WCJR World Champion Dunning on Heater for 2024 Event

Denton Dunning heads into the 2024 World Championship Junior Rodeo ready to defend his 2023 junior heeling jumping world title with momentum on his side.

The 18-year-old from Surprise, Arizona, has had a busy July, raking in cashes in both the junior and pro ranks. Dunning is fresh off a win at the National High School Finals Rodeo July 14-20 in Rock Springs, Wyoming, where he and his lead rider Ketch Kelton took home the national title with an 18.66 on three bulls.

But before his final NHSRA appearance, Dunning captured the PRCA Resistol Rookie Heeler of the Year title with earnings of $28,449.49 this year.

“It’s been really good so far,” Dunning said of his rookie year. “I’ve really enjoyed it.”

The future Cisco College student has earned $7,592 at the ProRodeo competition since early July, before competing in the many youth rodeos offered in July, such as the IFYR, NHSFR and WCJR.

“We didn’t do as much as we could (during Cowboy Christmas), but we went pretty often,” Dunning said. “We tried to go somewhere every day, but I had to stop a day early because I had to be (at IFYR). But other than that, we went.”

Although Dunning is no stranger to the road, it was still exciting to see the big rodeos on the 4th of July.

“It was a good time,” Dunning said. “I didn’t do as well as I could have on the entrance — I could have done a little better on that and that would have made it a little smoother. But overall it was good to see the sights. A lot of those arenas are a lot different than they look on TV.”

Dunning will compete in Guthrie, Oklahoma, on the Lazy E, on the WCJR from July 23-27. While Dunning has many career goals, his most important goal is personal.

“I just want to be the best I can be,” Dunning said. “Do as much as I can while I’m doing it.”