All Four Wright Brothers Qualify for the 2026 NFR, Making Rodeo History

If you follow rodeo at all, you are very likely to recognize the blue shirts behind the bucking chutes. This December, at the 2026 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, there will be four of those blue Wrangler shirts climbing into the yellow chutes. For the first time, all four of the  Wright brothers have qualified to the NFR. 

They have all been there before, but all four of these boys have never made it in the same year. This year, all four of the legendary Cody Wright’s sons will compete at the NFR together.

Rusty, Ryder, Stetson and Statler Wright have all punched their tickets to Las Vegas, bringing one of the most recognizable families in rodeo back to Las Vegas to defend gold buckles that have been running in their family for decades. 

Ryder, Stetson and Statler have shared the NFR stage each of the last three years, but Rusty was missing from that group for several years. Now, the oldest of Cody’s four sons is back, and he is bringing the No. 1 spot in the PRCA saddle bronc riding world standings with him.

Behind him are Ryder and Stetson at No. 2 and No. 3.

Then there is Statler, the youngest of the four and the reigning World Champion, who had one final chance this weekend to get back to Vegas. Statler did what champions do and when the pressure was high, he stepped up the plate and showed just how badly he wants it. 

Statler Wright won the Sioux Falls Governor’s Cup with a 90.75 point ride in the finals on Smith Pro Rodeo’s Ozark. This win was worth $34,000 and pushed him into the top 15 in the world standings. The win secured his third consecutive NFR qualification and gave the reigning world champion a chance to defend the gold buckle he won last December.

Statler's 2026 season did not go as planned after he won his first world championship last December.

For much of the season, his return trip to Las Vegas looked far less certain than it had in previous years. The youngest Wright had been outside the top 15 late in the regular season, leaving him with very little room for error heading into Sioux Falls.

The Governor’s Cup gave Statler a rare opportunity to make a huge move, and he took advantage of it. His 90.75 point ride on Ozark gave him the biggest check he needed at the moment he needed it most.

Rusty Wright has spent years as the missing piece in the Wright family’s world championship collection.

Ryder, Stetson, and Statler have all won PRCA world championships. Rusty has been to the NFR five times and won some of the biggest rodeos in professional rodeo, but the gold buckle has remained just out of reach.

That could change this year. Rusty has held onto the No. 1 spot in the world for a good majority of this season. Now he has his first real shot at adding his name to the list of Wright world champions.

His biggest competition though, are his three youngest brothers who all have gold buckles to their name. 

Rusty has been very open about his journey. Sobriety, healing, faith, and family are a big part of his story this year. Rusty is feeling stronger than ever in all parts of life, and it is showing in the arena. 

Ryder is a three time world champion and has become one of the most consistent saddle bronc riders in the sport. He is headed to another NFR with a chance to add a fourth gold buckle to his résumé. 

Stetson, meanwhile, continues to build one of the most decorated careers rodeo has ever seen, living up to his nickname "Superman." The 10 time world champion is once again leading the all-around race and sits third in saddle bronc riding. He is also No. 3 in the bull riding standings, giving him a chance to chase the rare triple crown in Las Vegas.

The three brothers currently sitting at the top of the saddle bronc standings were already making history before the fourth brother joined them. Earlier in the season, Rusty, Stetson and Ryder became the first three brothers to occupy the top three spots in the event at the same time.

Now they have something even bigger ahead as all four will be in Las Vegas.

For years, watching the Wright brothers qualify for the NFR has become part of rodeo.

Before it was these four brothers, we watched their dad, Cody make history of his own. The boys uncles and other family have also found much success in the chutes as well. Cody Wright has watched all four of his boys accomplish huge things in life in and out of the arena. Now, for the first time, he will watch all four of them walk into the Thomas & Mack Center together. 

Although Rusty, Ryder, Stetson, and Statler are all each others biggest competition, you will not find anyone cheering louder for each other either. These boys all have the same goal, but as bad as they want it for themselves, they also want it for their brothers. This is the kind of champion mindset that has gotten them where they are today. 

There is a really good chance that we will see some more gold buckles go home to Utah this December, now the question is which of the boys in blue will get it done this year?