ProRodeo Sports News - April 14, 2023

50 years after winning world title, Steiner reflects on his journey, family success Golden Ending

BY ALEX RILEY Special to ProRodeo Sports News B obby Steiner chased gold buckle glory. And, 50 years ago, he was lucky enough to capture it. Then, he stepped away from competing with no regrets. Reflecting back on the length of time that has passed since that moment, the Austin, Texas, cowboy laughingly admits it is hard to fathom. His path in rodeo was never about how much he could win but winning the thing that mattered most. “I know there are people who have won multiple world titles, but you really have to have the stars line up and things have to go right,” Steiner said. “It’s really hard to just be the best at something. That’s what happens for world champions – you have good things happen.” Steiner learned that lesson early on as the family business centered around stock contracting and rodeo production. He began competing professionally at 16, winning the bull riding world title in 1973 at just 21 years old. Back then, the road to the Finals in Oklahoma City wasn’t as clear cut as today’s rodeo world. Competitors weren’t restricted to how many rodeos they could enter in each year, which led to Steiner riding in 137 events the year he

think that just goes down the line. But we’re all so in it together that it’s like we’re doing it together.” Watching his son and grandson carry on a family tradition has been rewarding. It has also allowed Steiner to reconnect with the sport and people he once thought he’d left behind. Rocker’s success has resulted in a lot of phone calls from old friends to talk about how things are going and what’s next. He speaks with fellow hall of famer Larry Mahan several times a week to discuss what’s going on with Rocker. Steiner considers himself lucky to have won a world title. He is now fortunate to be there in support of his family as they do the same. He’s certainly enjoying the ride – this time from a different perspective. “We feel like we’re all competing again right now. The great thing about that is that a lot of the people you do your thing with in rodeo from years ago, it’s reconnected me with a lot of the guys that rodeoed at the same time I did. They have someone to pull for and call me about,” Steiner said. “You’re never far away from a rodeo arena, if you know what I mean, once you’ve done it.”

finished on top of the world. He knows there were other cowboys who were close to competing at 200 rodeos. Coupled with the fact that his father needed assistance in the family business and his new wife had just given birth to their first child, going out a champion was a satisfying conclusion to a successful, albeit short, career. “Gosh, to stay number one and have what it took, you had to be on the road pretty much all the time,” Steiner said. “It really is a grueling thing to go through, just the logistics of getting where you need to be. Certainly, I enjoyed riding bulls and having the adrenaline rush that goes on when you do that, but staying on the road all the time is really what you have to tip your hat to the people who do it, even right now. That’s not the glamour part of it all.” While he stayed in the saddle working on the family ranch and later got into the restaurant industry, Steiner concluded that his time around rodeo was over. He is certainly happy to be wrong. In 1995, his son, Sid, decided to step into the rodeo world as a steer wrestler. Seven years later, Sid captured the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association championship at the National Finals Rodeo. Like his father, Sid made the decision that winning the world title was enough, opting to retire from competition after he fulfilled sponsor obligations at winter rodeos the following season. Now, once again, the elder Steiner finds himself back along the arena rail, this time watching his grandson, Rocker, compete in bareback riding. As a rookie last year, Rocker qualified for NFR, finishing 10th in the world. It’s certainly possible that one day, maybe soon, the Steiner family will have a trio of world champions, all from different areas of competition. “When you’re doing it for yourself, it’s a big deal, but it was probably a bigger deal for my parents than it was for me. But Sid’s deal felt better than mine and Rocker’s success has felt way better than mine,” Steiner said. “I

Ferrell Butler photo Bobby Steiner takes a break in the action before competing in Waco, Texas in 1970. Steiner’s son Sid won the 2002 PRCA Steer Wrestling World Championship and his grandson Rocker qualified for the NFR in 2022 as a rookie in bareback riding.

ProRodeo Sports News 4/14/2023

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