The NFR 2023 season has just bid its goodbye, presenting the champions of the past season for their excellence. However, with its exit, rodeo has brought along the fierceness and anticipation to quench for the long season ahead. For Brody Cress, the 3 NFR average title holder, the situation presents no change. With a new season, the icon has hopped on the train to the top and is well off in the lead.

Brody Cress made his appearance at the 2023 NFR in December, 12th in standing, and finished 2nd in finals with 856 points. But the race for the next season’s top spot began for the Hillsdale native a month before the event. A couple of rodeo titles to the name and some more in earnings have pushed the icon for a lead.

The rodeo enthusiasts witness early ascent

Brody Cress began his rodeo career as a Saddle Bronc rider back in 2014 and has since, maintained persistent growth. As of 2023, Cress has qualified for the NFR 7 times, winning three average titles in 2017, 2019, and 2021. Last month as he prepped for his 7th appearance and a hopeful win, Cress also ensured to bag a remarkable start for the 2024 season in the hopes of upping the number to 8.

At October’s Brad Gjermundson Extreme Broncs in New Town, N.D., the rodeo star collected most of the points that gave him the nudge. Accumulating a little more than $17,000, Cress won three rides with 84.5 and 86.5 points and a Go-Round win. His last event, Cook Rodeo Days in Lubbock on Nov. 3-4 added some more numbers to his name and he enters the new season as No. 1 in the PRCA Saddle Bronc Riding World Standings.

Moreover, according to Cowboy Channel, Cress is the only Saddle Bronc rider to have at least 35 rides of 85+ Points and 15 Go-Round Wins in each of the last four seasons. However, that doesn’t put him off the competition that others on the table have to provide.

Cress to face a staunch competition

Second on the table is Qwinton Stroh. The rodeo star went neck-to-neck with Cress in the stated competitions and adorns a similar result of 3-round average top spots. 83, 84.5, and 89 read Stroh’s points as he accumulated over $18,000. Next on the list is Logan Cook who secured back-to-back successes prior to NFR 2023. He initially secured a second-place finish in the average at the Texas Circuit Finals and went on to win the Heart O’Texas Rodeo.

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Cress finished 6th in World Standings in 2022 and currently holds career earnings worth $1,472,076. The early picked pace provides a hopeful boost for Brody Cress as he gears up for the upcoming rodeo season.

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