ProRodeo Sports News 2023 Year-End Edition

PRCA ROOKIES OF THE YEAR

Good From the Get-Go Resistol Rookies of the Year announced for 2023

BY TANNER BARTH I It was a year to remember for rookies in ProRodeo. Five cowboys made their debut at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Teton Ridge in 2023. ALL-AROUND AND TIE-DOWN ROPER Dylan Hancock Hometown: San Angelo, Texas What does it mean to win Rookie of the Year in two events? Dylan: “It was one of my goals this year that I got to mark off my checklist. The guys that I got to compete against this year in the rookie race are all really talented. It was truly a fight to the end and a blast. I wouldn’t have had it any other way.” What does it mean to win Rookie of the Year? Keenan: “I'm not surprised at all (how I did this season), like I said I'm sure blessed that God gave me this ability and that I get to show it to everyone, it's just an amazing experience that I wanted to get done my whole life." STEER WRESTLER Cash Robb Hometown: Altamont, Utah What does it mean to win Rookie of the Year? Cash: “It really means everything to me to win this award. The coolest part of it all is that they only give out one Resistol Rookie for each event every year. You only get one chance at winning it. There’s a lot of great cowboys out there that are world champs and they never won Rookie of the Year. So, it’s really cool to be one of the select few that have.” What does it mean to win Rookie of the Year? Cole: “It’s the only thing we can do once in this sport. You can win multiple rodeos more than once, heck you can even win more than one world championship. But you only have one chance to win this award. Winning Rookie of the Year is something I’ve always wanted to do and now I can say I’ve been blessed enough to do it.” TEAM ROPING HEADER Cole Thomas Hometown: Meadville, Miss. BAREBACK RIDING Keenan Hayes Hometown: Hayden, Colo.

Dylan Hancock at California Rodeo Salinas during his successful first year. Crystal Amen photo

TEAM ROPING HEELER Kaden Profili Hometown: Jacksonville, Texas

STEER ROPER Will Eddleman Hometown: Santa Anna, Texas

What does it mean to win Rookie of the Year? Kaden: “It means a lot to me if I’m being honest. You only get to be the Rookie of the Year once in your life, so it means a lot to me to see it happen. It took a lot of hard work, a ton of practice, and a lot of miles driving down the road. It’s truly a blessing.”

What does it mean to win Rookie of the Year? Will: “It’s one the few awards that they give in the PRCA that only one person can win. It means a lot to see all of my hard work pay off and get that accomplished. Hopefully this is only the beginning of a great career in the sport of rodeo.”

SADDLE BRONC RIDER Ryder Sanford Hometown: Sulphur, La.

BULL RIDING T Parker Hometown: Winnie, Texas

What does it mean to win Rookie of the Year? Ryder: “It’s very special to me. It’s one of those things that you only get one shot at. It’s a little different than winning a world title because you only get that one shot to be the top rookie your first year. To have the group of guys that I had to ride against it wasn’t easy to win it that’s for sure. It was a knife fight the whole time.”

What does it mean to win Rookie of the Year? T: “To make the Finals and win Resistol Rookie of the Year means the world to me. That was my goal that I had set for the beginning of the year. It was a tough year with lots of ups and downs, I didn’t think I was going to make it happen. I went home and had a couple of talks with my family and came back and made it happen.”

ProRodeo Sports News 12/22/2022

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