ProRodeo Sports News - Dec. 21, 2018

LINDERMAN AWARD

Big 10

Whitaker wins 10th Linderman Award PASTWINNERS 1966: Benny Reynolds 1967: Kenny McLean 1968: Paul Mayo 1969: Kenny McLean 1970-72: Phil Lyne 1973-74: Bob Blandford 1975: Chip Whitaker 1976: Phil Lyne 1980: Steve Bland 1981: Lewis Feild 1982: Tom Eirikson 1983-84: Marty Melvin 1985: Tom Eirikson 1986: Bob Schall 1987: Tom Eirikson 1988: Lewis Feild 1989: Philip Haugen 1990: Bernie Smyth Jr. 1991: Lewis Feild 1992: Bernie Smyth Jr. 1993: Casey Minton 1994: (no contestant qualified) 1995: Chuck Kite 1996: (no contestant qualified) 1997-98: Kyle Whitaker 1999: Dan Erickson 2000-01: Jesse Bail 2002: Dan Erickson 2003: Kyle Whitaker 2004: Mike Outhier 2005-06: Kyle Whitaker 2007: Mike Outhier 2008-11: Trell Etbauer 2011: Kyle Whitaker 2012: Kyle Thomson 2013: Trell Etbauer 2014: Joe Frost 2015-17: Kyle Whitaker

Kyle Whitaker tips his hat to the crowd while PRCA CEO George Taylor congratulates Whitaker on his 10th Linderman Award. PRCA ProRodeo photo by James Phifer

BY MATT NABER A third-place finish at the Coy Lutz Memorial Rodeo in Centre Hall, Pa., was worth more than just the check Kyle Whitaker, 42, won on Sept. 22 – it also earned him his fourth consecutive Linderman ward and the 10th of his career. “I thought nine was quite a few,’” saidWhitaker, who first won the award in 1997. “I wasn’t crazy about riding broncs, but all my friends said, ‘You have to go for 10.’” With one week left in the regular season, the Nebraska cowboy was only $33 shy of qualifying for the Linderman Award. Placing third in Centre Hall put him over the hump. It’s so difficult to qualify for the Linderman Award that nobody qualified in 1994 or 1996. To be in the running for the Linderman Award, cowboys must win at least $1,000 in a minimum of three events and at least one of those must include one roughstock and one timed event. “I wish there were more people that tried to get it,” Whitaker said. “I had good battles with guys like Trell Etbauer to win the Linderman, but it’s a little different the last few years where there aren’t as many guys trying for it.” The Linderman Award, named after ProRodeo Hall of Fame cowboy Bill Linderman, recognizes cowboys who perform at both ends of the arena. Linderman won six world championships, two in the all-around (1950, 1953), two in saddle bronc riding (1945, 1950) and one each in bareback riding (1943) and steer wrestling (1950). “I really respect the award and what Bill Linderman

did for the sport of rodeo, and I think it’s a true cowboy award,” Whitaker said. “For me, it’s always really important and a feather in the cap and a tip of the hat to the old-style rodeo cowboy who worked both ends of the arena. The way the sport is now, all the glory is in making the NFR, which it should be, but we’re a sport that also recognizes our roots, and I like to be able to carry on that tradition.” Whitaker feels more consistent in steer wrestling now, but he has slowed down in tie-down roping and saddle bronc riding. “It’s harder when you get on a bronc every two weeks as opposed to two to four a week,” Whitaker said. His father agreed. “I think his body paid for this one,” ChipWhitaker said. “… It’s hard on him.” Last year, Kyle Whitaker joined his dad, Phil Lyne and Etbauer as the only cowboys to win the award three consecutive years. Now, he’s the only one to win the prestigious award four consecutive times. ChipWhitaker won the award four times (1975, 1977-79). “I didn’t think he’d be doing it over 21 years, that’s for sure,” ChipWhitaker said. “It will take a long while for someone to beat it.” Although he’s hanging up his bronc riding saddle, Whitaker isn’t done competing. He plans to continue bulldogging. “This will be my last one,” Kyler Whitaker said. “It was hard getting on broncs this year, but I wanted to get qualified one more time at least.”

ProRodeo Sports News 12/21/2018

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