Luke Branquinho, Cody Wright among 2023 ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductees

The ProRodeo Hall of Fame has unveiled the new class of inductees that will be enshrined in Colorado Springs on July 15. Steer wrestler Luke Branquinho highlights the 2023 induction class. Branquinho won world championships in 2004, 2008, 2011-12 and 2014.

Other inductees include: Twotime PRCA World Champion, Saddle Bronc rider Cody Wright, World Champion Team Roper Doyle Gellerman, Pickup man Kenny Clabaugh, Butch Knowles, Tom Feller, Bareback horse Night Jacket, St. Paul (Ore.) Rodeo committee, Cowtown Rodeo (Pilesgrove, N.J.) committee , Barrel racer Sherry (Combs) Johnson& Fay Ann Horton Leach

The 2023 Ken Stemler Pioneer Award will be awarded to Bryan McDonald, former bull rider, and National Finals Rodeo judge. The award recognizes those who have provided groundbreaking, innovative ideas and forward thinking that help the development, advancement, and success of the PRCA and or the Hall of Fame and their missions.

Luke Branquinho pulls down a steer in the steer wrestling competition of the National Finals Rodeo, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012, in Las Vegas.

“I don’t even know if words can describe it,” Branquinho said. “A guy starts his rodeo career just wanting to be the best that he can and win a world championship and to win five is pretty special. Then to be able to consider myself as one of the greatest with what you guys are saying being inducted to the Hall, I don’t have words to describe it. Some of my heroes are in there obviously, John W. Jones Jr. and John W. Jones Sr., and a lot of the California cowboys that helped put ProRodeo on the map and to be able to be in that Hall with them is very special.”

Wright comes from the storied Wright family of saddle bronc riders as his brothers Jesse (2012) and Spencer (2014) also won PRCA World Championships as have his sons, Ryder (2017 and 2020) and Stetson (2021). Stetson has won a total of seven world championships – four in all-around (2019-22), two in bull riding (2020 and 2022) and one in saddle bronc riding in 2021.

“Really?” said Cody Wright. “You didn’t give me much time to come up with any type of emotions, but it is definitely a great honor to be put in there just because of the people who are in there. I really don’t even know what to say. I would definitely say winning my first and second world championships were memorable and winning the second one made the first one that much sweeter to me. Probably more so than me winning world titles was to watch my boys win.”

Cody Wright is bucked off his mount during the saddle bronc riding event in the eighth go-round of the National Finals Rodeo, Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011, in Las Vegas.