What’s on the line entering the final night of the NFR? — DAY 9 PHOTOS

Nothing will appear to stop rodeo superstar Stetson Wright from leaving the National Finals Rodeo with multiple world titles.

Not a hamstring injury, broken ribs, a collapsed lung, left hip and right leg contusions, or a controversial decision by the NFR review system.

Wright is in prime position to win his sixth all-around world title after winning his saddle bronc riding go-round (89.75 points and $36,668 in winnings) on the ninth night Friday at the Thomas & Mack Center, which helped the 26-year-old cowboy extend his lead in the all-around standings to more than $166,346 over Wacey Schalla.

The 10th and final round of the NFR begins at 5:45 p.m. Saturday at the Thomas & Mack.

“Just have fun,” Wright said of his mindset heading into the final night. “I got nothing to lose at this point. We’re just going to let it all hang out and try to ride ’em.”

In bull riding, Wright has a more than $90,000 lead over Ky Hamilton in the standings. Wright and Hamilton did not receive any earnings Friday after they got bucked off, as Hamilton needed to be assisted out of the arena. If the championship was decided after nine rounds, Wright would be the projected champion by more than $65,000, once the aggregate is calculate.

Wright missed most of the 2023 NFR with a hamstring injury despite still winning his fifth straight all-around title and missed the 2024 season with the same injury.

The 26-year-old from Beaver, Utah, made a grand return in 2025, but sat out of competition for a few months before the NFR after he suffered several broke ribs and a collapsed lung at a rodeo in Washington in early September.

Wright has won $344,688 in earning at this year’s NFR. He would have won more, but on a saddle bronc run Tuesday, the NFR review system deemed Wright had a ride violation and did not receive any earnings.

Wright has won six go-rounds between his saddle bronc and bull riding runs. After getting beat up on Wednesday with left hip and right leg contusions from a bull riding run, Wright said performing this well at the NFR is “100 percent harder mentally.”

“As sore as I have been and beat up, and everything I’ve been doing to get ready, that win (on Friday) means probably (more) than of them have all week because I hurt when I wake up in the morning,” said Wright, who is third in the bull riding aggregate and seventh in the saddle bronc riding aggregate.

“I feel it, but winning fixes everything,” Wright added.

Saddle bronc showdown

Things took a drastic turn in the saddle bronc title fight Friday when Zeke Thurston was bucked off his horse. It was his first buck-off at an NFR since 2020.

Thurston entered Friday third in the standings and first in the aggregate, an average of all competitors’ scores through the NFR. But after his no time and no score, Thurston dropped to fifth in the standings and ninth in the aggregate.

That has put defending champion Ryder Wright in the lead of the saddle bronc standings with $413,899 in earnings with a more than $46,000 lead over Damian Brennan. But a third Wright brother could steal the title Saturday.

Statler Wright, the younger brother of Stetson and Ryder Wright, is third in the standings, more than $54,000 behind Ryder Wright, but Statler Wright leads the aggregate (776.75 points on nine runs).

Statler Wright, if he holds the top spot in the aggregate, would add $94,035 and be in a spot to pass his brother for his first world title. But one buck-off could change everything, with Lefty Holman, Ben Andersen, Zac Dallas and Sage Newman behind Statler Wright.

One buck-off for Statler Wright could open the door for Ryder Wright to win a fourth saddle bronc title. Statler Wright has won $177,075 at the NFR. On Friday, Stetson, Statler (88 points) and Ryder (86.50) finished 1-2-3 in the go-round.

Aggregate impact

The final standings will change after Saturday’s runs, but the final aggregate calculations could have an even greater impact in some title races, such as steer wrestling.

Tucker Allen ($304,877) lost his lead in the steer wrestling standings to Will Lummus ($312,915) on Friday after Lummus tied for second with a time of 3.8 seconds and picked up $22,079 in earnings.

Allen was sixth and added $5,914. But Allen is in a great position to regain the top spot Saturday because of the aggregate. Allen leads the steer wrestling aggregate (40.60 seconds on nine runs) by a large margin and would add $94,035 if he holds his first-place spot.

Rowdy Parrott is second in the aggregate (53.00 seconds on nine runs), and Lummus is 15th in the aggregate (24.60 seconds on six runs) and would not receive any earnings.

Other title races

In tie-down roping, Riley Webb is in the driver’s seat to win a third straight title. Webb has not won a round at the NFR, but still leads the world standings.

Webb holds a more than $50,000 lead over Shad Mayfield and is first in the aggregate, which would give Webb another $94,035. Mayfield is eighth in the aggregate (which would add $8,871), but he wouldn’t earn enough to pass Webb.

Kassie Mowry is one step closer to winning her second consecutive barrel racing title. Mowry ($359,525) leads Hailey Kinsel by more than $51,000, and Mowry leads the aggregate.

Rocker Steiner has a lead of more than $97,000 in the bareback riding standings over Sam Petersen. Steiner has moved into a tie for fifth place in the aggregate, which could help him maintain his cushion for his first world title.

In team roping, the tandem of Kolton Schmidt (headers) and Jonathan Torres (heelers) lead their standings and are in a great spot for the world title with the two fourth in the aggregate.

Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.