Rusty Wright Picks Up Much Needed Round Win in Salinas
SALINAS, Calif. – This hasn’t been the season veteran saddle bronc rider Rusty Wright envisioned when the year began. The five-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier (2015-16, 2018-20) is on the outside looking in on the PRCA | RAM World Standings.
Headed into the weekend he was sitting 26th with $45,402 earned this season, but that hasn’t seemed to impact him at the ProRodeo Tour Finale at California Rodeo Salinas.
On Saturday, he covered the eight seconds to make it back-to-back rounds with 87.5-point rides. His most recent performance split him the round win with his brother Stetson. He says Calgary Stampede’s Umber Bubbles gave him exactly the trip he wanted.
“That’s a great horse of Calgary’s (Stampede) and I’ve seen him be good all year long,” said Wright, 25. “He circles around to the left, but today he decided to have some moves. Luckily, I was lifting on my reign and got through all of that. Those swoops he does they call those money swoops for a reason. If you can spur him through them, you can dang sure rack up the points.”
Wright has punched his ticket to the eight-man ProRodeo Tour Finale semifinals on Sunday. The top four semifinal finishers advance to the four-man sudden-death finals. He says while the chances are slim to qualify for the NFR he plans to give it all he has in the final days of the 2021 season.
“This ride is huge, I don’t know if I can make it or get enough money to make the Finals, but I’m going to go for it as hard as I can,” he said. “Here lately I’m just sticking to the basics and riding every horse the best I can, and it is really working for me. I’ve won more money this past month than I have all year.”
Whether he qualifies for his sixth NFR or not he says there’s plenty to look forward to heading into next season.
“Any win is big if you’re making the Finals or not,” Wright said. “I think just getting the ball rolling at the end of the season will carry into next year and hopefully while everybody is at the Finals I can go home and work on my mental and physical state. Hopefully I’ll be able to come back and be a force to be reckon with next year.”
Below, is the full list of qualifiers for the ProRodeo Tour Finale semifinals on Sept. 26. The Rodeo begins at 1 p.m. (PDT). The top four finishers in the semis move on to the four-man sudden-death finals.
Bareback Riding
Wyatt Denny
Tanner Aus
Kaycee Feild
Seth Lee Hardwick
Tilden Hooper
Taylor Broussard
Richmond Champion
Cole Reiner
Tie-down Roping
Haven Meged
Adam Gray
Taylor Santos
Hunter Herrin
Westyn Hughes
Justin Smith
Marcos Costa
Marty Yates
Saddle Bronc Riding
Logan Hay
Ryder Wright
Wyatt Casper
Tanner Butner
Chase Brooks
Layton Green
Rusty Wright
Stetson Wright
Team Roping
Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira
Clay Smith/Jade Corkill
Clint Summers/Ross Ashford
Clay Tryan/Jake Long
Hayes Smith/Logan Medlin
Brenten Hall/Chase Tryan
Coy Rahlman/Douglas Rich
Colby Lovell/Paul Eaves
Steer Wrestling
Blake Knowles
Dalton Massey
Jacob Edler
Riley Duvall
Jesse Brown
Rowdy Parrott
Dakota Eldridge
Cody Devers
Bull Riding
Jeff Askey
Trey Benton III
Clayton Sellars
Creek Young
Sage Kimzey
Barrel Racing
Kylee Scribner
Steely Steiner
Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi
Ivy Saebens
Cheyenne Wimberly
Katie Halbert
Nellie Miller
Michelle Alley
Breakaway Roping
Sawyer Gilbert
JJ Hampton
Jackie Crawford
Taylor Hanchey
Jordan Jo Fabrizio
Shelby Boisjoli
Lari Dee Guy
Cheyanne Guillory
Courtesy of PRCA