cowboy Stetson Wright is continuing to showcase the promise that so many people had in him years ago.
As of Aug. 22, he had earned more than $416,000 riding eighth seconds of dynamite twice a night. He’s a bronc rider and a bull rider, and he’s rather prolific at both. Well on his way to a fourth straight all-around world championship, the 23-year-old Wright has pushed his way to the top in three PRCA categories: He’s No. 1 in the all-around, No. 1 in bull riding standings and No. 2 in bronc riding.
Some of the money he’s earned – like Xtreme Bulls – doesn’t count toward the all-around race, but it’s all proof that he’s exceptional when it comes to making money in rodeo.
“I like to say that I get to get on both bulls and broncs,” said Wright, who also owns the 2020 bull riding and the 2021 saddle bronc riding world titles. “I love bronc riding and bull riding. They’re two of the hardest events in the PRCA, and I ride against the best guys in both bull riding and bronc riding.
“Bronc riding always feels better when you do it right, but there’s not a thing in the world like making an awesome bull ride and have people standing on their feet.”
Something else to consider: He has only been to a few dozen rodeos, which is atypical for a rodeo cowboy this time of year. He suffered a broken foot in January, then had a broken ankle in March. He tore his groin and popped his hip out of place in April, then followed that with surgery on an injured wrist the end of June.
When he’s ridden – whether healthy or unhealthy this season – he’s found his way to the pay window. It’s a drive he has that was passed down by his father, Cody, a two-time world champion and 13-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier. Cody and ShaRee Wright have raised boys who account for 14 NFR qualifications and seven gold buckles – Stetson owns five, while older brother Ryder has two.
“There are people who think my dad pushed that on us, but you don’t get that many world championships out of a family that’s forced to do it,” Stetson Wright said. “We had to beg and plead our dad to let us get on steers and broncs and bulls. I don’t even think he wanted to do it.
“He knows how hard it is. Now that most of us have kids, we see what he missed out on. You miss out on seeing your kids grow up. It’s a dang tough life.”
If done right, though, it can be profitable. His worst financial year so far was the 2019 season, when he won all three Resistol Rookie of the Year awards in the disciplines in which he competes. Already this year, he’s set regular-season earnings records, and there’s still time to add to it.
Since turning pro, he’s pocketed nearly $1.9 million in PRCA earnings as of Aug. 22, and he’s had Resistol by his side from the beginning.