Utah’s Own Rodeo to feature sport’s elite during final performance
SALT LAKE CITY – Steer wrestler Cash Robb understands the ups and downs that come with being a rodeo competitor.
Most of his summer has been spent away from his Altamont, Utah, home, while traveling across the country to do his job. He’s seen good runs that turn to bad and days when he expected nothing and came out with a nice paycheck. He’s driven a truck and trailer thousands of miles with little sleep, only to get straight out of the vehicle in time to saddle a horse and grapple a farm animal.
It’s a hectic schedule. There are more than 25 events this week alone, from Puyallup, Washington, to Levant, Maine. A big one on that list is Utah’s Own Rodeo, set for 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5; Saturday, Sept. 6; and Monday, Sept. 8, in the Days of ’47 Arena at the Utah State Fairpark in Salt Lake City. Tickets can be purchased at UtahStateFair.com/tickets.
Robb is making sure to be part of the Utah State Fair’s rodeo, and for good reason.
“We entered for that Monday, because we’ll be up in Puyallup those couple days before competing at the Cinch Playoffs,” Robb said of the rodeo that’s 850 miles northwest of Salt Lake City. “We’ll make the all-night drive Sunday to be there Monday, then we’ll turn right back around that night to be in Pendleton, Oregon, on Tuesday morning.
“We’re going to have some driving to do, but it’s a good rodeo, so we need to be able to make those drives and get that money.”
It’s not just about making a living one steer at a time. In rodeo, dollars equal points, so only the top 15 contestants on the money list in each event at the end of the regular season advance to the National Finals Rodeo. As of last week, Robb was 20th in the bulldogging world standings, so every penny counts. He pointed out that Utah’s Own Rodeo will feature $10,000 per event in local dollars, which will then be added to the contestants’ entry fees to make up the overall purse.
“It’s awesome, especially since they went up in added money,” said Robb, the 2023 Resistol Steer Wrestling Rookie of the Year who won the NFR aggregate title last December in his first qualification. “The first year I went, it only added about $5,000 (per event), so that’s a huge jump. Having that extra money is big for us.
“That’s a lot of money for that committee to round up. Kudos to them for wanting to get bigger. It’s awesome to see committees do everything they can to improve their rodeos so they can be one of those events guys want to go to.”
Robb is just one of 40 NFR qualifiers competing in the final performance of Utah’s Own Rodeo. That evening’s field includes six world champions – three-time saddle bronc riding titlist Ryder Wright, five-time bulldogging champ Tyler Waguespack, tie-down ropers Marcos Costa and Haven Meged, team roping-heading winner Aaron Tsinigine and reigning bareback riding world champion Dean Thompson.
The largest contingent of superstars is in saddle bronc riding, which features nine NFR qualifiers, including three Utahans, Ryder Wright, Statler Wright and Allen Boore. Robb and Waguespack lead the pack of steer wrestlers into ring, and it doesn’t hurt that the two travel the rodeo trail together. In fact, Waguespack is the defending champion at the state fair.
“My goal is to take that win back from him,” Robb said. “I’d love to win that rodeo. I like that arena, and I love being there, so hopefully we’ll get it done this year.”
Just one month remains in ProRodeo’s regular season, he has earned just shy of $85,000. He’s officially on the NFR bubble, meaning he needs to work his way up the money list to secure his bid for Las Vegas in December. That’s where competing in Salt Lake City can be most beneficial.
“The season is winding down,” he said. “Everyone’s tired, and a lot of people want to go home. If we can just capitalize on these next few weeks and grit it out and do our jobs, I think it’ll pay off in the end.”