Grady Young eyes Calgary Stampede redemption after strong spring in bull riding

Bull rider Grady Young, 20, from Leader, Saskatchewan, is returning to the Calgary Stampede as the top-ranked competitor in Canadian bull riding—a dramatic ascent since his eye-catching but ultimately heartbreaking debut last year.

In 2025, Young scored an event-high 91 points aboard Splash Tide in his first Stampede appearance at age 19. He led his pool in earnings after three rides and made the four-man final, but was bucked off by the same Splash Tide to settle for splitting runner-up money. At the time, Young said he had no expectations. "I actually didn't really care if I went there and got bucked off every single bull I got on," he recalled. "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."

Now, after a prosperous spring, Young intends to carry that same easygoing attitude into his sophomore appearance. He claimed his first Professional Bull Riders Canada win in May in Brooks, Alberta, then won four times and placed second twice in rodeos the first three weeks of June. He was victorious again on Canada Day at the Ponoka Stampede with a 90.25 aboard All Gold Rolex.

His father Blade, also a former bull rider who taught his son the sport, told him that competing back in Canada would feel like "playing on home ice." Young said the advice proved true. "My riding matures bull by bull," he noted. "The more you're getting on good bulls, the closer you come to getting on the best ones."

The 10-day Calgary Stampede rodeo offers $2.1 million in prize money over seven events until July 12. The top 15 in the world in each event qualify for December's National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.