WATCH: Who Will Replace Million Dollar Cowboy Rusty Wright?

SAN ANGELO, TX — Friday night at the 2022 San Angelo Rodeo, word spread like wildfire around the arena that the saddle bronc rider currently holding second place, Rusty Wright, WOULDN'T be returning after breaking his leg at a rodeo in Nevada on Thursday night. This beckoned the question, “Which World Champion will replace him?”

Before we could find out who would win Friday night’s Saddle bronc contest, a cowboy from Huntsville, Bradlee Miller, dominated Pete Carr’s bronc named Ladies Man scoring a heapin’ 84 points. This ride put him in the number two spot.

At performance 6, the team ropers started out cold. There were no worries, though. Big misses by champs Cody Snow and Wesley Thorp let other cowboys shine. Header Aaron Tsinigine and heeler Paul Eaves threw a 4.6-second time putting them in the number one spot with an 8.8-second time overall.

In the main event between Ryder Wright, Stetson Wright, and Sage Newman, spectators saw the best show all these bronc riders could offered. In the end it was all Ryder Wright who wrangled his way to the overall top spot in saddle bronc riding.

Cowboys like certain traveling partners because they’re all talented and build each other up, but it can go a bit further than that. Stock contractors know that when a top-caliber athlete rides one of his animals, that cowboy will make his horse or bull look better.

Ryder Wright has been doing that since the day he decided to turn professional, when he was still a senior in high school in 2016. He went on to earn his first of six straight qualifications to the National Finals Rodeo, and a year later, he snagged the first of two (so far) world championships.

He’s part of the Cody, Spencer, Stetson, Rusty, Ryder, and Jesse Wright family who grew up riding Roughstock together in Utah. Spencer is the youngest uncle and brother to the older generation. Cody Wright started winning national titles in 2008, followed by his brothers Jesse in 2012 and Spencer in 2014. Stetson is Cody’s youngest son and Rusty the next oldest.

With Rusty sidelined with an injury, Ryder stepped it for for him during Friday’s sixth performance of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo with an 89-point ride on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Uptuck to take the saddle bronc riding lead. He’s a point better than his uncle, Spencer, who sits in second place.

“I didn’t anything about that horse until (Friday) afternoon,” said Ryder Wright, who finished second in the world standings last season to his younger brother, Stetson, by less than $1,300. “I called Sam Kelts, who got on him earlier this year, and he told me that Pete bought that horse at the futurity in Las Vegas.”

With that, Carr invested into this season and into the future of his livestock company. In all, the Dallas-based stock contractor invested in more than a dozen bucking horses to improve his herd, which was already recognized. In doing so, he perked up the attention of the cowboys that make a living riding bucking horses.

“It’s great that people are raising bucking horses, but I like it when they aren’t scared to buy horses,” Ryder Wright said. “It makes a better herd, and it makes it better for us. We really appreciate when a stock contractor goes out and does that.”

In roughstock events, scores are based on a 100-point scale, with half the score coming from the cowboy, and the other half from the animal. It takes a good mix to take the lead in San Angelo. With his score, Ryder Wright will return for the championship round on Friday, April 15.

“I’ve only been to this rodeo one other time, and I didn’t make the short round,” he said. “This rodeo’s still always been good to all of us.

“It’s awesome to be in those little coliseums. Everybody feels like they’re right on top of you. It’s one of my favorite rodeos.”

In the video above, San Angelo LIVE!’s Manny Diaz caught up with Ryder Wright.

This is Saddle Bronc Riding Presented by Indeco Industrial Electric. 

Standings as of April 8, 2022 End of 6th Performance

Bareback riding leaders: 1. 2. Keenan Reed Hayes, 86 points on Hampton Pro Rodeo’s Rising Tide; 2. Bronc Marriott, 84.5; 3. (tie) Seth Hardwick and Bradlee Miller, 84; 5. (tie) Chad Rutherford and Gavin French, 82; 7. Mike Solberg, 80.5; 8. (tie) Kody Lamb and Orin Larsen, 80; 10. Jacob Raine, 79; 11. Trenton Montero, 78.5; 12. Jacob Lees, 78.

Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Cade Goodman, 3.5 seconds; 2. (tie) Talon Roseland, Bryn Roy and Trell Etbauer, 3.8; 5. (tie) Dakota Eldridge, Brandon Harrison and Justin Shaffer, 3.9; 8. (tie) Tory Jonson and Clayton Hass, 4.0. Second round leaders: 1. Stetson Jorgensen, 3.5 seconds; 2. (tie) Dakota Eldridge and Dirk Tavenner, 3.7; 4. (tie) Cameron Morman, Payden McIntyre and Clayton Hass, 3.9; 7. Landris White, 4.0; 8. (tie) Caden Camp and Ringo Robinson, 4.1. Average leaders: 1. (tie) Dakota Eldridge and Stetson Jorgensen, 7.6 seconds on two runs; 3. Clayton Hass, 7.9; 4. Payden McIntyre, 8.1; 5. Dirk Tavenner, 8.2; 6. Tory Johnson, 8.3; 7. Landris White, 8.4; 8. Cade Goodman, 8.9; 9. Blake Mindemann, 9.0; 10. Tucker Allen, 9.1; 11. Jason Thomas, 9.3; 12. (tie) Eli Lord and Bridger Anderson, 9.4.

Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Cody Snow/Wesley Thorp, 3.7 seconds; 2. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 3.8; 3. (tie) J.C. Yeahquo/L.J. Yeahquo and Lightning Aguilera/Coleby Payne, 3.9; 5. Caleb Smidt/Sergio Gonzales, 4.1; 6. (tie) Aaron Tsinigine/Paul Eaves and Dawson Graham/Dillon Graham, 4.2; 8. Luke Brown/Hunter Koch, 4.4. Second round leaders: 1. Nelson Wyatt/Tyler Worley, 3.5 seconds; 2. Cory Kidd/Lane Mitchell and Chace Thompson/Tyson Thompson, 3.8; 4. Clay Smith/Jade Corkill, 3.9; 5. (tie) Clint Summers/Ross Ashford and Chet Weitz/Jace Davis, 4.1; 7. (tie) Derrick Begay/Colter Todd, Tucker Menz/D.J. Dugger and Tanner James/Phoenix Everano, 4.3. Average leaders: 1. Aaron Tsinigine/Paul Eaves, 8.8 seconds on two runs; 2. Derrick Begay/Colter Todd, 8.9; 3. Lightning Aguilera/Coleby Payne, 9.2; 4. Kolton Schmidt/Wyatt Cox, 9.4; 5. Tanner James/Phoenix Everano, 9.5; 6. Wyatt Imus/Caleb Anderson, 9.6; 7. Andrew Livingston/Seth Smithson, 9.8; 8. Payden Emmett/Lucas Falconer, 10.2; 9. (tie) Kolby Krieger/Boogie Ray and Cinch Moody/Rich Skelton, 10.4; 11. Nelson Wyatt/Tyler Worley, 12.5; 12. J.C. Yeahquo/L.J. Yeahquo, 12.6.

Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Ryder Wright, 89 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Uptuck; 2. Spencer Wright, 88; 3. Rusty Wright. 85.5; 4. Allen Boore, 85; 5. Chase Brooks, 84.5; 6. Statler Wright, 84; 7. Stetson Wright, 83.5; 8. (tie) Riggin Smith, Samuel Kelts and Creighton Curley, 83; 11. CoBurn Bradshaw, 82; 12. (tie) Wyatt Casper and Zeke Thurston, 81.5. (Rusty Wright likely will not be able to ride because of an injury)

Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. (tie) Tyler Milligan and Travis Rogers, 7.6 seconds; 3. (tie) Hudson Wallace and Dakota Felton, 7.8; 5. Riley Wakefield, 8.0; 6. (tie) Cody McCartney and Chance Thiessen, 8.1; 8. (tie) Weldon Watson and Matt Shiozawa, 8.2. Second round leaders: 1. Riley Webb, 7.3 seconds; 2. Zack Jongbloed, 7.4; 3. Marcos Costa, 7.5; 4. (tie) King Pickett and Trenton Smith. 7.7; 6. (tie) Cory Solomon and Ryle Smith, 7.9; 7. Trevor Hale, 8.0. Average leaders: 1. Tyler Milligan, 15.7 seconds on two runs; 2. (tie) Zack Jongbloed and J.D. McCuistion, 16.7; 4. Dakota Felton, 16.8; 5. (tie) Luke Potter and Cody McCartney, 16.9; 7. (tie) Marcos Costa and Travis Rogers, 17.5; 9. Brushton Minton, 17.9; 10. Thomas Conway, 18.0; 11. Blake Deckard, 18.1; 12. Kater Tate, 18.3.

Barrel racing: Second round leaders: 1. Michelle Alley, 14.16 seconds; 2. Chani Graves, 14.19; 3. Kailee Murdock, 14.21; 4. Laura Mote, 14.34; 5. Jennifer Driver, 14.35; 6. Josey Owens, 14.39; 7. Destri Davenport, 14.46; 8. Martha Smith, 14.47; 9. Carly Christian; 10. Brandee Hawkins, 14.51. Average leaders: 1. Michelle Alley, 29.99; 2. Cassidy Champlin, 30.14; 3. Chani Graves, 30.18; 4. Destri Davenport. 30.19; 5. Kailee Murdock, 30.22; 6. Jamie Olsen, 30.39; 7. Carly Christian, 30.46; 8. Laura Mote, 30.50; 9. Jill Wilson, 30.52; 10. Steeley Steiner, 30.54; 11. Josey Owens, 30.58; 12. Martha Smith, 30.61.

Bull riding leaders: 1. Laramie Mosley, 90 points on Hampton Pro Rodeo’s Road Warrior; 2. Stetson Wright, 88; 3. Riley Barg, 87; 4. Ky Hamilton, 85.5; 5. Tristen Hutchings, 84.5; 6. (tie) Jaron Sheehan, Tyler Bingham and Jordan Wacey Spears, 84; 9. Garrett Wall, 82; 10. (tie) Seth Green and Dawson Gleaves, 75; 12. T Parker, 72.