Zeke Thurston
{{Short description|Canadian bronc rider}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
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| fullname = Zeke Thurston
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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1994|7|15}}
| birth_place = Big Valley, Alberta, Canada
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| height = {{height|ft=5|in=9}} (2017)
| weight = {{convert|145|lb|kg}} (2017)
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| sport = Rodeo
| event = Saddle bronc riding
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| turnedpro = 2015
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| highestranking = 4x PRCA Saddle Bronc Riding World Champion
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Zeke Thurston (born July 15, 1994) is a Canadian professional rodeo cowboy who specializes in saddle bronc riding. He is a four-time (2016, 2019, 2022, and 2023) Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) World Champion saddle bronc rider, as well as a five-time (2019, 2021-2024) Canadian Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA) champion saddle bronc rider.
Early life
Zeke Thurston was born on July 15, 1994, in Big Valley, Alberta, Canada.{{cite web|url=http://www.calgarysun.com/2016/07/12/big-valleys-zeke-thurston-shows-the-saddle-bronc-technique-that-won-him-last-years-championship |title=Big Valley's Zeke Thurston shows the saddle-bronc technique that won him last year |website=Calgary Sun |date=July 12, 2016 |access-date=December 11, 2016}} He attended and graduated from Sheridan College.{{cite web|author=Ashleigh Fox |url=http://thesheridanpress.com/locals-find-success-2016-nfr-vegas/ |title=Locals find success at 2016 NFR in Vegas - Local Sports, Sports |website=The Sheridan Press |access-date=December 11, 2016}} His father, Skeeter Thurston, was a six-time National Finals Rodeo (NFR) qualifier.{{cite web|url=http://billingsgazette.com/sports/rodeo/world-champions-crowned-at-national-finals-rodeo/article_6f013e64-4ea7-5867-be5a-99e4eb663815.html |title=World champions crowned at National Finals Rodeo | Rodeo news |website=Billings Gazette |date=December 5, 2016 |access-date=December 11, 2016}}
Professional career
Thurston competes in the PRCA circuit.{{cite web|title=Cowboy Biographies - Zeke Thurston|url=http://www.prorodeo.com/prorodeo/cowboys/cowboy-biographies?id=1741|website=Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association|access-date=November 14, 2017}} In 2016, he won the saddle bronc riding world championship at the National Finals Rodeo. He beat Jacobs Crawley by less than $3,000.{{cite web|url=http://trib.com/sports/rodeo/thurston-wins-world-proctor-pruitt-capture-average-titles-at-nfr/article_b750676d-146a-5df1-8e0b-25b635efb564.html|title=Thurston wins world; Proctor, Pruitt capture average titles at NFR | Rodeo|date=June 7, 2013|website=Tribune|access-date=December 11, 2016}} He solidified his crown by winning the Average at the 2016 NFR as well as his first NFR go around.{{cite web|author=Moush Sara John |url=http://www.sylvanlakenews.com/news/405832246.html |title=Big Valley's Zeke Thurston crowned 2016 World Saddle Bronc Riding Champion |website=Sylvan Lake News |access-date=December 11, 2016}}{{cite web|author=Moush Sara John |url=http://www.rimbeyreview.com/sports/405554046.html |title=Big Valley's Zeke Thurston conquers NFR sixth go-round with personal best |website=Rimbey Review |access-date=December 11, 2016}}
In 2019, Thurston won the saddle bronc riding world championship for a second time. On his way there, he broke the yearly earnings record for the event. Thurston also earned $347,056 which was more than Ryder Wright's earnings of $284,938 in 2017. Thurston said he wanted this second championship even more than the first one. Thurston also became the first competitor since 2011 to win both a PRCA world championship and a Canadian Professional Rodeo Association national championship the same year.{{cite web |title=Wrangler NFR 2019: Zeke Thurston wins saddle bronc riding world championship |url=https://www.rfdtv.com/story/41453684/wrangler-nfr-2019-zeke-thurston-wins-saddle-bronc-riding-world-championship |website=RFD-TV |access-date=December 22, 2019}}
Thurston got his first NFR round win, in Round 6, of the 2016 NFR by making an 88.5 point ride on the bucking horse Black Hills from C5 Rodeo.{{cite web |title=Big Valley's Zeke Thurston conquers NFR sixth go-round with personal best {{!}} Sylvan Lake News |url=https://www.sylvanlakenews.com/sports/big-valleys-zeke-thurston-conquers-nfr-sixth-go-round-with-personal-best/amp/ |website=Sylvan Lake News |access-date=June 14, 2020}}
He also won rounds 6 and 9 of the 2018 NFR. He also won rounds 1,7 and 9 of the 2019 NFR to capture his second world championship. His round 7 victory fell just half a point shy of the 93 point arena record set by Billy Etbauer. Thurston was riding Northcott Macza's "Get Smart" when he made his 92.5 point ride.{{cite web |last1=Nowlin |first1=Jack |title=Zeke Thurston wins 7th round of saddle bronc at National Finals Rodeo |url=https://trib.com/sports/rodeo/zeke-thurston-wins-7th-round-of-saddle-bronc-at-national-finals-rodeo/article_35d7c8c6-044f-5b4d-916c-eae4c117a33f.html |website=Casper Star-Tribune Online |access-date=June 14, 2020}}{{cite web |title=Zeke Thurston wins Round 9, eyes second world title |url=https://www.prorodeo.com/news-display/2019/12/14/zeke-thurston-wins-round-9-eyes-second-world-title |website=Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association |access-date=June 14, 2020}}
Thurston came just one point shy of the all time world record saddle bronc ride with a 94 point ride. He rode aboard one of the Calgary Stampede's broncs, Special Delivery, at the 2019 Hardgrass Bronc Match in Pollockville, Alberta.{{cite web |title=Zeke Thurston |url=https://wranglernetwork.com/wnfr-saddle-bronc-riders/zeke-thurston/ |website=Wrangler Network |access-date=June 14, 2020 |date=November 12, 2019}} He is also a four-time champion of the Calgary Stampede.{{cite web|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/sports/zeke-thurston-defends-saddle-bronc-title-at-calgary-stampede-1.2990886 |title=Zeke Thurston defends saddle-bronc title at Calgary Stampede | CTV News |website=Ctvnews.ca |access-date=December 11, 2016}}
At the 2022 NFR, Thurston won the saddle bronc riding average for the second time in his career, which included winning Round 4. He would also win the Top Gun Award for the first time in his career by winning the most money in one event by any NFR contestant. He also won his third PRCA saddle bronc riding world championship.{{cite web|title=Zeke Thurston wins 2022 PRCA saddle bronc riding world championship, NFR average, and Top Gun Award|url=https://www.prorodeo.com/news/2022/12/11/general-stetson-wright-caps-epic-season-with-all-around-bull-riding-titles|website=Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association|access-date=December 21, 2022}}
Personal life
References
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