A month ago Utah’s Pioneer Week wrapped up with the conclusion of rodeos in Ogden, Salt Lake City and Spanish Fork. In 2023, the Utah Days of ’47 Rodeo spearheaded this initiative to feature these three rodeos within 150-mile radius of each other offering a two-million-dollar week for professional rodeo athletes. They then collaborated with the State of Utah to recognize Utah’s Pioneer Week Top Hands by offering a $15,000 bonus for the top earning male and female athlete across these Utah rodeos. The 2025 Utah Pioneer Week Top Hands are Stetson Wright and Carlee Otero.

It was an electric night in front of the sold-out at the Utah Days of ’47 Arena in Salt Lake City and all the competitors brought the heat to put on a golden performance for the crowd.

Bull rider Hayes Weight saved the best for last in front the home state crowd setting a new arena record with a 93-point ride aboard Sankey Rodeo’s Magic Touch. Ironically enough the Goshen, Utah, cowboy rode the same bull in 2024 in the semifinal round for 91 to tie the arena record at the time.

WPRA breakaway roper Taylor Munsell has been close to a gold buckle but has yet to reach that pinnacle in the sport of professional rodeo, but 2025 might just be her year.

Currently ranked No. 1 in the world standings, she is eyeing the $18,000 paycheck that will be awarded to the gold medalist in each event in Salt Lake City on Saturday, July 26 at the Utah Days of ’47 Rodeo presented by Zions Bank. She won the round on Friday night in 2.0 seconds to land atop the leaderboard with a total time of 5.6 seconds on two head. She was second in the first round earlier in the day with a run of 3.6 seconds.

“I feel that I do better when I just go out there and I don't focus on everything else and just try to make the best run I can,” stated Munsell of Alva, Oklahoma. “I seem to do a lot better when I do that. These rodeos are a lot but it's been fun.”

This is a busy time of year for all professional rodeo athletes but not many are as busy as Wacey Schalla who is competing in the two very physically demanding events of bareback riding and bull riding.

Schalla got things underway on Pioneer Day in Salt Lake City posting 86.5 points on Andrews Rodeo’s Red Bone to lead all bareback riders on night number three.

“That was a very good horse tonight,” stated Schalla after taking his victory lap inside the Utah Days of ’47 Arena in downtown Salt Lake City. “I was just glad to draw a good one that I could show what I was able to do today. I am just trying to capitalize on everything I get on.”