COVER STORY
Cody watched from the ‘ stands as Ryder rode his way to his first world championship last December . While Rusty roared his lungs out for Ryder ’ s eight seconds in Round 10 , Cody was a little more stoic . It ’ s his way . While the media frenzy afterward raged on , Cody and family were outside the gathering in the roping chute alley avoiding the mob for as long as they could – just letting the moment sink in . The pressure of his own 10th rounds lost to the pressure of watching his son step into the arena like a warrior and emerge victorious .
In the aftermath , these profound words were spoken by the quiet man who runs exceptionally , beautifully deep .
“ That gold buckle is everything … and nothing at all .” – Cody Wright
Today , the Wright boys on the trail are Jake , Jesse , Spencer and Alex . There are Cody ’ s sons Rusty , reigning champion Ryder , and their little brother , Stetson , the teen-aged permit holder who , like Ryder , has a passion for the bull riding as well as the big , feather-footed horses . CoBurn Bradshaw , the brother-in-law , rides with that same classic style and is always in one truck or another . Cody , at 41 with 13 NFR qualifications , two gold buckles in the trophy case and a string of past injuries that ’ s exhaustive for his parents , Bill and Evelyn , to recite , hasn ’ t entered since before the Cowboy Christmas run . He ’ s stayed home some , played with his grandbabies at the Milford July 4th celebration but jumps in the truck with his boys to help with driving and encouragement because that ’ s what good dads do , even while trying to heal a little .
There ’ s more to a successful career in bronc riding than possessing the guts and talent to stick a world class bucking horse for 8 seconds . It ’ s more than being athletic , fit as a fiddle and tough enough to endure at least 100 rides and major and minor wrecks during the regular PRCA season . It ’ s the willingness to go the extra mile both literally , physically , spiritually and mentally . It ’ s riding hurt and sore , it ’ s erasing the buck-offs and focusing on the next one . It ’ s practice horse after practice horse , mile after grueling mile , it ’ s all night trips from rodeo to rodeo taking turns driving and only stopping for fuel and gas station food . It ’ s border crossings , passports and views of North American so stunning you can hardly make yourself mash the gas pedal . It ’ s life on the road for the bronc riding family that ’ s
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