Saddle bronc rider Cress keeps momentum going throughout NFR

In all fairness, the 2024 PRCA regular season was going well for the veteran saddle bronc rider up until that point. He had a little more than $100,000 in earnings already and was holding steady inside the top 15 of the PRCA world standings.

And yet, there were some struggles in the arena and looming life changes that had his attention split this season.

After lackluster rides at San Antonio and Fort Worth in the winter, Cress knew something was wrong with his saddle. He tore apart the covering to find the fiberglass frame broken. He limped along for much of the spring, borrowing saddles from other competitors until a new one could be built for him.

While he was riding at events across the country, Cress knew his wife, Sierra, was back home preparing to give birth to their first child. Son Roweler officially joined the Cress household on June 26.

With the pressures of trying to keep pace and qualify for an eighth straight Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, the early part of 2024 weighed heavily on the Hillsdale, Wyo., product.

When the calendar turned to August, he began to let loose.

“I knew I had to continue to win and go out there and capitalize on every single horse. Not just the ones that you’re supposed to win on, but the ones you’re not supposed to win on, as well,” Cress said. “You have to stay focused, stay working through your process and doing your job every single time, because if you sit there and feel complacent and think you’ve made it, that’s when five guys are going to pass you in the world standings, and you’re going to be pushed out of the top 15.”

In late July, Cress competed at his hometown rodeo, Cheyenne Frontier Days, in front of family, friends and, for the first time, Roweler. It didn’t go as planned, with the three-time Frontier Days champion being hit with a markout violation on his lone ride, getting a no-score.

After taking a few days to visit and reset, Cress proceeded to go on a tear that propelled him back to NFR.

In a 17-day window to start August, he won five rodeos and more than $47,000 in prize money. By the end of August, the number increased to more than $65,000. Coupled with several big showings in September, Cress cleared more than $109,000 in winnings over the final eight weeks of the regular season, more than doubling his earnings for the entire year. He ended 2024 with a combined 15 rodeo wins or co-championships.

The surge catapulted him to fifth in the saddle bronc world standings heading into the NFR, with nearly $214,000 in regular season earnings, a career high.

“I think this year, I’m just going in with more confidence. My goal obviously at the end of the regular season would be to be sitting first, but the major goal was to just make sure I was in the top five, where I could be one of the last five guys getting bucked every night and be in the conversation the whole time. Not get out there and be like, ‘Oh, you’ve got to win $100,000 before you’re even in the conversation,’” Cress said. “This (is) my eighth time, and just kind of knowing what to expect, using those butterflies and energy in that arena to not be nervous but to be like, ‘All right. We’re here. Let’s go. Let’s show them what you can do.’ I’m just going in with a different attitude this year and just ready to rock and roll.”

He’s definitely shown his saddle bronc peers and the fans what he can do. Cress cashed in six of the first eight go-rounds, including a win in Wednesday’s seventh go-round for a $33,687 check. He also tied for second in Rounds 3 and 6.

For the week, Cress has pocketed $101,786, plus the $10,000 bonus each NFR qualifier receives. He’s fourth in the world standings at $325,774 on the year. It’ll be hard to catch world No. 1 Ryder Wright ($435,132), who’s having a huge week.

But that won’t keep Cress from riding his momentum and knowledge from previous experiences to make Saturday night’s final tally as good as possible.

“I know the talent of the guys I’m riding against every night. And the bronc riding is probably one of the most, if not the most, exciting events out there right now, just because we have so many good guys that can win every single night,” Cress said “So going out there, you’ve got to leave it all out on the line, or you’re not going to end up walking away with any money at the end of the 10 days.”