Wyoming saddle bronc rider Brody Cress has certainly made a name for himself during professional rodeo's last three seasons.
A guy will do that when he qualifies for the coveted Wrangler National Finals Rodeo each December, wins the NFR average twice, and twice places second in the world (2017, 2019).
Hovering around the top seems to be a familiar spot for the Hilldale native. Right now Cress is cemented at second in the world standings with $47,305. Nearly half that was earned with a San Antonio win good for $24,500 in mid-February.
Now, with rodeos on hold due to COVID-19 concerns, but possibly resuming soon, Cress says he sees rodeo, and the world in general, through a new lens.
“I want to say thank you to everybody who has been helping us get through this hard time and not being able to rodeo,” Cress told ProRodeo Sports News via a video interview. “I know it is hard to stay positive and keep things moving, but we are trying to do that and hoping that rodeos get kicked back up. I want to say thank you to all the sponsors out there for rodeo contestants who are sticking with us even though we can’t do our job right now and thank you for having our backs. We are definitely looking forward to getting back out there when we can.”
Cress is especially appreciative of the pandemic's front line workers.
“I just want to say thank you to all the farmers and ranchers who continue to do their job and allow us to be able to have food," he said, "...and all the police officers who have been trying to keep things calmed down with everybody being stuck at home and getting mad about stuff and ready to get back to their lives, as well as all the medical staffs. I know they are in over their heads with little sleep and working a lot of hours just to try and keep things under control, and I want to say thank you to all of them.”
(PRCA media contributed to this story)
