Two Wyoming cowboys are ranked in the top 15 of the nation and are competing in the country’s largest and most prestigious rodeo — The National Finals Rodeo (NFR), taking place this week in Las Vegas.
Brody Wells of Powell and Brody Cress of Hillsdale are both members of Team Wyoming, the only state-sponsored rodeo team, that have qualified in the upper echelon of the saddle bronc competition.
To make it to the NFR, Cress won two Wyoming rodeos this year, The Cody Stampede Rodeo, and his fourth buckle at his home rodeo, Cheyenne Frontier Days.
On Sunday, Cress scored 86.25 points on the horse he drew, Dakota Rodeo’s Cash Deal, to place fifth in the fourth go-round of the National Finals Rodeo at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. Cress is 10th in the aggregate with 329.25 points, and this is the first time has finished in the top six.
Wells received a no-score in the same competition after he was flagged for not having his feet in the proper position when his horse, Calgary Stampede’s Cloudy Skies’, front feet hit the ground for the first time out of the chute. Wells is currently 12th in the aggregate with 257.5 points across four rounds and has managed to score in every other round at this year’s NFR.
This is Wells' second year on Team Wyoming, according to Amy Larsen, who oversees Team Wyoming through her role at Wyoming Travel and Tourism. As a teen, he dreamed of riding for the team and had idolized past rodeo greats.
“He said that he had grown up watching Chet Johnson and Seth Hardwick ride and couldn't wait till the day he got to wear that patch, too,” Larsen said. “So it’s a very big thing for our cowboys to be able to ride for their home state.”
Bret Franks, Wells’ coach at Clarendon College in Texas, told Cowboy State Daily, that he knew Wells had what it took to be a world champion who he met him as a freshman.
“He had a bronc saddle and a desire and just really raw talent,” Franks said. “All I did was give him an opportunity and he worked hard at it.”
Franks said that there is a little bit of fortune and luck tied to the success of a bronc saddle rider, but it is mostly a strong desire to succeed and putting yourself in the right place at the right time.
To compete as a saddle bronc rider at the NFR, considered the Super Bowl of rodeo, you need to have the passion to keep going even when it’s tough.
“There is a lot of getting bucked off and hitting the ground and getting back up and getting on another one,” Franks said. “There really are no shortcuts. You have to be able to stay on and spur every jump.”
Wyoming’s Sport
This is the 20th year of Team Wyoming, according to Larsen.
“Many years ago, rodeo was named the official professional sport of Wyoming and 20 years ago Kelly Timberman won the NFR,” Larsen said. “The legislators wanted a way to celebrate him and that’s where Team Wyoming got its start.”
Larsen said that the best way to celebrate Wyoming’s western heritage and cowboy way of life was by supporting our state rodeo teams and those, like Wells and Cress, who have become among the top 15 in the world in their field.
It is not easy to become the best in the world and Franks said you must take the sport seriously.
“You have to ask yourself if you are tough enough to do it,”’ Franks said. “Your desire has to be strong enough to go through, not only the physical trauma, but the mental task of competing at the highest level.”
For Larsen, Team Wyoming goes beyond just the competition at the NFR. It is about connecting with Wyoming’s roots and people. This includes the autograph sessions and introducing the rodeo stars to the public. Larsen also oversees the breakfast which this past Saturday hosted 400 people including Gov. Mark Gordan and his wife, Jennie.
“It’s a sense of pride when you get to call the cowboy and invite them to be part of Team Wyoming, and they finally get to wear the patch,” Larsen said.
Luck Of The Draw
One of the considerations for winning at a rodeo is how good your horse is. At the NFR, the horses are also the top contenders in the world and in order to score big, riders cross their fingers that they get the best horse possible.
“Wells is riding phenomenal,” Franks said. “He feels strong and feels like he's doing it at the highest level. But it also depends on his horse.”
For tonight’s ride, Wells drew a horse that ranks about sixth in that list of horses at the NFR so Franks is hopeful that Wells will have a good chance if his horse continues to do well.
“His horse could possibly have its very best ride tonight,” Franks said. “This particular round, I think, can be won on any of those horses. It's just going to be who rides the best and Wells is riding as strong as anybody.”
Wells' teammate, Cress, has been riding especially well and has made it to the top of their field. On Sunday, he scored 86.25 points on his horse, Dakota Rodeo’s Cash Deal, to place fifth in the fourth go-round of the National Finals Rodeo at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Bullfighter
The third member of Team Wyoming is Dusty Tuckness of Meeteetse who has been invited to the NFR as the bullfighter. He has been invited to come to the NFR 17 times which is unprecedented. He has also won Bullfighter of the Year ten times.
“There is one word used to define Dusty,” Larsen said. “It’s said over and over every night. Dusty is the GOAT.”
The bull riders vote on who to bring in as their bullfighter and Tuckness has repeatedly been given this honor.
Only As Good As The Next Ride
Even if you draw a good horse, Franks said, you have to be confident enough to do your best.
“You have to be a mentally tough person that's going to be able to overcome obstacles,” Franks said. “We're four rounds into it and Wells hasn't placed as good as he wants but he still feels strong.”
Franks said that the key to winning and staying on top of the sport is to stay positive no matter what.
“By staying positive, he will have a chance to turn it around,” Franks said. “I think as the week goes on, he's going to do good. The worst thing that can happen is you get here and you start losing confidence in yourself and he's not that way.”
Franks said that Wells knows he just needs to take his game up a notch.
“Neither have won a round yet, but they're both doing well,” Larsen said. “They're holding their own and riding towards the top.”
Larsen said that Seth Glause, the University of Wyoming rodeo coach, called 2025 the best round of saddle bronc riding he's ever seen.
“It's just a hell of a field,” Larsen said. “So for both Wells and Cress to come as far as they have this year, is just phenomenal.”
Larsen said that their achievements are something that we as the Cowboy State should be proud of.
“This is really the best of the best, and they are among the top 15,” Larsen said. “They both have the Wyoming spirit to win. Every night they go out there and give it their all.”
Jackie Dorothy can be reached at jackie@cowboystatedaily.com.
