PECOS, Texas – Cody Wright likes to see his name atop the standings any time he competes.

Wright, a two-time world champion from Milford, Utah, is the No. 1 saddle bronc rider in the world standings. On Friday night during the third performance of the West of the Pecos Rodeo, he matched moves with Carr Pro Rodeo’s Deuces Wild for 88 points to take the lead with just one performance remaining.

“Anywhere you can be hot this time of year is awesome,” said Wright, whose younger brother, Jake, sits in second place in Pecos. “We just want to get on a roll and hopefully keep it rolling.

“We’ve got a lot of good rodeos coming up, and the year has just begun, I think. Of course, anytime I can win, I’m happy.”

He’s been quite happy in 2013. So far this season, he’s earned more than $55,000 has won eight titles, including a January championship in Odessa. He knows it takes a solid performance from him and his horse if he has any chance of collecting checks along the way.

“I had that horse in Lovington (N.M.); I thought he was just so-so, but I might not have rode him good,” Wright said. “I tried to ride him as good as I could, and he would up being awesome.”

That’s the winning combination, and the Wright family knows it well. Four brothers travel together – Cody, Alex and twins Jake and Jesse. All but Alex have qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, and Cody joins reigning champ Jesse as the family members who adorn gold buckles. Jake Wright posted an 84 on Carr’s Choir Girl to move into the No. 2 spot, and he’s rather tickled to have the momentum in his favor heading into the busy summer stretch of events.

“It’s awesome to do well here,” Jake Wright said. “I didn’t have the best winter. I drew decent but didn’t ride all that good. With the help of good brothers and a little bit of work, it’s all coming together.

“I wouldn’t want it to happen any other time that the Fourth of July.”

West of the Pecos Rodeo
June 26-29
Pecos, Texas
Bareback riding leaders: 1. Taylor Price, 88 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Dirty Jacket; 2. Will Lowe, 87; 3. Tom McFarland, 85; 4. (tie) Caine Riddle and Steven Dent, 82; 6. Micky Downare, 79; 7. Craig Wisehart, 78; 8. Bill Tutor, 74.

Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Travis Tryan/Jake Long, 6.4 seconds; 2. Trevor Brazile/Patrick Smith, 6.8; 3. Charly Crawford/Ryan Motes, 6.8; 4. (tie) Dustin Davis/Kinney Harrell and Turtle Powell/Dugan Kelly, 6.9; 6. Bubba Buckaloo/Cole Dawson, 7.1. Second round leaders: 1. Trevor Brazile/Patrick Smith, 6.2 seconds; 2. Chad Masters/Randon Adams, 6.8; 3. (tie) Nick Sartain/Rich Skelton and Arky Rogers/Walt Woodard, 7.0; 5. (tie) Colby Lovell/Martin Lucero and Brandon Webb/Wesley Johnson, 7.4; 6. Keven Daniel/Chase Tryan, 7.6. Average: 1. Trevor Brazile/Patrick Smith, 13.0 on two runs; 2. Arky Rogers/Walt Woodard, 15.0; 3. Chad Masters/Randon Adams, 15.0; 4. Turtle Powell/Dugan Kelly, 15.3; 5. Derrick Begay/Cesar de la Cruz, 15.8; 6. Dustin Davis/Kinney Harrell, 16.2.

Steer roping: First round: 1. Walter Priestly, 12.2 seconds, $1,821; 2. Garrett Hale, 13.7, $1,507; 3. Chance Gasperson, 13.8, $1,193; 4. Reo Lohse, 14.4, $879; 5. Jason Evans, 14.9, $565; 6. Troy Tillard, 15.1, $314. Second round: 1. Dan Fisher, 12.0 seconds, $1,821; 2. Lawson Plemons, 12.2, $1,507; 3. Troy Tillard, 13.1, $1,193; 4. (tie) J. Paul Williams and Landon McClaugherty, 13.5, $722 each; 6. Rod Hartness, 13.9, $314. Third round leaders: 1. Chet Herren, 12.4 seconds; 2. Howdy McGinn, 12.5; 3. Chance Gasperson, 12.8; 4. Coy Thompson, 13.3; 5. Jim Davis, 13.4; 6. (tie) Mike Brewer and Garrett Hale, 13.6. Average leaders: 1. Troy Tillard, 42.2 seconds on three runs; 2. J. Paul Williams, 47.2; 3. Chance Kelton, 47.2; 4. Tony Reina, 49.1; 5. Scott Snedecor, 52.0; 6. Jim Locke, 54.7.

Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. Cody Wright, 88 points on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Deuces Wild; 2. Jake Wright, 84; 3. Isaac Diaz, 82; 4. Shane Proctor, 81; 5. Jacobs Crawley, 80; 6. Jesse Bail, 79; 7. (tie) Travis Sheets and Nick Laduke, 78.

Tie-down roping: Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Reese Riemer, 8.9 seconds; 2. Taylor Smith, 9.1; 3. Trevor Brazile, 9.3; 4. (tie) Blane Cox and Fred Whitfield, 9.4 each; 6. Justin Maass, 9.6. Second round leaders: 1. Clint Akins, 8.2 seconds; 2. Cade Swor, 8.3; 3. Trevor Brazile, 8.7; 4. Payden Emmett, 9.0 seconds; 5. Kiel Rowan, 9.1; 6. Marty Yates, 9.4. Average leaders: 1. Trevor Brazile, 18.0 on two runs; 2. Clint Akins, 18.4; 3. Cade Swor, 18.7; 4. Marty Yates, 19.5; 5. Blane Cox, 19.7; 6. Will Kiker, 21.8.

Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Ben Shofner, 5.6 seconds; 2. Glen Clark, 6.0; 3. Royce Johnson, 6.3; 4. Riley Duvall, 6.4; 5. (tie) Chance Campbell and Bill Pace, 6.7. Second round leaders: 1. 1. Grady Gray, 4.0 seconds; 2. Tommy Cook, 5.3; 3. (tie) Cooper Shofner and Weston Taylor, 5.4; 5. Paul Melvin, 5.5; 6. Matt Reeves, 5.7. Average leaders: 1. Ben Schofner, 12.9 seconds on two runs; 2. Riley Duvall, 13.6; 3. Monty Eakin, 14.3; 4. Bill Pace, 14.4; 5. 6. Matt Reeves, 16.8.

Barrel racing leaders: 1. Jana Bean, 17.56 seconds; 2. Layna Kight, 17.59; 3. Jaime Borrow, 17.88; 4. Shelby Frasier, 17.91 seconds; 5. Clay Sewalt, 17.92; 6. Lindsey Ewing, 17.95; 7. Callie Duperier, 18.00; 8. Kenna Squires, 18.01; 9. (tie) Martha Wright and Tasha Welsh, 18.02; 11. Tammy Miller, 18.05; 12. Jordan Taton, 18.13.

Bull riding leaders: 1. Elliot Jacoby, 91 points on Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo’s Hustler; 2. (tie) Ricky Aguiar and Beau Schroeder, 89; 4. Chandler Bownds, 87; 5. Shane Proctor, 86; 6. (tie) Cameron Bland and Austin Meier, 85; 8. Chris Roundy, 84.