Just one year after falling heartbreakingly short of the National Finals Rodeo (NFR), Wyatt Casper is back in gold buckle contention.
After battling injuries and finishing No. 16 in the 2025 PRCA world standings—just one spot outside an NFR qualification—the Texas saddle bronc rider entered 2026 with one goal: redemption.
In his words, this is his “redemption year.”
Defined by consistent, high-marked rides and standout victories, Casper has climbed into the top five of the PRCA world standings, thanks in large part to the biggest win of his season so far: the Calgary Stampede.
“I felt like this year was my redemption year to get back and prove I can make it back [to the NFR],” said the five-time NFR qualifier, who has all but secured his return to Las Vegas following his standout payday in Calgary, Alberta.
Known as the “Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth,” the Calgary Stampede awarded more than $1.8 million in prize money while bringing together the sport’s top competitors and rodeo fans from around the world.
Casper rose to the occasion, scoring 90.5 points aboard Calgary Stampede’s Mary Lou in the final round to capture the championship and the $50,000 first-place check. The victory boosted his season earnings to over $160,000 and vaulted him into the top five of the PRCA world standings.
“Calgary is a bucket-list rodeo to win,” Casper said. “They only let so many guys in each year, and it’s the toughest field of bronc riders you’ll compete against. To draw the horses I did and have everything fall into place was awesome. I was glad to finally get the win there.”
For the devoted husband and father, the victory also served as a testament to his faith.
After injuries derailed the latter half of his 2025 season, Casper narrowly missed qualifying for the NFR, finishing in the “heartbreak hole” at No. 16 in the world standings—a position no athlete wants to end the year.
Determined to write a different ending, Casper returned in 2026 with renewed vengeance. Early-season success at rodeos such as the Brad Gjermundson Extreme Broncs, combined with his Calgary Stampede title, has positioned him for a much different outcome as the regular season enters its final few months of competition.
“The biggest thing the past year has taught me is it’s all about God’s timing,” Casper said. “You can try all your might to make something happen, but if it ain’t meant to be, it ain’t meant to be.”
He added, “Rodeo is a roller coaster. You have to get through the ups and downs and keep moving forward.”
Now riding the momentum of one of the biggest victories of his career, Casper will look to carry that confidence through the remainder of the 2026 season as he chases another NFR—and ultimately, his first world championship.
