The Cody Stampede is as western as it gets. Each year, nearly a thousand contestants travel to the town of 10,000 named for Buffalo Bill for the second-highest paying rodeo of the Fourth of July run.

If past years are any indication, expect big scores in the bareback riding, a Wright to win the saddle bronc riding, and Hailey Kinsel to be in the mix for the barrel racing title.

BAREBACK RIDING

Stat to Know: Four of the six winners since 2019 have been 90.5 points or better and all of them have been 88.5 points or better.

What Happened Last Year: Bronc Marriott added his name to the list of bareback riders to go 90 in Cody by riding Frontier Rodeo’s Breaking News for 91.5. It was the second straight year the winning cowboy was aboard that horse.

Athletes to Watch: Tim O’Connell won this rodeo in 2023, finished tied for third in 2022, and second in 2020. Kade Sonnier finished second in 2024 and is fresh off of a third place finish in Reno. Richmond Champion has won a check in his last three Cody Stampede appearances, but did not compete there in 2022 or 2024.

STEER WRESTLING

Stat to Know: Each of the last two years there has only been one run in the 3s. However, in 2022, there were seven.

What Happened Last Year: Cash Robb made a 3.7-second run to win by almost a full second. He also won the Oakley Independence Day Rodeo over the Fourth last year.

Athletes to Watch: Dakota Eldridge tied for third in 2024 and tied for fourth in 2022. He is coming in after a third place finish in Reno. Will Lummus, the Reno champion, has won three checks in Cody since 2019.

TEAM ROPING

Stat to Know: Last year, nine teams were within a half-second of the winner.

What Happened Last Year: Greece Thompson/Cooper Freeman won with a 4.2, holding off Jake Smith/Douglas Rich, Luke Brown/Travis Graves, and Nelson Wyatt/Jonathan Torres among others.

Athletes to Watch: Travis Graves finished sixth in 2023 and second in 2021 with two different partners, Nelson Wyatt has won a check each of the last two years with different partners, and Jr. Dees won a check three years in a row with three different heelers from 2021-2023.

SADDLE BRONC RIDING

Stat to Know: Since 2016, a Wright has won the Cody Stampede six times, including a stretch of five in a row from 2016-2020. None of them, however, were won by Ryder or Stetson.

What Happened Last Year: Chase Brooks got his highest paying win of the season, collecting $9,785 for his 89.5-point ride. Wyatt Casper and Ryder Wright rounded out the Top 3.

Athletes to Watch: Casper has finished as the runner-up each of the last two years in Cody. Ryder Wright finished second a year ago and also, well, has the last name to do it here as well.

TIE-DOWN ROPING

Stat to Know: The last three tie-down roping winners have not made the NFR, the longest drought of any event in Cody.

What Happened Last Year: Chance Thiessen won with a 7.7 and Kincade Henry made the only other run in the 7s, taking second with a 7.9.

Athletes to Watch: Marty Yates, Kincade Henry, and Ty Harris have all finished in the Top 8 in Cody each of the last two seasons.

BARREL RACING

Stat to Know: The winning time in 2024 (16.95) was more than two tenths faster than the winning time in 2023 (17.20).

What Happened Last Year: Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi was 16.95 seconds to defeat a loaded Top 4 that also included Hailey Kinsel, Andrea Busby, and Lisa Lockhart.

Athletes to Watch: Kinsel, a four-time World Champion, has finished second in Cody three of the last four years and has the momentum of a second straight Reno Rodeo title. Paige Jones, the 2023 champion, also won checks in Cody in 2022 and 2024.

BULL RIDING

Stat to Know: There were only four rides in the 80s last year, the lowest total since 2015. In 2023, there were 11 such rides and in 2022, there were seven.

What Happened Last Year: Rookie Jeter Lawrence was 87.5 points on his way to his first NFR. World Champion Josh Frost was second.

Athletes to Watch: Look out for Frost again as he needs to make up ground fast, Stetson Wright has been 90+ at this rodeo twice and Tyler Bingham has won a check in Cody back-to-back seasons.