If you are a fan of rodeo, you might have heard of the Wright family, a dynasty of saddle bronc riders who have won multiple world titles and dominated the sport for decades. But you might also wonder if Rylan Wright, a young bull rider who has been making waves in the rodeo scene, is related to Stetson Wright, the reigning all-around world champion and one of the most versatile cowboys in the history of rodeo. The answer is yes, they are related, but not as closely as you might think.
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Who is Rylan Wright?
Rylan Wright is a 19-year-old bull rider from Beaver, Utah, who has been competing professionally since 2019. He is the son of Jake Wright, a former saddle bronc rider who qualified for the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) seven times, and the grandson of Bill Wright, the patriarch of the Wright rodeo clan. Rylan has two brothers, Ryder and Statler, who also ride bulls.
Rylan started riding steers when he was eight years old and moved up to bulls when he was 14. He won the Utah High School Rodeo Association bull riding title in 2019 and 2020, and qualified for the National High School Finals Rodeo both years. He also competed in the Junior World Finals in Las Vegas in 2019, where he finished third.
In 2020, Rylan joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and made his debut at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, where he won $11,500. He also won the bull riding title at the Days of ’47 Cowboy Games and Rodeo in Salt Lake City, earning $50,000 and a gold medal. He finished the year ranked 23rd in the PRCA bull riding standings with $54,865.
In 2021, Rylan continued to impress with his bull riding skills, winning several rodeos and qualifying for his first NFR. He also competed in The American, a lucrative invitational rodeo in Arlington, Texas, where he placed second and earned $25,000. As of October 2021, he is ranked ninth in the PRCA bull riding standings with $114,883.
Who is Stetson Wright?
Stetson Wright is a 22-year-old cowboy from Milford, Utah, who competes in both saddle bronc riding and bull riding. He is the son of Cody Wright, a two-time world champion saddle bronc rider and one of the best bronc riders ever, and the nephew of Jesse Wright and Spencer Wright, who are also world champions in saddle bronc riding. He has four brothers: Rusty, Ryder, Statton and Remington, who are all saddle bronc riders.
Stetson started riding steers when he was 10 or 12 years old and followed his father and brothers into saddle bronc riding when he was 15. He also started riding bulls when he was 16 and quickly proved to be a natural talent in both events. He won the Utah High School Rodeo Association all-around title in 2017 and qualified for the National High School Finals Rodeo in both saddle bronc riding and bull riding.
In 2019, Stetson joined the PRCA and had a phenomenal rookie season. He won several rodeos in both events and qualified for his first NFR in both saddle bronc riding and bull riding. He became the first cowboy to win two rookie titles in one year: PRCA Bull Riding Rookie of the Year and PRCA All-Around Rookie of the Year. He also won the NFR average title in bull riding and placed second in saddle bronc riding. He clinched the PRCA All-Around World Championship with $297,026, becoming the youngest all-around world champion ever at age 20.
In 2020, Stetson repeated his feat of qualifying for the NFR in both events and defended his all-around world title with $267,977. He also won his first world title in bull riding with $204,791, becoming only the second cowboy to win both all-around and bull riding world titles in one year. He also competed in The American, where he won $100,000 for placing first in saddle bronc riding.
In 2021, Stetson is on track to qualify for his third NFR in both events and contend for his third all-around world title. He also competed in The American again, where he won another $100,000 for placing first in bull riding. As of October 2021, he is ranked first in the PRCA all-around standings with $231,114, second in the PRCA bull riding standings with $146,114, and 11th in the PRCA saddle bronc riding standings with $85,000.
Rylan and Stetson are second cousins. Their grandfathers, Bill Wright and Cody Wright Sr., are brothers. Their fathers, Jake Wright and Cody Wright Jr., are first cousins. Rylan and Stetson are part of a large extended family of rodeo cowboys who share a passion for riding bucking horses and bulls.
According to Lucchese, the Wright family are among some of the best saddle bronc riders in the world. This family has won the world title six times, and in 2019, Stetson was crowned the All-Around Champion due to his saddle bronc and bull riding skills. All five relatives – Stetson, Rusty, Ryder, Jesse, and Spencer were raised in Milford, Utah, with their family.
Rylan is also part of the Wright rodeo legacy, but he chose to focus on bull riding instead of saddle bronc riding. He told CBS News that he likes the challenge and thrill of riding bulls. He said, “I just like it better than broncs. It’s more fun to me. It’s more dangerous. And I like living on the edge a little bit.”
Rylan and Stetson have competed against each other in several rodeos, but they also support each other as family. They have a friendly rivalry and a mutual respect for each other’s abilities. Rylan said, “He’s a great bull rider. He’s a great bronc rider. He’s just a great cowboy all around.”
Stetson said, “He’s a stud. He’s one of the best bull riders out there right now. And he’s only 19 years old. He’s got a bright future ahead of him.”
Conclusion
Rylan Wright and Stetson Wright are two of the most talented and successful young cowboys in rodeo today. They are related as second cousins, but they have different specialties: Rylan rides bulls and Stetson rides both bulls and broncs. They are both part of the Wright family, a dynasty of saddle bronc riders who have made history in the sport of rodeo.
