Saddle Bronc Riding Standings Update: Tanner Butner and Sterling Crawley Battle For Final NFR Spot

BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT

The saddle bronc riding in 2022 had everything you could ask for in ProRodeo - a record-setter at the top, revered cowboys in the Gold Buckle mix and a bubble race between zero-time NFR qualifier and seven-time NFR qualifier.

2. Stetson Wright

Wright could’ve easily taken time off after Pendleton to rest up after another year of dominating bull riding and bronc riding, but that was not the case. Last weekend, he went to two rodeos and placed at both. He was 80.5 points to finish sixth at the Amarillo Tri-State Rodeo (Texas) and won Young Living’s Last Chance Rodeo (Utah) with 87.5 points. Wright is averaging 85.47 points per ride this year after averaging 85.44 one year ago en route to his first PRCA Saddle Bronc Riding Gold Buckle.

3. Brody Cress

Cress also hit the road hard despite having his No. 3 position heading into NFR all but locked up. He went to four rodeos and won two of them, the Amarillo Tri-State Rodeo and the Cowboy Capital of the World PRCA Rodeo (Texas). Cress also leads the Pasadena Livestock Show and Rodeo (Texas), which concludes this evening. All three of the rides mentioned were marked 87 points or more and Cress has been marked 85+ on a whopping 54 percent of his qualified rides.

12. Kole Ashbacher

Ashbacher has placed in the Top 4 of the last four rodeos he has entered dating back to Sept. 17. Last weekend, he won the Madison Pro Rodeo (Indiana) with 86 points.

15. Tanner Butner

Butner placed at three of the four rodeos he went to last weekend, including second place finishes at the Omaha River City Rodeo (Nebraska) and Young Living’s Last Chance Rodeo. Both of those rodeos paid around $2,600. Butner, 25, has won a check on 11 of his last 13 rides. He set career-highs this season in qualified rides (98), riding percentage (94), average score (81.23), 85-point rides (20) and Go-Round wins (11).

16. Sterling Crawley

Crawley answered the bell to keep pace with Butner and stay within striking distance of the final NFR spot with one weekend remaining in the season. Crawley won the River City Rodeo and the Comal County Rodeo (Texas) in addition to finishing second at the Division 2 Qualifying Event (Oklahoma). It initially appeared that Crawley had passed Butner, but after all of last weekend’s money was counted, Butner still lead by about $2,500.