Sage Newman has had a strong hold on the No. 1 spot in the World since the end of May. It is a wave of momentum that he continues to ride while Zeke Thurston has surpassed Stetson Wright. Canadians Dawson Hay, Ben Andersen, and Layton Green remain steady inside the Top 10 and the pressure is on for those that could be on the bubble.
No. 2 Zeke Thurston, $182,113
Thurston’s trip to Salt Lake City, Utah resulted in a huge Gold Medal win at the Utah Days of ’47 Rodeo. He was an 85.5 in the Performance 1 to qualify for the Gold Medal Round. There, he matched up with his old friend, All Or Nothin’ of Andrews Rodeo. The duo went 92.5 points for Thurston to cinch the win. He followed it up with an 88-point ride in Spanish Fork that was worth over $7,500 before he was 85 points in Ogden for another $1,500. In the month of August, Thurston has added over $7,000 to his earnings to pass Stetson Wright.
No. 10 Brody Cress, $91,452
After a slow July, Cress has found his stride in the month of August and he is off to a hot start. An 86-point ride at Iowa’s Championship Rodeo to claim $3,400 before his big win came in Dodge City, Kansas. An 87.5-point ride in Round 1 on J Bar J’s Hyna moved him on to the Short Round where he had a rematch with Frontier Rodeo’s Miss Ellie, a horse Cress had bucked off the three previous times. In Dodge City, the Wyoming saddle bronc rider conquered the mare for 88.5 points and a Dodge City Roundup Win. It was one win after another as Cress took home the Final Round win of the Home On The Range Champions Ride, placed third in the Average and added another $8,000 to his earnings.
No. 12 Ryder Wright, $84,908
With a slow July for Ryder after an injury, he has picked back up in August like we all knew he would. An 86 in Spanish Fork, Utah landed him in the money before a matchup with Korkow Rodeo’s Ringworm was enough for third and over $4,000 at Ogden Pioneer Days. At the Dodge City Roundup Rodeo in Kansas, an 85-point ride was good enough to qualify Ryder for the Short Go where he too would meet up with an old friend, Feather Fluffer of Championship Pro Rodeo. The two put an 87.5 on the board to get a piece of the money. His latest pay day came in Loveland, Colorado at the Larimer County Fair and Rodeo where he was 86.5 to be third.
Q Taylor, Damian Brennan and Statler Wright round out the Top 15 and all three are gunning for their first National Finals Rodeo qualification.
With just over six weeks remaining in the regular season, take a look at your full Top 20 saddle bronc riders in the PRCA World Standings.
| World Rank | Name | Earnings |
| 1. | Sage Newman | $189,282 |
| 2. | Zeke Thurston | $182,113 |
| 3. | Stetson Wright | $171,967 |
| 4. | Kade Bruno | $152,696 |
| 5. | Dawson Hay | $123,326 |
| 6. | Ben Andersen | $123,139 |
| 7. | Layton Green | $117,822 |
| 8. | Lefty Holman | $102,824 |
| 9. | Chase Brooks | $101,695 |
| 10. | Brody Cress | $91,452 |
| 11. | Tanner Butner | $88,009 |
| 12. | Ryder Wright | $84,908 |
| 13. | Q Taylor | $84,507 |
| 14. | Damian Brennan | $82,619 |
| 15. | Statler Wright | $80,491 |
| 16. | Wyatt Casper | $80,455 |
| 17. | Leon Fountain | $79,900 |
| 18. | Isaac Diaz | $79,900 |
| 19. | Ryder Sanford | $78,677 |
| 20. | Shorty Garrett | $66,923 |
Standings current as of prorodeo.com on August 9, 2023 at 7:20 PM EST.
