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With a name like Wrangler Dunda, you knew that someday he would become a rodeo cowboy.

Now 17, the Midland, Texas, native is making a name for himself in the bull riding world. Not only in West Texas, but also on the national stage. He proved that point last weekend at the Youth Bull Riding World Championship at Will Rogers Coliseum in Fort Worth.

He proved it especially in the final round of the open division, when he displayed his acrobatic ability aboard a wild bucking bull named Crazy Train that almost tossed him. Instead, he stayed on, and ended with 76 points for the world title. His 238 points on three bulls beat Gerardo Quinones of Bloomington, Calif., by 3.75 points.

He was the only cowboy to ride a bull in Friday's championship round.

"I almost lost him," he said after the ride. "When he turned back, I started to come off, but I was able to get myself back into position to finish the ride. He was a tough bull. Kinda crazy, like his name."

Bull riding has become a passion for Dunda, who turns 18 next month. He's been riding something ever since his father first put him on a sheep when he was 2. Since then, he has climbed the categories – riding calves, junior steers, pee wee bulls and now full-sized bulls.

This year he was also the champion of the American Junior Rodeo Association and Texas Youth Bull Riders. In addition, he qualified for the Texas High School Rodeo Association Finals in Abilene.

He credits his father Gary, who still rides bulls on the senior circuit.

"He is my idol," he said. "He's got me started in this business." Although he is still a senior in high school, he plans to get his Professional Bull Riders and Championship Bull Riders cards as soon as he turns 18 next month, and hopes to compete in the PBR's qualifying tours this fall.

"I want to see what I can do on the pro level," said Dunda, who is home schooled.

He also will try to obtain a sponsorship with Wrangler, the apparel company that specializes in rodeo wear.

"With my name, that should work out perfectly," he said.

Wrangler is his given name. He said the physician during the early stages of his mother's pregnancy first believed she was going to deliver a set of twins.

"My mom and dad already had the names picked out," he laughed. "They were going to call us Wrangler and Levi."

Eventually, the doctor was wrong, and the parents named him Wrangler.

Murray, Jewel get married: Rodeo icon Ty Murray, who won seven world all-around titles, married his long-time girlfriend, singer Jewel, in a private ceremony last Thursday night in the Bahamas.

The pair, who never announced an engagement, has been together for 10 years and shares a 2,200-acre ranch near Stephenville, Texas.

TODAY-SATURDAY, AUG. 14-16 – Ariat Playoffs (Road to Dallas), Caldwell Night Rodeo, Caldwell, Idaho. www.caldwellnightrodeo@yahoo.com.

FRIDAY-SATURDAY, AUG. 15-16 – Mesquite Championship Rodeo, Resistol Arena on I-635 at Military Parkway, Mesquite. 8 p.m. $7-$30. Parking, $5.

972-285-8777. www.mesquiterodeo.com.

FRIDAY-SATURDAY, AUG. 15-16 – Stockyards Rodeo, Cowtown Coliseum, Fort Worth. 8 p.m. Reserved seats, $20; VIP Club Section, $20; General admission, $15; Children (3-12), $10; Seniors (60 and Over), $12.50. 817-625-1025 or 888_ Cowtown. www.stockyardsrodeo.com.

FRIDAY-SATURDAY, AUG. 15-16 – Lone Star Dodge Colby Yates Challenge Bull Riding, Hopkins County Civic Center, Sulphur Springs, Texas, 7:30 p.m. 903-885-8071.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, AUG. 15-17 – 80th North Texas State Fair and Rodeo, North Texas State Fair Arena, Denton, Texas. 7:30 p.m. Adults, $12; Children, $5. 6-and-under, free. 940-387-2632 or www.northtexasstatefair.com.

Through Sunday

ALL-AROUND COWBOY

1. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, $154,629

2. Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo., $117,787

3. Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb., $107,251

4. Cash Myers, Athens, Texas, $98,169

5. Curtis Cassidy, Canada, $91,934

BAREBACK BRONC

1. Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb., $103,563

2. Royce Ford, Briggsdale, Colo., $91,833

3. Bobby Mote, Culver, Ore., $87,088

4. Jessy Davis, Payson, Utah, $80,932

5. Kaycee Feild, Elk Ridge, Utah, $72,356

STEER WRESTLING

1. Wade Sumpter, Fowler, Colo., $113,270

2. Luke Branquinho, Los Alamos, Calif., $76,199

3. Curtis Cassidy, Canada, $72,611

4. Ken Lewis, La Junta, Colo., $68,452

5. Cash Myers, Athens, Texas, $60,245

TEAM ROPING (HEADING)

1. Matt Sherwood, Pima, Ariz., $73,896

2. Travis Tryan, Billings, Mont., $73,622

3. Chad Masters, Clarksville, Tenn., $61,402

4. JoJo LeMond, Andrews, Texas, $54,412

5. Matt Funk, Hermiston, Ore., $54,049

TEAM ROPING (HEELING)

1. Michael Jones, Stephenville, Texas, $74,038

2. Randon Adams, Logandale, Nev., $73,896

3. Jade Corkill, Fallon, Nev., $64,677

4. Martin Lucero, Stephenville, Texas, $55,371

5. Bucky Campbell, Benton City, Wash., $54,049

SADDLE BRONC

1. Billy Etbauer, Edmond, Okla., $115,698

2. Cody Wright, Milford, Utah, $114,979

3. J.J. Elshere, Quinn, S.D., $95,777

4. Anthony Bello, Oakley, Utah, $71,198

5. Bradley Harter, Weatherford, Texas, $59,472

TIE-DOWN ROPING

1. Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo., $105,200

2. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, $75,469

3. Mike Johnson, Henryetta, Okla., $71,362

4. Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla., $68,401

5. Stran Smith, Childress, Texas, $64,747

BULL RIDING

1. Chance Smart, Philadelphia, Miss., $129,410

2. Wesley Silcox, Payson, Utah, $109,115

3. B.J. Schumacher, Hillsboro, Wis., $97,207

4. Bobby Welsh, Gillette, Wyo., $87,084

5. Steve Woolsey, Payson, Utah, $67,726

STEER ROPING

1. Scott Snedecor, Uvalde, Texas, $50,417

2. Cody Lee, Gatesville, Texas, $32,781

3. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, $31,978

4. Vin Fisher Jr., Andrews, Texas, $30,389

5. Rocky Patterson, Pratt, Kan., $27,646

BARREL RACING

1. Lindsay Sears, Nanton, Alberta, $124,087

2. Brittany Pozzi-Pharr, Victoria, Texas, $95,259

3. Jill Moody, Letcher, S.D., $87,431

4. Annesa Self, Valley View, Texas, $73,941

5. Shelley Murphy, Helena, Mont., $73,788

PBR STANDINGS

BUILT FORD TOUGH POINTS

1. Guilherme Marchi, Ferris, Texas, 10,943.00

2. Valdiron de Oliveira, Gainesville, Texas, 7,143.50

3. Kody Lostroh, Longmont, Colo., 6,873.00

4. Mike Lee, Decatur, Texas, 6,679.25

5. J.B. Mauney, Mooresville, N.C., 6,559.25

MONEY LEADERS

1. Clayton Williams, Carthage, Texas, $573,095

2. Mike Lee, Decatur, Texas, $267.366

3. Guilherme Marchi, Ferris, Texas, $266,444

4. Travis Briscoe, Edgewood, N.M., $243,698

5. Robson Palermo, Bryan, Texas, $180,373