World Championship Contender Ready To Ride Again After Challenging Round 7

It was a scary night in the Thomas & Mack.

Stetson Wright | Fernando Sam-Sin/@fsamsin

Things were falling back into place for Stetson Wright in Round 7 of the NFR, as he seeks his sixth gold buckle in the all-around. Wright took home his fifth check of the NFR in the saddle bronc riding.

The night quickly changed from triumph to tragedy as Wright lay on the arena floor after taking the blunt force of his re-ride bull's kick. Wright is not a man who stays down for long and those moments felt heavy, as he gathered himself in the dirt. While everyone held their breath in fear, he got up to walk out of the arena.

One question has been on everyone's mind since: "Is he okay?" Stetson has been beaten up throughout his career and nobody wants to see him injured again during his comeback tour.

Wright eased everyone's nerves with four short words to PRORODEO Sports News:

"No injury. I'm good," said Wright. As of right now, he is set to finish this NFR with multiple gold buckles on the line.

What Happened in Round 7?

Nathan Meyer Photography

Wright's first bull of the night fouled him coming out of the chutes (meaning the bull didn't leave cleanly when the gate opened) and roughed Wright up a bit.

Despite clearly being in discomfort, he wanted to get on another bull, showing off the competitive spirit that has earned him eight world championships at only 26 years old.

After Luke Mackey took his victory lap and the lights turned back on in the Thomas & Mack, Wright was pulling his bull rope down on another, ready to maintain his lead in the Average and the World Standings.

However, things went south quickly and he got whipped underneath the large black bull. Not many are able to even get to their feet after the shot he took, but Wright did.

Many had flashbacks to when Wright's last NFR was cut short. In 2023, he was dealing with an injured hamstring, which ended his NFR in the third round. This time it was direct contact and even though he walked out, it was only after several tense seconds.

No matter how bad the hit looked, it appears that he is not staying away from those bucking chutes unless a doctor chains him to a hospital bed. Wright is a true warrior and is showing everyone how to push through the pain when the stakes are this high.

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