Ric Andersen, courtesy PRCA
Thus Far, a Yeary to Remember: Veteran Bull Rider Among PRCA's Best After Resetting Approach
One shot. Brody Yeary knew that was all he had. And he was going to make the most of it.
For many competitors in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, the focus during the winter portion of the season is having success at what is colloquially known as “The Buildings.” Indoor rodeos at places like Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio pay out large sums of money that have the potential to set a cowboy up for an easier road to the National Finals Rodeo.
The catch — everyone competing at these indoor winter events has to qualify based on success in the previous season.
That put Yeary in an awkward spot as the veteran bull rider struggled in 2023, leaving him on the outside looking in for many of the PRCA’s biggest winter showcases.
Except one.
“I’m not in San Antonio, I’m not in Houston. I was kind of surprised I got into Fort Worth. Obviously, with that, you don’t have a shot at the big money building rodeos right at the beginning of the year,” Yeary said. “I had to kind of conquer and take my chances now because I’m not going to have my chances at big money at the building rodeos. So, when I got into Fort Worth, had some success, and got some money, it made not going to San Antonio and Houston just a little bit easier, knowing that I still have a good start even though I didn’t have those opportunities.”
The Morgan Mill, Texas cowboy capitalized on his moment at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, winning the first round of Bracket 4 to secure a wild card advancement. He then won the second semifinal round to reach the finals. Yeary walked away with more than $15,000 in earnings, helping him sit eighth in the PRCA World Standings with more than $27,000 in ledger already this season.
The success is a byproduct of Yeary refocusing after a disappointing 2023, something he takes ownership of.
Since joining the PRCA in 2016, he has been a regular name in the world standings, finishing in the top 40 four times. The only years Yeary hasn’t reached that mark have been due to injury.
Last season proved to be an anomaly, as Yeary was healthy the entire schedule. He admits he took his foot off the gas and didn’t have the focus he needed to be successful.
The lackluster finish sparked a recommitment, as Yeary spent the fall hitting the practice pen at a facility near his home owned by former world champion Ted Nuce. Yeary keeps several of his personal bulls there, allowing him to ride a variety of animals. The camaraderie with other bull riders seeking to improve has given him some extra motivation.
“When I got home there in the fall at the end of the season, I just had to kind of reprioritize and figure out what it was going to take and what I had done before to have success,” Yeary said. “I went back to getting on a good bit of practice bulls during the week and doing whatever I could in my power to do the best I could.”
So far, so good.
While other cowboys were preparing for NFR last winter, Yeary was looking to bolster his résumé for 2024.
He picked up checks at the Austin County Fair & Rodeo, the Bucking Battle in Bismarck, and Cinch World’s Toughest Rodeo in late 2023, all of which counted towards the 2024 season. Then, just a few hours before the calendar changed, Yeary closed out 2023 with more than $5,000 in total earnings at the New Year's Eve Buck & Ball in Gillette, Wyo., giving more than $13,000 in earnings before 2024 even began.
The money at Fort Worth kept Yeary in the top 10 early in the season. Now, it’s on him to remain there.
While some of rodeo’s biggest stars are focused on “The Buildings,” Yeary will be looking to navigate a different path moving forward. There are still plenty of PRCA events taking place all across the country, and while the individual paycheck might not be as substantial, success at a few can add up very quickly.
This weekend alone, Yeary will be in Las Fresnos, Texas, on Friday, Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday, and Okeechobee, Fla., on Sunday. Plus, he’s waiting to see if his 90-point ride at the Dixie National Rodeo in Jackson, Miss., holds up as the winning score. The rodeo concludes on Saturday.
“You just have to find some other rodeos to go to, maybe ones in other years where because I went to San Antonio or Houston that maybe I wasn’t able to go to. But you go there, and it’s the same thing – show up, stay on your bull, and they’re going to pay you,” Yeary said. “I don’t think it’s the worst thing. I finished well at San Antonio once and finished well at Houston once out of I don’t know how many years. I’ve just never had that much success there. Obviously, I wanted to be there, but when I knew I didn’t get in, I wasn’t the most heartbroken, really. I thought, ‘Well, I can go somewhere else and do the same thing.’ Might not have a shot at as much money, but it’s still the same deal.”
No matter the road to get there, Yeary is committed to keeping himself mentally focused in the coming year. Reaching Las Vegas for the first time in his career is a priority.
And while there’s a long time to go between now and NFR, Yeary has put himself in position early. He plans to stay among the top 15 but has no intention of settling for just qualifying.
“I think I’m in a good spot, but I’m not where I want to be. I’m always looking to be better,” Yeary said. “All I ever try to do is stay on more bulls and up my consistency. I can ride the rank ones. I can ride the nice ones. I just want to ride a large percentage of them.”
