2023 PRCA Media Guide - All Chapters

Linderman Award Winner: Josh Frost

The PRCA Linderman Award is one of the most prestigious awards in ProRodeo. It recognizes a cowboy who won at least $1,000 in three events, and those events must include at least one roughstock and one timed event. The 2022 Linderman Award winner is Randlett, Utah, cowboy Josh Frost. This past season Frost earned $228,557 in bull riding, $4,037 in tie-down roping, and another $1,091 in the steer wrestling. He said qualifying for the award is at the top of his list each season when writing out his goals for the year. “It’s a great honor. It was one of my goals starting out the 2022 season,” said Frost, a three-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier. “Being as committed as I am to winning a gold buckle in bull riding it really adds some challenges, but I take a lot of pride in the award. It’s always bittersweet when I know I get my qualifications for it.” He said it’s the cowboy legacy the award encompasses that keeps him competing for it year after year. Frost is the second member of his family to capture the distinguished Linderman Award, his older brother, Joe, 27, captured the award in 2014. “The cowboy legacy that goes with it is what really drew me in. The Linderman Award is very prestigious and like I said I enter all three events for that reason,” he said. “If they didn’t have the Linderman I probably wouldn’t enter the steer wrestling. That third event really adds a challenge to it. I take a lot of pride in that award to have my name on the list with all the other great cowboys that have won it.” He believes it’s an award that’s gaining more popularity across the ProRodeo ranks. Frost thinks the competition will be even stiffer in the years to come. “There’s several other guys who I think are starting to try and compete for it,” Frost said. “I think I might have a little more competition in the years ahead. It’s dang sure something I have my eyes set on and I would like to get my name on that list a few more times.” Frost has now won three straight Linderman awards. His first came back in 2019, followed up by 2021 and 2022. He hopes to be remembered as not just a bull rider, but a cowboy. He’s gained even more respect for the other events along the way. The Linderman Award was not awarded in 2020. “I grew up doing all the events and have spent a lot of time on them throughout my life,” he said. “I have a lot of respect for all the other events because I have competed on both ends and know what it’s like. I know how much time and effort it takes to be successful in the bull riding and I know the time and effort I’ve put into the timed-events and I’m not even nearly as competitive as the top guys in the world. At the end of the day I want to be remembered as a cowboy and not just a bull rider.”

Kyle Whitaker holds the PRCA record for most Linderman Awards won with 10 in his ProRodeo career.

Linderman Award Winners By Year

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996

Bernie Smyth Jr., Crossfield, Alberta Casey Minton, Redwood Valley, Calif. (no contestant qualified) Chuck Kite, Montfort, Wis. (no contestant qualified) Kyle Whitaker, Chambers, Neb. Dan Erickson, La Junta, Colo. Jesse Bail, Camp Crook, S.D. Dan Erickson, La Junta, Colo. Kyle Whitaker, Chambers, Neb. Mike Outhier, Utopia, Texas Kyle Whitaker, Chambers, Neb. Mike Outhier, Utopia, Texas Trell Etbauer, Goodwell, Okla. Kyle Whitaker, Chambers, Neb. Kyle Thomson, Lundbreck, Alberta Trell Etbauer, Goodwell, Okla. Joe Frost, Randlett, Utah Kyle Whitaker, Chambers, Neb. Josh Frost, Randlett, Utah (No contestants qualified) Josh Frost, Randlett, Utah Josh Frost, Randlett, Utah

1966 1967 1968 1969

Benny Reynolds, Melrose, Mont. Kenny McLean, Okanagan Falls, British Columbia Kenny McLean, Okanagan Falls, British Columbia Paul Mayo, Grinnell, Iowa Phil Lyne, George West, Texas Phil Lyne, George West, Texas Bob Blandford, San Antonio, Texas Chip Whitaker, Chambers, Neb. Phil Lyne, Artesia Wells, Texas Chip Whitaker, Chambers, Neb. Tom Eirikson, Innisfail, Alberta Marty Melvin, Holabird, S.D. Tom Eirikson, Innisfail, Alberta Bob Schall, Arlee, Mont. Tom Eirikson, Priddis, Alberta Lewis Feild, Elk Ridge, Utah Philip Haugen, Williston, N.D. Bernie Smyth Jr., Crossfield, Alberta Steve Bland, Trent, Texas Lewis Feild, Peoa, Utah

1997-98

1999

1970-72

2000-01

1971

2002 2003 2004

1973-74

1975 1976 1980 1981 1982 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991

2005-06

1977-79

2007

2008-10

2011 2012 2013 2014 2019 2020 2021 2022

1983-84

2015-18

PRCA AWARDS

Lewis Feild, Elk Ridge, Utah

85

2023 PRCA MEDIA GUIDE