Right after Cowboy Christmas, Wyoming hosted two more major professional rodeos. The prestigious WYO Rodeo in Sheridan and the Central Wyoming Fair and Rodeo in Casper overlap, with many cowboys and cowgirls zigzagging to the two between the Calgary Stampede and the NFR Open.
Back on top after a year-long injury-related hiatus, Stetson Wright claimed the All-Around titles at both rodeos.
WYO Rodeo
En route to claiming the bareback riding win, Sam Petersen also set a new arena record. Currently ranked No. 6 in the World Standings, the 21-year-old from Helena, Mont., made the highest marked ride of his career, in Sheridan. The 91-point ride aboard Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics' Land Of Fancy earned Petersen $7,226.
With Dalton Massey and Gavin Soileau claiming the round wins, Don Payne took $4,172 and the Average title in the steer wrestling.
Round 1 winners, Cyle Denison and Lane Mitchell also won the Average in the team roping for $5,078. Kolby Krieger and Michael Fortenberry split the Round 2 win with Clay Smith and Nicky Northcott.
The saddle bronc riding saw another high score, this time for Damian Brennan. His 93-point ride aboard Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics' The Black Tie banked him $6,909.
In the tie-down roping, Zack Jongbloed earned the average win for $5,226. Max Mathis claimed Round 1 and Nick Achille won Round 2.
Chloe Gray’s 16.93 topped the barrel racing for $8,458.
Colten Fritzlan and Stetson Wright tied for the win in the bull riding with 89-point rides, each earnings $7,061.
Central Wyoming Fair and Rodeo
2025 College National Finals Rodeo Champion, Cooper Filipek continued to ride the high in Casper. Scoring 88 points on Generations Pro Rodeo's Doughboy, he claimed the Round 1 win.
Sam Petersen and Mason Stuller split the win in the Finals. Petersen claimed another major win for the week, topping the Average.
Gavin Soileau topped the steer wrestling average, adding another $4,876 to his week’s earnings. He also placed in all three rounds.
Another set of Sheridan round winners, Kolby Krieger and Michael Fortenberry topped Round 1 of the team roping. Tyler Bryan and Denton Dunning earned the win in the Finals and the Average for $1,595 and $6,278.
Saddle bronc rider Rusty Wright’s 89 point ride aboard Rocky Mountain Rodeo's Honey Darlin topped Round 1. In the Finals, Weston Patterson and Mitchell Story split the win with 90.5 point rides. Patterson claimed the Average as well, for $3,395.
Making a nearly clean sweep of the rodeo, Quade Hiatt tied with Max Mathis for the win Round 1 of the tie-down roper, winning the Finals and the Average for over $12,000.
Makenna Shook also nearly swept the event, winning Round 1 of the barrel racing, placing second in the Finals, and winning the Average. Keyla Costa clocked the only 16-second time of the event, winning the Finals with a 16.98.
It was the Ky and Stetson show in the bull riding, with Ky Hamilton topping Round 1, Stetson winning Round 2, and the duo tied for the Average win.
PC: Hillary Maybery