Even before Brody Wells began competing in college rodeos, he was a student on many levels. The 21-year-old Tarleton State athlete knew long ago he wanted to become a professional cowboy. The studying began in front of a TV.
“As soon as I started riding broncs and bought my first bronc saddle, it was the dream,” Wells said. “I would binge watch the NFR performances and the Cowboy Channel. It’s definitely what I wanted to do.”
For now, Wells continues operating in both lanes. He is competing in his final college season at the Stephenville, Texas, campus as he finishes his degree in general business. And he’s learning to take care of business on the ProRodeo circuit. He won round one at the Brad Gjermundson Extreme Broncs in New Town, N.D.
Wells had an 88.5-point ride on Disco Inferno, earning $5,157 and claimed the three-head average with 260 points, which was a strong way to start off his 2023 season.
“I have seen that horse around a lot at the winter rodeos. He’s a really good horse. He comes right down to the right, jumps, kicks, takes a bunch of rein. It was a pretty awesome event with that music going and that crowd,” Wells said. “It feels great. I have been looking forward to this opportunity. It’s a great way to start off, but it’s a long, long way to go.”
Wells clinched the average with a 90-point trip on J Bar J’s Straight Moonshine. He departed town after earning $17,404.
For Wells, the goal is obvious: earn his first NFR berth. In between, he will be chasing college honors.
“I am going to compete one more year. I enjoy it,” Wells said.
The competition and the lifestyle combine to make rodeo a perfect fit for the Powell, Wyo., native. He can’t stand staying in one place for long, looking to pile into a truck and hit the road after a week away from the sport.
“I like the freedom of it, honestly. You can decide your schedule and dictate your future,” Wells said. “I go nuts if I am sitting around. I am competing in college and ProRodeos all the time. It’s a lot. But, I love to travel and see new places.”
There is no place Wells would rather be than in the chute. It’s hard to describe that feeling – the mix of excitement and adrenaline.
“There’s nothing scripted. The horse can do anything: run off and crash, flip, buck. It’s the not knowing what’s going to happen that makes it special,” Wells said. “There’s nothing like it.”
Article Courtesy of PRCA
Photo By Alaina Stangle
