Wacey Schalla rides during in the Tuff Hedeman Tour bull riding competition in El Paso, Texas at the El Paso County Coliseum on Feb. 4, 2023. Tuff Hedeman0159 Omar Ornelas/El Paso Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

Heber City Utah Rodeo Arena Belongs to Wacey Schalla After Two Standout Victories

Originally posted on Rodeo on SI | By Maddy Dickens | Last updated Aug 4, 2025 10:52 AM ET

19-year-old Wacey Schalla is turning heads this season for his battle for number one in the world standings in both the bull riding and the all-around race.

Both, especially the all-around, have been dominated by Stetson Wright in prior years, but Schalla is giving him a run for his money and his capabilities were well on display in Heber City, Utah this past weekend at the Mountain Valley Stampede.

Powder River Rodeo and the Oklahoma native paired up in both the bull riding and the bareback riding.

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Greazy Bend was the bull that helped the young athlete spur one to nearly 90 points for the victory and over a $9,000 check. He was one of only four cowboys that were able to stay on for the entire eight-seconds in the whole rodeo.

Jungle Janes Sis was the horse that Powder River Rodeo ran into the bucking chutes for his bareback ride. Schalla received a score of 87 points to beat out 9X NFR qualifier Orin Larsen by one point.

By the end of the rodeo he added over $14,000 to his all-around race, which he trails Wright in, but Wright took home a win of his own at Heber.

Powder River Rodeo paired up a horse with Wright to win the saddle bronc riding as well. He went 89 aboard "Flip a Coin" to extend his lead in the all-around and widen his gap on the No.16 man in the saddle bronc- Ben Andersen.

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With Schalla's win at Heber and a second-place check at Phillipsburg, Kan., he finds himself less than $6,000 behind Wright in the bull riding world standings.

Now, Wright is not the only man sitting in the top-15 in both of his events. Schalla is matching him punch for punch.

Utah has been good to him recently. With his big win at Days of '47 this past week and then a victory at Heber, he is now No. 15 in the bareback riding.

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If both men make the NFR in both events it will be a battle to the finish line in the all-around and the bull riding world title races.

Stay tuned to Rodeo On SI as we will continue to follow this incredible journey all the way through the crowning of the championships.

This article first appeared on Rodeo on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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