Chad Ferley

Chad Ferley – Oelrichs, S.D.
8-time WNFR qualifier
2006 & 2013 World Champion
2008 RNCFR Champion

Chad Ferley did something this year that saddle bronc riders have been striving to do for nearly 80 years, he won a second consecutive title at the legendary Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days Rodeo.

Last year was one of the most successful in his career where he kicked off the summer with a win at the Reno (Nev.) Rodeo. It was his second pair of championship spurs from Reno and both contributed to his gold buckles.

Ferley won all summer long including a tie for the title at Cheyenne Frontier Days with Wade Sundell. This year, he stood on the champions stage all by himself accepting the awards.

“I’ve been coming here 15 years starting in the rookie bronc riding,” Ferley said at the time. “To win this title back to back means the world to me.”

Capping the summer off with a win at the Ellensburg (Wash.) Rodeo over Labor Day sealed his bid for his eighth trip to the Wrangler NFR. In fact with out those hefty pay days — $12,026 at Cheyenne and $7,680 at Ellensburg — Ferley would have missed this year’s WNFR.

Like many of this year’s saddle bronc riders, he also is involved in his family’s ranch so 10-days in Las Vegas is much better than 10 days at home feeding cows in frigid December weather. Those responsibilities limit his rodeo schedule in the early spring, but just like the temperatures, Ferley has a history of heating up in the summer and keeping things going right through the WNFR.