The last of the Wright’s is making his run for the Resistol Rookie of the year, joining his three brothers, Rusty, Ryder, and Steston, on the rodeo road. The Utah All State Linebacker, owes his love of riding broncs to Covid. “I was part of an undefeated football team – we took state two years in a row – and then Covid hit and we couldn’t play anymore,” said the 18-year-old who graduated six months early to hit the rodeo trail. “I got after dad to let me get on, and ever since, it’s been a full head of steam.”
Growing up, he didn’t participate in much of what his older brothers were doing. “If they needed help, I was the pickup man, I did get on one saddle bronc steer and the only saddle that would fit me was too big and after that I didn’t get on another bucking horse until I was a junior (in high school).” He liked going with Stetson to ride bulls. “My freshman year, I got on a few and the third bull I got on slammed me and broke my collar bone; I hung it up after that.”
The main reason Statler started riding later in life was due to his size. Statler got his mom’s genes for being bigger than the rest of his siblings. “My dad was 6’4”,” said his mother, ShaRee. “He was always eager to rodeo. Cody (his dad) was hesitant because Statler was bigger than the other boys. When you grow that fast, you get hurt easier. Cody would just tell him in due time, you will get on.’” ShaRee has supported her husband as well as all her kids in whatever endeavors they pursued .. except riding bareback and bulls … and she continues to be their biggest fan. “Now we’ve got five grandkids and one on the way. As a mom with busy kids and lots of grandkids you don’t have time to think about anything else.”
Cody started all four of his sons to ride bucking horses the same way, on a saddle horse. “He told us that if we could spur a saddle horse, then we could spur a bucking horse – the kicking helps you throw your feet forward,” explained Statler. “I started riding bucking horses right handed and I bucked off to the left. Dad told me to ‘get my riding boots on and walk across a real thin metal pole. Whatever arm you stick up to balance is the one you use to balance.’ I stuck my right arm up and so I started riding left-handed and it’s worked out.”
All the boys lean heavily on Cody for advice as well as entering. “It’s the respect that they have for him – not just as a cowboy that’s done it, but as a dad and a person … we are a super close family – we all live within a couple miles of each other,” explained ShaRee. “We are always together when they are home.” Their younger sister, Lily Jo, is chasing cans when she’s not playing softball or basketball. “My boys always tease that as athletic as they are, she got far more genes than any of them.”
ShaRee has spent her life supporting her rodeo family. “I remember when Cody and I were married, we had Rusty and Ryder; he was pouring concrete for his dad. Cody put together a video of his bronc rides to send to Shawn Davis, the rodeo coach for college of Southern Idaho. He told Shawn that he wanted to be a bronc rider needed to be learning from someone like Shawn. When Shawn accepted him to CSI, he packed up his clothes in a truck with a camper shell and headed to CSI.” ShaRee stayed behind with Rusty and Ryder. Cody found an apartment after a couple months of living in the back of his truck and we moved to Twin Falls, Idaho.”
Cody, one of 13 siblings, came from a small town called Milford, Utah, in Southern Utah; a town with no stoplight and where the Wrights are the main attraction. He ended up a father with 13 NFR qualifications and two world titles and three sons with a combined 15 NFR Qualifications and seven world titles, and a young daughter, Lily Jo, who is capable of joining her brothers either as a barrel racer or softball or basketball star. Statler feels very blessed. “I love being the youngest (of the boys). I get to be in the truck with three world champs. As a rookie, you don’t get that privilege and it’s awesome.”
All three of his brothers give him advice on different things. “Stetson likes the pressure moments and it’s all on you and coming out on top. Got nothing to lose and everything to gain. Rusty is like the all around situation- he’ll tell you what you need to hear. He knows everything it seems like. He’s good with the bronc saddles, he knows a lot about those. Ryder – he’s the motivator – I love it when I go after Ryder, he’s on the back of the bucking chutes. He always says; ‘lift and stay back’ – that’s the one jump that’s mandatory is the mark out – Gas it and give it to ‘em. All these guys were trial and error and they get to tell me what to do and how to do it.”
As far as getting advice from his dad. “He’s still the boss – I can totally get in trouble with my dad, I’m the king of it. I’ve always been the troublemaker. My dad does the entering, from the horses to the days to get up. I love it – they’ve all been pro rodeoing and I get to benefit from that.”
Growing up with a football background has helped him as well. “I was either the leading tackler or second with that – I was all over the field, either guarding the receiver or stopping the run. I had to read what the quarterback was going to do. You still have to try like it’s 0-0 like anything else. I’m not number one but the come behind win is always better than the pull away win.”
In his pursuit of the Resistol Rookie of the Year, Statler has been on more bucking horses this year than he’s on in the last two years. “I love it – I love getting on bucking horses. Waking up getting to do what you love there’s nothing better.” He also loves it when the little kids come over to take a picture. “I’ve only been graduated a month and to have that impact on that kid is mind blowing to me.”
Cody has instilled the most important quality he could to his family – humbleness. “If they feel they got jaded, he tells them ‘You do you and don’t worry about anything else’. Cody is super humble and he’s instilled that in his kids – to appreciate the opportunity to do what they do and be competitive at it.
“They know their dad opened lots of doors for them,” concluded ShaRee, “but they work hard – people may not realize they aren’t winning because their last name is Wright – they put a lot of work into it. They appreciate the family for the guidance, but they put the time in. Just because you’re a Wright, the work never ends. There is always a way to do better. It’s a humbling sport for sure.”
