CHEYENNE, Wyo. — It was a perfect night to celebrate the Year of the Bull at Cheyenne Frontier Days Xtreme Bull Riding on Monday, July 21.

A loyal crowd sat under the Wyoming skies and watched Stetson Wright’s return to action bear fruit when he rode Rafter G Rodeo’s bull named Rank Frank for 92.5 points. Wright, from Beaver, Utah, missed 14 months of action with injuries. His return in the bull riding has seen him at the top of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world standings periodically.

There is a battle going on for that No. 1 position between Wright and Wacey Schalla, from Arapaho, Okla. Schalla is currently in the lead after winning the lucrative Calgary Stampede. Wright won $10,340 for his ride in Frontier Park at the Xtreme Bulls. Schalla finished behind him with a score of 90.5 and earned $7,927.

This is the first year for the Xtreme Bulls tour to be part of the “Daddy of ’em All,” and as such, a bull rider could win this event and the rodeo as well. The bull riding featured 40 of the best in the PRCA in the first round of competition on Monday night. The second round of competition on Tuesday will determine the champion. It begins at 8 p.m.

Schalla finished second on Monday with a 90.5-point ride on Smith Pro Rodeo’s bull named Tarzan. Along with 15 successful rides, fans got to see the athletic prowess of Manu Lataste, the French bull jumper. 

The legendary rodeo announcer Bob Tallman was on hand to call the action with Andy Stewart who has been the voice of Cheyenne Frontier Days in the past. 

Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo action continues Tuesday at 12:45 p.m. The second performance of the Xtreme Bulls will be Tuesday night at 8 p.m., where a champion will be crowned.

The following are results from the first night of the Cheyenne Frontier Days PRCA Xtreme Bulls.

Round 1: 1, Stetson Wright, Beaver, Utah, 92.5 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s Rank Frank, $10,340. 2, Wacey Schalla, Arapaho, Okla., 90.5, $7,927. 3, (tie) Coy Pollmeier, Fort Scott, Kan., and Ky Hamilton, Mackay, Queensland, Australia, 89.5 and $4,825 each.  5, (tie) Colten Fritzlan, Rifle, Colo., and J.R. Stratford, Byers, Kan., 89, $2,068. 7, Ernie Courson, Okeechobee, Fla., and Hudson Bolton, Milan, Tenn., 88.5, $1,205.