Grady Young Rides Momentum Into Calgary Stampede Amid Bull Riding Surge

Grady Young, a bull rider from Leader, Saskatchewan, is entering the 2026 Calgary Stampede following a series of competitive successes that have positioned him at the top of the Canadian bull riding standings. Now 20 years old, Young is set for his second appearance at the Stampede, maintaining what he describes as an easygoing approach despite heightened expectations. In his debut at the 2025 Stampede, Young became a breakout figure, posting an event-high score of 91 points on the bull Splash Tide. Over three rides, he emerged as the top money earner in his pool and advanced to the four-man final, where he was bucked off by Splash Tide, resulting in a split of the runner-up prize money.

Reflecting on his introduction to the Stampede, Young recounted, “I had no expectations whatsoever. I actually didn’t really care if I went there and got bucked off every single bull I got on. I mean, it would have sucked. I’m glad it didn’t happen, but I was just there to have fun. You’re going there to win it, but at the same time, it was my first Stampede. I was going to enjoy it, try my hardest each day, and if it didn’t go my way, it didn’t go my way.”

The Calgary Stampede rodeo, which begins on Friday, is a ten-day event offering $2.1 million in prize money across seven events, culminating with the July 12 final. Established in 1912, the Stampede is an invitational outdoor rodeo featuring 210 athletes representing Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Australia. Events include bull riding, saddle bronc, bareback, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, barrel racing, and breakaway roping. A one-day team roping event, scheduled for Wednesday, offers an additional $310,000 in prize money. Each event at the Stampede has a $300,000 purse, making it among the most lucrative competitions in rodeo. Money earned in Calgary contributes to competitors’ world rankings, with the top 15 in each discipline qualifying for the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in Las Vegas in December.

Young’s goals for the season include winning a national title at the Canadian Finals Rodeo (CFR) in Edmonton this October, where he previously placed fourth and fifth in consecutive years. He is also aiming for a berth at the NFR in Las Vegas, which would require maintaining or improving his global ranking—currently at 30th in the world. Reflecting on his performance during the winter rodeo circuit in the United States, Young noted, “I went to quite a few rodeos. I don’t have much to show for it. Got on lots of good bulls. It kept me pretty sharp, but I think I was worrying too much about trying to make the gold bucking chutes and try to get up in the standings, and I was forgetting how to ride my bulls.”

Young credits his recent resurgence to advice from his father, Blade Young, himself a former bull rider. Blade advised, “When you get back to Canada this spring, it’s going to be like playing on home ice. It’s going to feel so good. You’re going to fix those couple little things that weren’t clicking when you were down south this winter, and he has.”

This return to form was marked by Young’s first Professional Bull Riders Canada win in May in Brooks, Alberta. In the first three weeks of June, he won four rodeos and finished second twice, propelling him to the top of the national standings. On Canada Day, he secured another victory at the Ponoka Stampede, scoring 90.25 points on the bull All Gold Rolex. Young described his development, stating, “My riding matures bull by bull. Being down south all winter and going to the pro rodeos, got to try my hand at some pretty good bulls. The more you’re getting on good bulls, the closer you come to getting on the best ones. Little things that would get me bucked off before, I kind of have a grasp on and figured it out. You never get bull riding figured out 100 per cent, but if you can work on what you can, one thing at a time, eventually you’ll be able to ride most of them.”

Blade Young recalled his son’s early passion for bull riding, noting that Grady played hockey but ultimately chose bull riding because weekend rodeos conflicted with hockey games. “When he was two years old, he was bucking bulls on the arm chair of the recliner,” Blade said.

The bull riding event at the 2026 Stampede will not feature a defending champion, as last year’s winner, Wacey Schalla of Oklahoma, is recovering from a broken femur. Other returning champions in different events include Shelby Boisjoli-Meged of Langdon, Alberta, who won women’s breakaway roping in the event’s debut last year; four-time saddle bronc winner Zeke Thurston of Big Valley, Alberta; steer wrestler Scott Guenther of Provost, Alberta; barrel racer Anita Ellis of Blackfoot, Idaho; tie down roper Chad Mayfield of Clovis, New Mexico; and bareback rider Cooper Cooke of Victor, Idaho.

A top finish at the Stampede carries significant implications for Young’s season. The winner’s prize includes a $50,000 cheque in addition to daily prize money, a result that would enhance Young’s standing in the world rankings and bolster his prospects for both national and NFR qualification. Young elaborated on his ambitions: “An NFR qualification would be pretty awesome. A Canadian title would also be pretty awesome, but for the most part it’s getting to the gold bucking chutes. I already expect myself to already get there. It’s just trying to get in contention for a world title and keep working on my bull riding until I get there. A Canadian title, CFR, NFR world title, as big as you can go, I’m trying to go get it and do it as fun as possible and get the most out of it.”

With the Stampede’s large prize pool and its impact on international standings, the event serves as a pivotal juncture for riders like Young seeking to establish themselves among the sport’s elite. As the competition opens, Young’s recent run of victories, combined with his stated philosophy of enjoying the process, will be tested against a field of experienced and emerging talent from across North America and beyond.