Saddle Bronc Riding is shaping up to be one of the more exciting finishes to the regular season. Sage Newman currently leads the way with just under $190,000 earned on the season, but No. 2 through 6 in the World Standings are all within at least $70,000 (which importantly is the aggregate payout at the NFR). Stetson Wright is at No. 2 and is $17,000 behind Newman. 2022 World Champion Zeke Thurston is just $3,000 behind Wright in third.
Here is a look at some of the top Bronc Riders and how their seasons have gone.
No. 1 Sage Newman, $189,921
Sage Newman has been a mainstay inside the top 5 in the PRCA World Standings over the last two calendar years, and more often than not, he has been at the No. 1 spot during the regular season. 2023 is proving to be no different for the Montan Cowboy as he currently holds a $17,000 lead over Stetson Wright who is No. 2.
Newman had a great Fourth of July Weekend. He won four consecutive rodeos starting with a win at the Black Hills Roundup where he went 90 points on NFR Bronc Lunatic From Hell. Newman followed that up with an 89-point win at the Cody Stampede on Miss Ellie. His third win of the first week of July came at the Western Stampede where he went 88 points on Blood Angel. To round out the incredible stretch, Newman won the Mandan Rodeo Days on Flashcard Champ with an 87-point ride. In total, Newman won over $27,000 in the first week of the month to help him take the No. 1 spot.
No. 6 Ben Andersen, $122,138
Ben Andersen had the highest-marked ride across any event last weekend when he went 94 points on Xplosive Skies at the Hardgrass Bronc Match. Andersen has been climbing the standings lately thanks to a win at the Ogden Pioneer Days where he was 86.5 points on Joker Poker and a big showing at the Calgary Stampede where he placed third with an 89.5-point ride.
No. 8 Lefty Holman, $101,750
Lefty Holman struggled to begin the season but has had a stellar two months to climb inside the top 10 in the PRCA World Standings. To begin the month of May, Holman was No. 31 in the World. Towards the end of June, he had climbed to No. 21 in the world. Holman, now at No. 8 can thank a strong showing in Cheyenne where he made the finals and placed fourth with an 88.5-point ride. In Late July Holman placed second at Rodeo Salinas with an 87-point ride and took the Snake River Stampede with an 88-point ride on Womanizer.
| 1. | Sage Newman | $189,921 |
| 2. | Stetson Wright | $172,799 |
| 3. | Zeke Thurston | $169,341 |
| 4. | Kade Bruno | $149,493 |
| 5. | Dawson Hay | $123,326 |
| 6. | Ben Andersen | $122,138 |
| 7. | Layton Green | $117,822 |
| 8. | Lefty Holman | $101,750 |
| 9. | Chase Brooks | $101,717 |
| 10. | Tanner Butner | $86,221 |
| 11. | Q Taylor | $80,845 |
| 12. | Statler Wright | $80,491 |
| 13. | Wyatt Casper | $80,455 |
| 14. | Brody Cress | $80,372 |
| 15. | Ryder Wright | $76,840 |
| 16. | Issac Diaz | $76,179 |
| 17. | Ryder Sanford | $74,793 |
| 18. | Damian Brennan | $69,253 |
| 19. | Leon Fountain | $67,740 |
| 20. | Shorty Garrett | $65,364 |
Standings via ProRodeo.Com are accurate as of 8 AM ET on Friday, Aug. 4.
