Stetson Wright capped the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) at Las Vegas setting three world records before 17,788 spectators.
Wright set the single-season Professional Rodeo Cowboys (PRCA) earnings record of $927,940. He claimed the all-around single season record of $758,829.
Wright’s bull riding single-season record totaled $592,144 while NFR bull riding earnings were $271,545, counting ground money.
“This year has been the best and the hardest year I have had in the PRCA,” said Wright, 23.
The Milford Utah, cowboy now has seven career world championships. That includes four all-arounds, 2019 through 2022; two bull riding, 2020 and 2022; and saddle bronc riding, 2021.
Wright also placed in 15 of the combined 20 rounds he competed in: saddle bronc riding, seven, and bull riding, eight. Wright finished fourth in the saddle bronc riding world standings with $335,797.
“I love breaking my own records because that means I did better than I did the year before,” Wright said. “My goal to be better. I really feel like I can do better and break more records.”
Caleb Smidt, Bellville, Texas, calf roper won his fourth world title and fourth NFR average honor. He earned a PRCA tie-down roping single-season record $374,737 plus an NFR tie-down roping record $225,221.
“It’s unbelievable. Just what I have accomplished is beyond my imagination,” Smidt said. “My belief in God and the horse I have, and my family pushed me to be better every day. I do it for them, for the fans, and I give all the glory to God.”
Smidt won the average with an 82.5-seconds times on 10 head. “I don’t even think I would have a gold buckle without my horse Pockets,” Smidt said. “That’s how good he is. The consistency Pockets gives me every time I nod my head is unbelievable.”
Tyler Waguespack, Gonzales, Louisiana, claimed his fourth world championship in steer wrestling.
Waguespack finished atop the world standings with $268,881 and was third in the average with a 57.1-seconds time on 10 head.
“I feel undeserving of this world title,” Waguespack said. “This is so awesome. I grew up watching all my heroes and dreaming about having one gold buckle, you know.”
Zeke Thurston, Big Valley Alberta, Canada, won his third saddle bronc riding championship earning a single-season saddle bronc riding record $399,316.
“This one was probably the hardest one I have ever had,” Thurston said. “I had to work for this one. The other 14 guys in the room are crazy talented and ride awesome.”
Thurston earned an NFR saddle bronc riding record $256,078, with $74,150 for winning the average recording 876.5 points on 10 head.
“I am not usually an average-kind-of guy,” Thurston said. “I darn sure didn’t come here with the mindset to win the average. I just blocked it all out and went and made the best possible rides.”
Thurston also won the Top Gun Award for earning the most NFR money in a single event with $256,078.
Header Kaleb Driggers, Hoboken, Georgia, and heeler Junior Nogueira from Brazil won their second straight world championships.
They finished atop their respective world standings with $340,708 each. They earned $112,830 each at the NFR and finished second in the average with a 71.4-seconds on nine head.
“This is what we’ve always dreamed about, being here and winning a gold buckle,” Driggers said. “We had a lot of trials and tribulations. But we kept our faith in the Lord and our faith in each other and we persevered.”
“It was one of the toughest finals without winning a round, especially for me,” Nogueira said. “Kaleb did an amazing job of keeping me up. And you have to give all the glory to God.”
Jess Pope, Waverly, Kansas snagged his first career world championship in bareback bronc riding.
After finishing third and second in the world standings in 2020 and 2021, respectively, Pope became a world champion
“This is awesome. It is just so rewarding. I worked my whole life for this, and it finally came true,” Pope said. “I knew I had it in me. It was just letting the cards fall right and doing what I was supposed to do. It was God’s plan.”
Pope also won his third consecutive NFR average crown with 860 points on 10 head. “Man, I was just showing up and taking it one horse at a time, being a cowboy,” he said.
Haileh Kinsel, Cotulla, Texas, concluded her 2022 season with her fourth world barrel racing championship in five years.
She finished the world standings leader with $302,172 this year while also winning titles in 2018, 2019, and 2020.
“Oh gosh. This is so much to put into words,” Kinsel said. “My horse Sister is amazing. I really don’t know how and why she loves this so much and wants to be better every time. She’s so special to me. She’s like family.”
Martha Angelone, Stephenville, Texas, captured her inaugural breakaway roping world championship.
Coming into the NFR with a $37,009 lead in the world standings, Angelone claimed the world title with $130,304,
She won Round 8 with a 1.8-seconds run, the fastest run of the event. “I couldn’t have asked for anything better. My horse Legend made it a lot easier on me,” Angelone admitted.
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CUTLINE
Climaxing the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Stetson Wright, Milford Utah, was the all-around champion and champion bull rider while placing fourth in saddle bronc riding.
