ATHLETES ARE THE REAL STARS OF THE RODEO
After you get your favorite version of food on a stick and get settled in a seat that’s going to give you a nice view of the night’s musical act, be sure to put some focus on the real stars of RodeoHouston: the athletes.
These cowboys and cowgirls are the reason we’re here, watching some of the sport’s premier competitors in a setting that’s grander than anything else in rodeo. Watch how they handle themselves on beasts trying to pummel them into the ground, or how they work in unison with their animal partners. It’s a sight unlike anything else in sport, and these are the stars.
Here are a few that should catch your interest:
STETSON WRIGHT
This cowboy’s favorite book is reportedly “King of the Cowboys,” by rodeo legend Ty Murray. Well, if Wright’s future looks like his recent past, he might be making the claim for himself. The Utah cowboy finished 2022 as the PRCA’s All-Around champion — meaning he competed in two or more events. It was the fourth straight year he ended it with that honor. But it wasn’t just the title that defined his dominance. At the National Finals Rodeo, essentially the Super Bowl of rodeo, he won the bull riding world title while also setting the record for the most money won in a given year. Few people are sure bets in rodeo. Wright just might be.
JESSE POPE
Pope is riding high, fresh off his first world title in the bareback category. It’s easy to think the Kansas cowboy will continue the winning in Houston, with a muscular riding style that’s well suited to the grueling event. He works hard to make it look easy, a cowboy who uses CrossFit and weightlifting to prepare for the rides. He also says he likes working in feedlots. If that’s not the mark of a true cowboy, it’s hard to say what is.