Despite hailing from a rodeo family with a deep saddle bronc legacy, Utah’s Ryder Wright has already set himself apart at just 19 years old. The young Wright cowboy — who along with uncles Jake and Jesse all competed at this year’s Wrangler National Finals Rodeo — made event history as the youngest saddle bronc world champion on Sunday in Las Vegas.

Wright’s father Cody is a two-time world champion in the event (2008 and 2010), while uncle Jesse won the saddle bronc gold buckle back in 2012. But young Ryder just might be the biggest superstar of whole crew, as he pocketed the most money by a saddle bronc rider in history on Sunday at the Thomas & Mack Center ($284,938).

The rodeo prodigy just slid past runner-up Brody Cress by $2,651 in earnings, as the latter took the average title in Las Vegas. But after settling for fourth at NFR last year as a wide-eyed 18-year-old despite shooting out of the gates with four straight round wins, Wright was thrilled to finish the job in 2017, no matter the margin. The teenager won four NFR rounds once again in 2017, and earned a whopping $185,577 check in Vegas alone.

“The world title is won by pennies. . . . It’s crazy, I don’t even know what to say but it’s a dream come true. I could sit and stare at it (buckle) all day,” Wright said to ProRodeo.com.

Wright was just 10 years old when he watched his father win his first saddle bronc gold buckle, a moment that inspired the son to grow up to be like dad.

“Oh, it’s special, something I’ve dreamed of since I saw my dad win his and it’s awesome to follow in his footsteps,” Wright told ProRodeo.com.

Just nine years later, that awestruck boy is now the present and future of elite saddle bronc riding, with the potential for plenty more world titles — and family bragging rights — ahead.

By Lincoln Shryack