World Champion Saddle Bronc Rider Zeke Thurston Hungry For Another Title

Fresh off another title at the Canadian Championship, Zeke Thurston could squeeze into the top three in the NFR world standings pending NFR performance.

Yfat Yossifor / San Angelo Standard-Times

The National Finals Rodeo is just weeks away, and as athletes across the country gear up to perform at the highest level in rodeo, it’s the hard work they put in this season that got them to the Thomas and Mack arena. The top 15 athletes in each event will step into the arena and hope to leave as world champions.

Four-time saddle bronc world champion, Zeke Thurston is heading into the NFR at No. 4 in the standings. Thurston is no stranger to the spotlight, as he is looking to take back the title for the first time since 2023. The Canadian Champion saddle bronc rider is going in hot to the NFR, just last week, the athlete took home the Canadian Champion title for the sixth time.

Not only does Thurston have a solid chance at entering the top three, if he doubles his season earnings at the NFR, he could take home the title. He has to have strong performances in each round to do so as he is $20,000 behind the No. 3 spot (Dawson Hay) and $60,000 behind Ryder Wright who is ranked No. 1. 

During the 2025 regular season, Thurston took home the crown at six rodeos, including most recently the Horse Heaven Roundup Rodeo and the Calgary Stampede. Wins like these earned him $244,268 and gave him another shot at the NFR title. 

Zeke Thurston Reaching For His Fifth World Title At 31

At 31, the rider out of Big Valley, Alberta has been in the PRCA game since 2014. He has three NFR average titles and 11 qualifications. He won his four world titles in 2016 and 2019 and then went back to back in 2022 and 2023. He’s qualified every year since 2015, marking him as a veteran act and one that can keep up with the sport as it evolves. 

In an interview with Ten Gallon Talk, Thurston discussed his future in the sport, 

“As far as the rest of my career, I haven’t put too much thought into that. These are probably the best years that I have left, whether it’s four, five, six, or seven years, but I don’t think I’m going to hang around too long past my prime.”

To take home another world title, Thurston would need a nearly perfect run at the NFR, but if anyone has proven they can do it- it’s him. At last year’s NFR, he placed in five rounds, including a win in the first and third rounds. He earned $150,725 in 2024, and could move all the way up in the world standings this year if he does just as well.

2025 Saddle Bronc Riding World Standings Pre-NFR

Rank	Name	Earnings
1	Ryder Wright	$293,994.02
2	Damian Brennan	$278,153.12
3	Dawson Hay	$268,621.07
4	Zeke Thurston	$244,268.49
5	Kade Bruno	$215,065.42
6	Brody Wells	$214,707.37
7	Zachary Dallas	$198,403.28
8	Sage Newman	$196,495.28
9	Statler Wright	$181,871.98
10	Brody Cress	$180,091.95
11	Weston Patterson	$173,735.41
12	Stetson Wright	$165,336.46
13	Q Taylor	$157,561.67
14	Ben Andersen	$149,661.35
15	Lefty Holman	$144,872.18

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