PRORODEO Sports News | January 24, 2025

“My brother and I thought this was always something that we hoped to take over at some point. The ranches, the rodeo, the cows, the calves, the horses, it’s always been my biggest interest in life. I’ve been fortunate to be a part of it. There’s definitely nothing else I’d rather be doing.” Binion handles the production of the rodeos on site, while Chase spends most of his time on horseback in the arena. Chase has served as an NFR pickup man eight times and earned PRCA Pickup Man of the Year honors twice. The brothers took their father’s foundation and built onto it. They didn’t begin with the 600 to 1,000 horses that they now have on their ranch in Stoneham. “When our father started you were buying horses at sales. At that time, he was a little hesitant to jump into the breeding program, but he started it in 1990,” Binion said. “I would’ve been six and Chase would’ve been four at the time. “That’s where it all started, just taking a chance with a small band of 20 to 30 mares and growing to where we are now almost 40 years later, where we have anywhere from 100 to 120 foals a year. It’s all about finding a way to grow. You have that dream and goal, but in the beginning, you never know if you’re going to get there.” The star-studded group of horses that’ve run on the pastures at the Cervi Ranch are awe-inspiring. In the late 1960s, ProRodeo Hall of Fame horse Descent was one of Mike’s top horses and was a six-time bucking horse of the year. Most recently, Womanizer received the 2020 PRCA Saddle Bronc Horse of the Year honor and is still making trips to the NFR. “One of the many things that make Womanizer special to my brother and I is that’s the first horse we raised that became a world champion all on its own,” Binion said. “Mike had several world champions when he was doing this on his own, but Womanizer started with a baby being born at the ranch and went on to the bright lights in Las Vegas. It’s like one of your kids becoming a world champion.” Success in the arena wouldn’t be possible without the team the Cervis surround themselves with in Roggen and Stoneham. “We are fortunate to have one of the best crews there is in our opinion. We have Taos Muncy and Randy Britton who pick up for us,” Chase said. “Then there’s a gentleman

Above, a young cowboy prepares for a practice ride at the Aces High Roughstock Academy in Roggen, Colo. The Cervis see anywhere from 30 to 80 kids at a time at their rodeo schools. Below, the PRCA World Champion Saddle Bronc Riding Horse buckle is on display to honor their standout horse Womanizer. Emily Hilton and PRCA photos

that’s the only way to stay relevant.” The Cervi Family has a plan in place to make sure that happens through their Aces High Roughstock Academy. “It’s very important to our family to support that next generation of rodeo athletes because the roughstock end and the cowboy in life is kind of a dying breed,” Chase said. “So, as many guys as we can get involved is a big help. Bareback riders and broncs riders were struggling everywhere there for a while, so we feel that is helping. We will get 30 to 40 kids out here with small schools and sometimes we will get as many as 70 to 80.” The Aces High Roughstock Academy

named Chuck Kite, who is our flankman. Then we have a gentleman that drives trucks for us and transports everything. That’s kind of our rodeo crew side of it. “The ranch side is extremely important. We have Riley Haug and Larry Haug who live out in Stoneham and take care of all the stock, which is the most important part in my opinion because without them these horses are not going to get fed and get to these rodeos ready to buck. So, they are extremely important to what we do. We are really blessed to have the crew that we do.” KEEPING THE FLAME LIT There’s no doubt that Cervi Championship Rodeo and the sport of rodeo are in a good spot. Attendance is as high as it’s ever been with some of the best cowboys of all time going down the road. The challenge is sustaining that success and continuing to grow PRORODEO. “Chase and I love what we do. We are invested financially and emotionally into this business because we give a big portion of our lives to this sport,” Binion said. “If you aren’t growing, you’re dying is our mindset. So, that’s what we keep trying to do. Just keep getting bigger and better because

was brought to life after the Cervis assisted Taos Muncy with his school in New Mexico for years. Now, they bring their own twists to the schools with many of PRORODEO’s top cowboys giving back. “We get some of the top guys in the sport to come out and help coach kids every single year,” Chase said. “Out at the ranch in Stoneham we are working on getting all their pictures up on the wall to recognize them. They do a lot to give back to rodeo and we can’t thank them enough for being a part of the school.” The Cervis hope this is only the beginning of the impact the schools can have on rodeo. Their success in rodeo doesn’t go unnoticed and it’s not lost on them that they get to live out their dreams each and every day. “It’s something we don’t take for granted because if you do it can be taken away just as fast,” Binion said. “There are so many other individuals that would kill to be in this position. We are very fortunate that our family put us in this position and now it’s our responsibility to carry forward with honor and pride.” It should come as no surprise because that family is “Do or Die for the Circle I.”

ProRodeo Sports News 1/24/2025

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