PECOS The West of the Pecos Rodeo is considered to be a start of the summer run for cowboys and cowgirls across the country.
For four members of the Wright family, that run got off to a strong start Wednesday night during the opening performance at Buck Jackson Arena.
It started in the saddle bronc competition for the Milford, Utah natives.
Brothers Ryder Wright, 21, and Rusty Wright, 23, finished first and second, respectively, with scores of 87 and 86.5.
“This rodeo has been around forever,” Ryder said. “I’ve always had pretty good luck here and being here with my brothers and my uncle is pretty special. I love coming back here every year.”
Their uncle, Spencer Wright, and youngest brother, Stetson, also competed in saddle bronc but did not score.
Stetson closed out the night in impressive fashion in bull riding, finishing with a score of 85 after completing the ride on Chigger.
Out of the six bull riders competing Wednesday, he was the only one to stay on for eight seconds and earn a qualifying score.
“It was really good,” Stetson said. “The night started off bad with the bucking horse, but it finished well with the bull. Not many people are able to ride that bull, so to accomplish that felt great.”
Wednesday’s performance continued a strong family legacy for the brothers carried from their father, Bill, who competed at the West of the Pecos Rodeo back in the day.
But for the next generation, they carry on the family legacy through each other’s support.
“I dang sure want to win, but at the same time I want them to beat me,” Rusty said. “I really do root for them and it’s weird and I sometimes find it hard rooting for them than I do myself.”
“We’re all chasing that world title and it’s good to see everyone do well,” Ryder said. “Rusty doing well in front of me and Stetson closing it out the way he did really gets your fire roaring.”
For Spencer, the uncle, he says that tight bond actually helps each of them compete at the highest level.
“It’s definitely a pretty rare thing,” he said. “We’re all really supportive of each other.
“I feel that family is more supportive than your closest friends and I think that’s why we always do so well, because we’re always helping each other.”
That was evident following Stetson’s bull ride, the last competitor for the evening.
As Stetson returned to the bucking chute, his brothers were there to congratulate him on his performance.
“It was awesome,” said Ryder of Stetson’s performance. “I love watching Stetson ride bulls because he does it so well. He’s textbook and in control as much as you can while riding a bull.”
“It means everything,” Stetson said. “This event is really awesome to compete against my brothers and knowing that my dad has competed in this arena and it’s a pretty cool experience.”
While the brothers wait to see how the rest of the competition unfolds over the weekend, they can leave Pecos feeling like they took a step forward on the start of the Cowboy Christmas run over the next two weeks.
“It’s definitely a springboard for the Fourth of July run,” Rusty said. “We’ve gone to a couple of rodeos before coming here, but if you get on a good horse here, that can give you a boost of confidence.”
“It’s a great way to start and I couldn’t be happier,” Stetson said. “The goal now is to just keep staying positive and trying to make every ride your best ride. You’re only as good as your last ride, so you have to keep moving forward.”
