Wyatt Bray on his game-changer Blackjack running one with Josh Patton at Salinas. Wyatt rode his badass black, Blackjack, as did Brenten for Paden the rest of the rodeo.

They placed second in the short round and seventh in the average. But he was there to watch and support his little brother, Wyatt, who’s 23, and his partner, Josh Patton, who did. All I could think in the moment is that I needed to relay what I watched to Paden’s parents, because that young man did the Bray family proud in how he handled a tough break. But from where I sat, Bray felt worse for Connor Atkinson, who actually drew that good one and had to run the extra. The calf Bray had actually drawn wasn’t nearly as good, and that money run was replaced by a longer one. Blast the barrier, and give yourself a chance.’ I did that. “The cards were dealt, and I couldn’t change the situation,” he said. I watched how Bray reacted to the congratulatory whoops and hollers from the crowd (with class and gratitude), and also the news from the judges that he had to ride right back in and run another one (no cussing or throwing anything, he just pulled his hat back down tight and rode back in to the left side of the chute, where calf ropers and heelers also come from at Salinas). It’s typically pretty easy to see the eartag on what they run in there for you, but the plexiglass on the chute at Salinas makes it virtually impossible if you’re not standing right there next to that chute. I watched Bray make a money run in the tie-down one day, too, only to have it taken away because he unknowingly ran the wrong calf. The renowned Silacci Ranch awarded him trophy spurs, and area team roper Darrick Hoskins of MYCars presented Paden the Salinas all-around saddle. Salinas is the buckle everybody wants to win.” Bray and Slider hammering one at Salinas. That was the screen saver on my phone for quite a while. It still had some videos and photos on it, including a picture of his Salinas buckle. “Derrick Begay gave me his old iPhone one time when I was a kid. “My childhood hero, Marty Becker, has a Salinas all-around buckle. “I have the buckle on right now,” said Bray, who heeled for Erich Rogers at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in 2020 and ’21, and won the NFR average that first year, when Rodeo’s Super Bowl was held in Texas due to COVID closing down Vegas. Those checks totaled a little over $3,500 a man, but the value of this bucket-list win for Paden was priceless. He was also entered in the tie-down, but won it with team roping earnings, after taking the first round with Brenten Hall in 6.6, and splitting fourth and fifth in the third round in 9.2. | Click Thompson PhotoĬalifornia Rodeo Salinas crowned its 2023 champions last Sunday afternoon, July 23, and Bray won the all-around.

How do such wise words come from such a young man of only 24 years? Let me tell you… Brenten Hall on Wyatt Bray’s Blackjack and Paden Bray on his home-grown special Slider at Salinas.

“I’m the luckiest guy ever, if you ask me,” were his first words to me when we talked after the dust settled and the bright lights dimmed. A new appreciation for life also arose out of the scariest situation he’s ever walked away from. He has a buckle, saddle, trophy spurs and gold medal to show for the highlights of this wild ride. In a little over 24 hours, Paden Bray rode the renowned rodeo roller coaster from one thrilling high to a death-defying low, then back to the top of the tracks again.

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