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| Ryder Wright |
Full Name: Ryder Cody Wright | Current Status: Active professional saddle bronc rider, competing in the 2026 PRCA regular season
At nineteen years old, Ryder Wright became the youngest saddle bronc world champion in PRCA history. A decade later, the cowboy who set the family standard is still chasing his brothers as much as he's chasing them — three gold buckles deep, and still not finished.
Biography Summary
Ryder Wright rides for a family that treats saddle bronc riding the way other families treat a trade passed down at the dinner table. He is the son of two-time world champion Cody Wright, nephew to two more gold-buckle winners, and older brother to two others who chase him in the standings every single week.
What separates Ryder from the rest of the Wright dynasty is timing. He turned pro in 2016, made the National Finals Rodeo his very first year, and won his first world championship in 2017 at just nineteen — still the youngest saddle bronc champion the PRCA has ever crowned.
Three gold buckles later (2017, 2020, 2024), Wright remains one of the sport's most consistent competitors, even as his own brothers Statler and Rusty have started closing the gap he once opened.
Early Life
Ryder grew up in Milford, Utah, watching his father win back-to-back world titles in 2008 and 2010. He got on his first bucking horse at fourteen, training twice a week in the family practice pen before competing at weekend rodeos.
He credits his father and grandfather, Bill Wright, with teaching him the fundamentals of the event. In high school, Ryder also played football and baseball, but saddle bronc riding was always the family's real proving ground.
That foundation paid off fast. In 2015, Wright won the National High School Finals Rodeo championship in saddle bronc riding, along with back-to-back Utah state high school titles, setting up an immediate jump to the professional ranks.
Professional Career
Ryder Wright's career has followed one clear pattern: set the bar as a teenager, defend it against the rest of the world for a few years, then watch his own family try to clear it. Every chapter of his story runs through that same tension.
The Rookie Who Refused to Wait
Wright's 2016 debut season is still talked about in rodeo circles. He qualified for his first NFR at eighteen, entering at No. 14 in the world standings, and proceeded to win five go-round checks across Rounds 1 through 4 and Round 9 — a rookie record at the time.
He climbed from 14th to 4th in the world standings in ten nights and earned over $130,000 at the Thomas & Mack Center alone. The performance was enough to make him the Resistol Rookie of the Year in saddle bronc riding.
Youngest Champion in History
Wright didn't have to wait long for the title that had eluded him as a rookie. In 2017, at nineteen years old, he won four go-round checks, placed in eight of ten rounds, and claimed his first PRCA World Championship — becoming the youngest saddle bronc rider ever to do it.
That same NFR run also set a financial record: Wright's $284,938 in Las Vegas earnings was, at the time, the most money a saddle bronc rider had ever won at a single NFR.
A Second Title, and the Lean Years
Wright backed up his first title with a second in 2020, adding the NFR Average championship the same year and setting an NFR Round 6 record with a 90.5-point ride on Hi Lo Pro Rodeo's Billie. It looked like the start of sustained dominance.
Instead, the next two seasons humbled him. He slid to No. 10 in the world standings by the end of 2022, his lowest finish since turning pro, then broke his wrist at the 2023 Reno Rodeo and missed thirty critical days from June 19 to July 18 that season.
He still made his eighth consecutive NFR that December, entering at No. 7 — proof the setback had cost him ground, not his standing among the sport's best.
Redemption in Reno, a Third Gold Buckle
Wright's comeback had a fitting symbol: in 2024, he returned to the same arena where he broke his wrist a year earlier and won the Reno Rodeo outright with an 88-point ride. Confidence restored, he carried that momentum straight to Las Vegas.
At the 2024 NFR, Wright split the Round 10 win with an 89.5-point ride on Andrews Rodeo's Horse of the Year, All or Nothing, locking up $479,957 for the event and his third career world championship.
Beaten by His Little Brother
The 2025 season delivered Wright's most painful near-miss. He set a new PRCA regular-season earnings record at $293,994, breaking Damian Brennan's prior mark of $280,035, and opened the year by winning RodeoHouston outright.
He entered the NFR finals leading the world standings, but a no-score in Round 5 opened the door. His youngest brother, Statler, then just twenty-two and in only his second NFR, edged him for the title by roughly $300 — the closest saddle bronc world championship race in years.
Still Chasing, Still Winning
Wright answered that heartbreak in 2026 by finally winning at Cheyenne Frontier Days, a rodeo that had eluded him for a decade, taking the title via tiebreaker with a 92-point ride on Cancun Moon. It was his first CFD buckle in ten years of trying.
As of this writing, Wright is working toward an eleventh consecutive NFR qualification, competing alongside brothers Rusty and Stetson near the top of the 2026 saddle bronc world standings — the family rivalry that once was his alone to lead is now a three-way fight every week.
Career Timeline
| Year | World Standing / Result | NFR Earnings | Notable Milestone |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Amateur | — | National High School Finals Rodeo champion, saddle bronc |
| 2016 | 4th | Over $130,000 | Rookie of the Year; rookie-record five go-round wins |
| 2017 | 1st (World Champion) | $284,938 | Youngest world champion in PRCA history, age 19 |
| 2018–2019 | NFR qualifier | — | Continued consecutive NFR qualification streak |
| 2020 | 1st (World Champion) | — | Second world title; also won NFR Average |
| 2021 | NFR qualifier | — | Set NFR Round 6 record with 90.5-point ride |
| 2022 | 10th | — | Career-low world standing finish |
| 2023 | 7th | — | Wrist fracture at Reno Rodeo; missed 30 days |
| 2024 | 1st (World Champion) | $479,957 | Won Reno Rodeo; third career world title |
| 2025 | Reserve World Champion (2nd) | $151,600 | Set PRCA regular-season earnings record; won RodeoHouston |
| 2026 | Active, in progress | — | First Cheyenne Frontier Days title |
Major Achievements
Wright's résumé spans individual world titles, family milestones, and single-event records that have stood for years.
- Three-time PRCA World Champion Saddle Bronc Rider (2017, 2020, 2024)
- Youngest saddle bronc world champion in PRCA history (age 19, 2017)
- 2020 NFR Average Champion
- 2016 Resistol Rookie of the Year, saddle bronc riding
- 2025 RodeoHouston champion
- 2026 Cheyenne Frontier Days champion
Awards & Honors
Formal Hall of Fame or major crossover-award recognition beyond PRCA world titles was not confirmed via primary sources and has been omitted rather than assumed.
- Resistol Rookie of the Year, saddle bronc riding (2016)
- Three PRCA World Championship gold buckles (2017, 2020, 2024)
- NFR Average Championship (2020)
Career Statistics
| Category | Total |
|---|---|
| PRCA World Championships | Three |
| NFR Qualifications | Ten consecutive |
| NFR Average Championships | One (2020) |
| Career Earnings | Over $2,600,000 |
| 2025 Regular-Season Earnings | $293,994 (PRCA record) |
| Single-NFR Earnings Record (2017) | $284,938 |
Records
- Youngest saddle bronc world champion in PRCA history (19 years old, 2017)
- Held the record for most money won by a saddle bronc rider at a single NFR ($284,938 in 2017)
- Set the NFR Round 6 scoring record with a 90.5-point ride on Hi Lo Pro Rodeo's Billie (2020)
- Set the PRCA regular-season earnings record for saddle bronc riding at $293,994 (2025), breaking Damian Brennan's $280,035 mark from 2024
- Rookie-record five go-round wins at the 2016 NFR
Playing Style
Wright is known in the arena for consistency more than flash. Across the 2025 season alone, he covered 94.6 percent of his broncs for an average score of 84.94 points — both figures ranking among the top six of any bronc rider who reached the NFR that year.
He built his reputation on volume as much as peaks, stacking scores of 85 points or better week after week rather than relying on a single spectacular ride to carry a season.
Injuries & Challenges
Wright's career has not been injury-free. A broken wrist at the 2023 Reno Rodeo forced him out of competition for roughly thirty days that summer, contributing to his lowest world standing since turning pro the year before.
He returned to win the same Reno Rodeo the following year, a detail that stood out to me while tracing his results year over year — the exact event that broke his wrist became the site of his comeback win twelve months later.
The 2025 season brought a different kind of setback: a single no-score in Round 5 of the NFR cost him a shot at a fourth world title, one he lost to his own younger brother by roughly $300.
Personal Life
Wright is married to his wife, Cheyenne, and the couple has a daughter, Bexley Ray, according to his officially verified Instagram account.
He is one of five brothers — Rusty, Stetson, and Statler compete alongside him in saddle bronc riding, while their father Cody and uncles Jesse and Spencer round out a family with a combined total of PRCA world titles that few rodeo dynasties can match.
Official Social Media Profiles
- Instagram: @officialryderwright
Legacy
Ryder Wright's place in rodeo history was secured the moment he became the youngest saddle bronc world champion the sport had ever seen. But his lasting legacy may be less about that record and more about what it set in motion.
He gave his younger brothers a target to aim at — and in 2025, Statler Wright hit it, using almost the same blueprint Ryder wrote as a teenager to win his own first gold buckle by the narrowest of margins.
What started as one cowboy setting a family standard has become a genuine three-way rivalry between brothers, and Ryder remains at the center of it, still adding to a résumé that shaped the entire competition.
Interesting Facts
- Ryder Wright is the son of two-time world champion Cody Wright and nephew to two more world-champion uncles, Jesse and Spencer Wright.
- He got on his first bucking horse at age fourteen, training in the family's practice pen twice a week during high school.
- His rookie NFR in 2016 produced a then-record five go-round wins.
- At nineteen, he became the youngest saddle bronc world champion in PRCA history.
- His 2017 NFR earnings of $284,938 set a single-event record for a saddle bronc rider at the time.
- He also won the 2020 NFR Average title the same year he claimed his second world championship.
- He set the NFR Round 6 scoring record with a 90.5-point ride in 2020.
- A broken wrist at the 2023 Reno Rodeo sidelined him for thirty days — he returned to win that same rodeo in 2024.
- His 2025 regular-season earnings of $293,994 broke the previous PRCA record.
- He lost the 2025 world title to his youngest brother, Statler, by roughly $300 — one of the closest finishes in the event's history.
- In 2026, he won his first Cheyenne Frontier Days title after ten years of trying.
- Three of his brothers — Rusty, Stetson, and Statler — also compete in professional saddle bronc riding.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many world titles has Ryder Wright won?
Ryder Wright has won three PRCA World Championships in saddle bronc riding, in 2017, 2020, and 2024.
Is Ryder Wright the youngest saddle bronc world champion ever?
Yes. Wright won his first world title in 2017 at nineteen years old, making him the youngest saddle bronc rider to ever claim the championship.
Who are Ryder Wright's brothers in rodeo?
Ryder competes alongside brothers Rusty, Stetson, and Statler Wright, all of whom have qualified for the National Finals Rodeo in saddle bronc riding.
Did Ryder Wright win the 2025 world championship?
No. Wright finished as the 2025 reserve world champion, losing the title to his youngest brother, Statler, by approximately $300 in one of the closest finishes in PRCA history.
How much has Ryder Wright earned in his career?
Wright has earned over $2,600,000 in career PRCA earnings, including a PRCA regular-season earnings record of $293,994 set in 2025.
What rodeo family is Ryder Wright from?
He is part of the Wright family of Utah, which includes his father Cody (a two-time world champion), uncles Jesse and Spencer (each one-time world champions), and three competing brothers.
Has Ryder Wright dealt with injuries during his career?
Yes. He broke his wrist at the 2023 Reno Rodeo, missing roughly thirty days of competition before returning to win that same rodeo in 2024.
The Final Verdict
Ryder Wright's career began with a simple, almost unbelievable fact: no one his age had ever won a saddle bronc world title before he did. That single achievement set the tone for everything since.
Three gold buckles, a broken wrist, a redemption win, and a heartbreaking loss to his own brother later, Wright is still one of the standings' top contenders — the cowboy the rest of his family, including his own siblings, has to measure itself against.
If you've followed Ryder Wright's career, watched the Wright brothers battle it out at Cheyenne Frontier Days or the NFR, or have a detail about his run at a fourth world title worth adding, share it in the comments below — corrections and firsthand accounts are always welcome here.