Triumphant Bull Riding Nets Unprecedented $15,000 at Pro Rodeo Series Amidst Qualification Drought

The Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series has been going through a tough time in the last couple of weeks. The series started in June with a line-up of the top 9 rodeo stars of the world’s 25 best bull riders. Unfortunately, none of the legendary bull riders had qualified to earn the prize money at the end of the tournament. This gave a young rider from Sheridan College the opportunity of a lifetime.

Wyatt Phelps, 22, of Pinedale, was looking for his big break in the rodeo world for quite some time. He finally got it on August 25 with a last-minute entry into the competition. Little did he know that the Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series would be the biggest victory of his career yet.

Wyatt Phelps became the new Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series champion

Wyatt Phelps scored 82 points in the final round of the Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series held on August 25. He rid the Lancaster & Pickett Pro Rodeo’s No. 785, well-known for its aggressive nature. After the tournament, Phelps spoke to ProRodeo, excitedly saying, “I had never been on that bull before, but my buddy Tipton Wilson got on him a ew weeks before and he was really good”. Hence, when he was paired with this bull, Wyatt Phelps knew he had a chance to perform well. Even though the young Wyoming native knew he had done well, Phelps did not expect much.

He left for another rodeo event on August 26 when some of his friends called him and gave him the happy news. They told Wyatt Phelps that he had won the Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series and needed to come back to collect his prize. Phelps received a cheque for $14,795, which is the highest ever in personal earnings. Wyatt Phelps’ victory might be the result of his own talent, but his friends also deserve a huge portion of the credit.

Friends help Wyatt Phelps secure Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series victory

Wyatt Phelps was not going to enter the rodeo competition at Steamboat. His friends told him that the prize money was carried over from the previous competitions where no rider was able to attain a qualifying score. That convinced him, and he entered the rodeo with expectations of making a decent income. After collecting the cheque, Phelps was ecstatic and said, “That was a huge check, that was like winning a big Xtreme Bulls event”.

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Wyatt Phelps has had the PRCA permit for quite some time. Now, he is planning to buy the PRCA card for the 2024 season. This victory has also emboldened him to venture beyond his school’s rodeo team and try his luck in other elite rodeos in the future.

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