ProRodeo Sports News - January 26, 2018

GRILLE COWBOY

Steer wrestler BEN KILBURG, 20, was at the top of the 2017 RAMRodeo Permit Standings thanks to winning the Hamel (Minn.) Rodeo & Bull Ridin’ Bonanza and the Upper Peninsula Championship Rodeo in Iron River, Mich., in July, and the Carson (Iowa) Community Rodeo in August. The Iowa cowboy is aiming to be the 2018 Rookie of the Year while competing on the Missouri Valley College rodeo team.

WITH MATT NABER PSN

You were at the top of the steer wrestling permit standings in 2017, how did you make it happen? Ben: It was really just taking advantage of good steers and traveling with good people whomotivatedme to domy best. We were always motivating each other, and it brought us a lot of good opportunities. What are your goals for your rookie year and how do you plan on achieving them?

Ben: I have the same goal as every other rookie. We all want to win it (rookie of the year). So, to be different, I have to do what they’re not – extra practices, go to the gymearly, and do whatever it takes to win and take advantage of good opportunities, but my goals can only get me so far. It’s God’s plan to see how I turn out, but I can prepare and domy best. If he wantsme to be the rookie of the year, that’s great. But if not, then there’s alwaysmore rodeos. Between now and the day you decide to retire from steer wrestling, what do you hope to achieve throughout your ProRodeo career? Ben: My biggest goal is tomake the NFR – well, I want to win the NFR – but I want to help someone newwhen I’m in that position to give back to the sport of rodeo that’s givenme a lot. I want tomake the NFR, take advantage of the NFR and help asmany people as I can along the way. How did you get into steer wrestling? Ben: The only way I got into rodeo was being surrounded by good people, and they got me into it. My brother bulldogged beforeme, and he tookme toWisconsin where I met Jon Ragatz and Jacob Burks. They got me started on everything. Jon hadme over to his house countless times. They’re both very successful bulldoggers, so I learned a lot from them. I went to Jon’s clinic when I was in eighth grade, so around that age, 14 or so. Who has been the biggest help in your rodeo career so far? Ben: That’s a hard question because bulldoggers are tight together. Anyone that has the opportunity to help you, nine times out of 10, they will. At the start of the 2017 season, I went tomy first ProRodeo of the year with Jon and Jacob, and Jacob hadme on a very good horse called Shooter, and that really helped. Those two had a big impact on everything. What’s the hardest part about steer wrestling? Ben: Handling steers on the ground. If you draw a strong one, you have to figure out how to win on him. What’s the easiest part about steer wrestling? Ben: Just closing your eyes and getting off the horse. Do you prefer to call it steer wrestling or bulldogging? Ben: Honestly, it doesn’t matter tome. Everyone I amaround calls it bulldogging, so that’s what we get, but the technical term is steer wrestling, so it really doesn’t matter. Who do you travel with? Which rodeos are you looking forward to competing at the most? Ben: I ampumped to go to Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days, that’s a big one I’m really looking forward to going to. How does competing on the Missouri Valley College rodeo team help you in your ProRodeo efforts? Ben: I think it’s great to get out there and runmore steers in different places. College rodeo gives you contacts you can use when you go up the ranks. It (practicing with the team) calms your nerves and builds up your confidence. What are you studying in college? Ben: I’mdoublemajoring in ag business andmarketing. What do you do for fun? Ben: I really like hanging out with friends, we go play paintball and try to be as active as we can. What’s your favorite video game? Ben: I’ve got an Xbox 360, so I’mpretty out of date on games. But, I like “NCAA Football,” and they quit making those in 2014 or so. What food totally grosses you out? Ben: Sushi is really weird tome. I tried it before and it wasn’t as bad as it looks. What’s your favorite team? Ben: Iowa Hawkeyes What’s your favorite movie? Ben: Step Brothers Square-toe or traditional cowboy boots? Ben: Square-toe for sure. BEN KILBURG Ben: This last season I traveled with Fenton Nelson and CodyMetsker and it was a great group. Fenton had an awesome circuit finals and is going to Kissimmee (for the RNCFR in Florida), and Codymade sure we were entering good and has a good horse – well, they both have good horses, and they had themout for me.

ProRodeo Sports News 1/26/18

ProRodeo.com

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