As New Season Begins, Saddle Bronc Rider Ready to Put 2024 Struggles Behind Him

Following a big win in Florida, Q Taylor is optimistic about the coming year as his confidence continues to grow.

Saddle bronc rider Q Taylor picked up a big in at the Homestead Championship Rodeo last weekend, a much different outcome than a lot of his 2024. | Fernando Sam-Sin/@fsamsin

Q Taylor just needed to feel comfortable with a horse underneath him in a competitive environment. 

After a year of struggles, the Nanton, Alberta, saddle bronc rider was looking for something positive to build on. He hopes his visit to Homestead, Fla., last weekend is where that turn begins. 

The third-year PRCA competitor rode Hi Lo ProRodeo bucking horse Karen’s Klown for 85.5 points to secure the win and a $2,888 payday in last Sunday’s sold out final round at the Homestead Championship Rodeo. 

“I’m feeling good, healthy and that win at Florida last weekend was good. Got some money in the bank and made a good ride, so that was good for the confidence,” Taylor said. “We’re in Fort Worth on the 30th and 31st, so that was a good kind of warm-up there before we get going to all these bigger winter rodeos and stuff.”

The result was quite a change-up from a large portion of Taylor’s 2024 results. A year after earning more than $116,000 and finishing 18th in the PRCA World Standings, Taylor was hoping to continue the momentum on his journey to making the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo last season. 

Instead, he ran into something that had never happened in his career before – saddle troubles. 

It started in late April at the Lakeside (Calf.) Rodeo when a horse squatted in the bucking chute and turned, catching the cantle of his saddle in the fence and breaking it. Taylor ordered a new one immediately while relying on his college saddle to get by. 

His new rig arrived midseason. Unfortunately it didn’t remain in action for long. Taylor estimates he got nine rides before a trip back to Alberta resulted in a catastrophic end. The horse he had drawn, Waning Moon from Calgary Stampede, has a reputation of being among ProRodeo’s most user friendly horses. 

“He decided to throw a fit that day. He reared up and smashed my saddle and broke it completely in half. That one was done,” Taylor said. 

Taylor sent both of his damaged saddles to Cary Veach’s workshop in Iowa to be repaired, relying on his old saddle and loaners from fellow PRCA competitors to get by. The reconstructed newer saddle arrived late in the season, allowing Taylor to pick up a few solid showings at the tail end of the season. 

From never breaking a saddle before in his entire career to multiple breaks in one season, Taylor is optimistic that his unlucky streak is in the past as the new schedule begins. The win in Florida was a good place to start, but he’s certainly looking for more during the coming winter run. 

“It’s hard to get anything rolling when you’re always jumping in a different saddle or having to borrow somebody’s saddle,” Taylor said. “I was kind of ready for 2024 to get over and get rolling with 2025 and it’s just sure been off to a better start. Hopefully, we can just carry the momentum through the winter and on to the spring and summer.”