ProRodeo Sports News - August 4, 2023

EDITOR’S LETTER TRACY RENCK

Bareback riders, left to right, Clayton Biglow, Cole Reiner, and Kade Sonnier shared the ti tle at the 2023 Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo and then shared memories while running through the arena for a victory lap on July 30. Jason Suntych photo

Cheyenne Frontier Days final day was quite memorable Sometimes when you pull into a city it just has a rodeo vibe about it. That is definitely the case for Cheyenne, Wyo. “They might have to bury me with my buckle on, I’m

probably never going to take it off,” Blankenship said. Steer roper Troy Tillard, who is now a two-time CFD champ in 2004 and 2023, shared his affection for CFD. Tillard is from Douglas, Wyo., and comes from a family of cowboys who have competed at CFD. “As a little kid growing up, we worked all summer and we got to come here (to Cheyenne),” Tillard said. “Cheyenne is on a pedestal for everybody, but for me and my family it means ten times more.” Then there was Stetson Wright. The Milford, Utah, cowboy is the face of the PRCA and how did he celebrate his 24th birthday – of course by winning the bull riding and all-around championships in Cheyenne. Wright has won seven PRCA World Championships since 2019 and now he has six titles from Cheyenne on his resume. “Oh, I love them (Cheyenne) saddles,” Wright said. “This rodeo means everything to me. “This is one of the most legendary rodeos ever. The history behind this rodeo is insane. All rodeos mean something to me, but this one has a special place in my heart.” Who could blame Wright for feeling this way. The past winners’ lists at Cheyenne are littered with Hall of Famers – too many to count. As a veteran of the PRCA media department for nearly 10 years, I’ve seen my share of amazing regular season rodeos – but in my opinion there’s nothing like championship Sunday in Cheyenne.

The city oozes the Western way of life, and no event demonstrates that more than the legendary Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo. On July 30, the grounds at Frontier Park were electric. The spectators were coming in droves and the die-hard Cheyenne fans were tailgating in the parking lot getting ready for the main event – the finals at Cheyenne Frontier Days. This is their Super Bowl, World Series and Stanley Cup wrapped into one day. And the 16,000-fans in attendance weren’t disappointed. It was a memorable, record-breaking performance. Saddle bronc rider Ryder Sanford went from having an injury-plagued year on his PRCA permit in 2022 to stepping into the spotlight to become a CFD champion – in record-setting fashion no less – in 2023. Sanford had a 92.5-point trip on Sankey Pro Rodeo & Phenom Genetics’ Black Tie. The poetic dance drew a roar of approval from the crowd. “It is like nothing else,” Sanford said about the reaction of the fans. “It was amazing.” The other record-breaker in Cheyenne was barrel racer Sue Smith, who clocked a 16.89-second run. There’s no question what this rodeo, which was in its 127th year, meant to the winners like team roping winner, heeler Kirby Blankenship. He and header Billy Bob Brown clocked an 8.0-second run in the finals to claim the team roping title.

Tracy Renck is the editor of the ProRodeo

Sports News. He previously served more than seven years as a media coordinator at the PRCA. He has three decades of experience in sports journalism with the last several consumed by ProRodeo.

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ProRodeo Sports News 8/4/2023

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