Tie-Down Roper Riley Pruitt Pursues Family Tradition at WNFR

By Hope Sickler

First-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier Riley Pruitt has a lot to be thankful for this year.

After his past few seasons ended short of a WNFR berth, the 25-year-old is finally heading to Las Vegas to show the rodeo world what he is capable of achieving at the Thomas & Mack Center on December 1-10.

Watch the 2016 WNFR International Stream LIVE Dec. 1-10 (not available in the U.S.)


While Pruitt can't remember a time when his life didn't involve rodeo, winning a tie-down roping title at the WNFR would be the culmination of a lifelong dream.

Both of Pruitt's parents, Troy and Martee Pruitt, qualified for the WNFR during their careers and are still well-respected on the rodeo trail. Troy won the world title in the PRCA tie-down roping in 1990.

"When I was young, I was always on the road watching every performance and every slack cheering my parents on," Pruitt said. "My parents taught me everything that I know about rodeo. They taught me the art of entering and the right rodeos to enter. They also made sure that I was always mounted on a great horse."

Pruitt has had what he defines as a "dream season" with win after win in 2016.

Pruitt enters the WNFR sitting in ninth place in the tie-down roping world standings with $74,547.32 won. The Gering, Nebraska, native knows that a world championship is well within arm's reach if he can have consistent showing in Las Vegas.

"2016 was amazing for me," he said. "I started off great, won a couple of major rodeos early on in the winter that got me rolling and it was much easier having that much more won going into the summer rodeos. It took away the stress of having to win every time I nodded my head. I was able to ease around and stay healthy and keep my horses fresh and working, which was imperative for me this year."

While the hard hauling is done, that doesn't mean the hard work is done. Pruitt, who is quick to credit his horse for helping him make the WNFR, has been putting in countless hours in the barn perfecting his roping before he leaves for Las Vegas.

"My dad has helped me a lot here lately, telling me what it is like to back in that corner and go rope against the 14 best calf ropers that are there roping for the same thing," Pruitt said. "Every night it is hard to go to bed, because I am ready to run that first calf of my first NFR, which is something that I have thought about since I was 7!"

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