Opening night of the 2025 NFR brings high powered matchups across the board, setting the stage for ten nights of big scores.
The draw for Round 1 of the 2025 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo has dropped and eyes quickly landed on one name and one bull, it’s Stetson Wright vs. Big Shasta.
After missing last year’s NFR due to injury, Stetson is back in Las Vegas with gold buckles to take back. To start out his week in the bull riding, he drew Big Shasta, the very bull he just rode weeks ago at the Wilderness Circuit Finals with a 90-point ride in the championship round.
A bull he has history with, one he has beaten is now the bull standing between him and launching his comeback finals with big momentum. Big Shasta does not make for an easy night for Wright, but it gives him the perfect opportunity to capitalize from the start. The cowboys that have covered him so far have been no less than 85 points, including Stetson.
Big Shasta will sell in the Benny Binion Bucking Stock Sale before making his NFR debut. Stetson was the last one to crawl on the powerful bull, and will be the next to do so on the opening night inside the Thomas and Mack.
Other Round 1 Matchups Worth Watching
Four-time World Champion Saddle Bronc Rider Zeke Thurston has drawn Frontier Medicine of Frontier Rodeo. This is a horse making his first appearance in the Thomas & Mack.
Don’t let the NFR debut fool anyone though because this guy shines in smaller indoor setups.Frontier Medicine helped Rusty Wright win the Montgomery, Alabama rodeo at the beginning of the year with an 87.5-point ride Also this year Skinny Parsons was 85.75 on him to earn the American Rodeo’s Central Regional Saddle Bronc title.
Zeke is the perfect guy to match this horse's explosive style.
The 2024 World Champion and 2025 season leader, Ryder Wright, drew Monster, the Corey & Lange standout named the Columbia River Circuit Saddle Bronc Horse of the Year.
Veteran NFR bareback rider Tilden Hooper will kick things off with MLW’s Irish Eyes, a horse known for excellence on the big stages. Kaycee Field was 90 points on this same horse back at the 2022 Pendleton Round-Up to win the title. Tilden himself matched up with Irish Eyes in Round 10 of the NFR that same year and was marked 85.5
Round 1 is always extra exciting at the Wrangler National Finals. 2025 is set to be a big year, and these matchups are the perfect way to kick it off in the roughstock events.
Full Round 1 Bareback Draw
Tilden Hooper – MLW’s Irish Eyes
Mason Clements – Miss Delta
Wacey Schalla – Wild Child
Waylon Bourgeois – Rubber Match
Jayco Roper – OLS Tubs Side Show
Cooper Cooke – Ramblin Man
Jacek Frost – Native Lights
Dean Thompson – Pretty Woman
Garrett Shadbolt – Renovo Shady Nights
Kade Sonnier – Boot Barn’s Night Delta
Cole Franks – Western Hauler’s Cosmic Stardust
Jess Pope – Land Of Fancy
Bradlee Miller – Sweet Tequila
Sam Petersen – Scarlett Cat
Rocker Steiner – Sozo
Full Round 1 Saddle Bronc Draw
Lefty Holman — Vitalix Ricky Bobby
Ben Andersen — Lil Brother
Q Taylor — Vitalix Guns Blazing
Stetson Wright — Renegade
Weston Patterson — Vitalix Womanizer
Brody Cress — Ed Bishop
Statler Wright — Big Country
Sage Newman — Hell Boy
Zac Dallas — Freckles
Brody Wells — Talkin Smack
Kade Bruno — Gone Fishing
Zeke Thurston — Frontier Medicine
Dawson Hay — Flying Carma
Damian Brennan — No Tail Dell
Ryder Wright — Monster
Full Round 1 Bull Riding Draw
Luke Mackey – Vitalix Anthrax
Jesse Petri – Buck Nasty
Rawley Johnson – Evil Intentions
Mason Moody – Koulees Pet
Bryce Jensen – Hunter
Jordan Spears – One Chance
Qynn Andersen – amasestays.com Insurrection
J.R. Stratford – GR Trailers Wicked Sensation
Hayes Weight – Ugly This
Hudson Bolton – Western Hauler’s Caesar
TJ Gray – Optiwize’s Buckin Hippie
Tristen Hutchings – Best Chance
Ky Hamilton – Black Betty
Stetson Wright – Big Shasta
Wacey Schalla – Heartbreaker