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Las Vegas • Halfway through the $10 million Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, Ryder Wright has done little wrong.

An 18-year-old from Milford, Utah, who is competing in his first National Finals, Wright won the first four rounds in saddle bronc riding and moved into contention for the world championship.

A member of the famous Wright rodeo family, Ryder did not complete his ride in Round 5 on Monday night. But it has been his only misstep so far during the NFR.

In the opening sessions, Wright became only the third cowboy in National Finals history to win four straight rounds in a rough stock event.

In the world championship race, which is based on season earnings, he has moved from 14th to second. He trails Jacobs (cq) Crawley of Boerne, Texas, by $27,000.

The National Finals Rodeo resumes Tuesday night and runs through Saturday.

In Round 4, Wright posted a score of 85.5 on a horse named Sundance. The victory was worth $26,231 and bumped his season earnings to $185,527.

Asked about his hot streak at the NFR, Wright told prorodeo.com, "I have no idea. I must be living right. I come and get ready to get on my horse and just do what the bronc riders do — do what I grew up watching."

Behind Crawley and Wright, Utah saddle bronc riders Rusty Wright of Milford, Jake Wright of Hurricane and CoBurn Bradshaw of Beaver are third, fourth and fifth in the world standings. Rusty Wright is Ryder's brother. Jake is his uncle.

Another Utah saddle bronc rider, Allen Boore of Axtell, is currently seventh in the world standings with earnings of $132,347. Cody Wright of Milford, who is the father of Ryder and Rusty, is ninth. Jesse Wright of Milford is 13th.

Other Utah qualifiers have fared well at the National Finals:

• Caleb Bennett of Tremonton is second in the world bareback standings;

• Baylor Roche of Tremonton is eighth in the steer wrestling;

• Quin Kelser of Holden, along with partner Matt Sherwood of Pima, Ariz., is eighth in team roping;

• Kimmie Wall of Roosevelt is third in barrel racing;

• Joe Frost of Randlett is third and Tim Bingham of Honeyville is 15th in bull riding.

— Steve Luhm