Steer Wrestling

STEER WRESTLING

Timing, coordination and strength are prerequisites for a steer wrestler. The steer wrestler starts behind a barrier, which is a rope stretched across the front of the starting box that is tripped by the steer crossing the score line giving it a head start. If the steer wrestler does not allow the steer a fair head start, a penalty of 10 seconds is added to his time. The steer wrestler's horse is trained to run by as the steer wrestler reaches for the steer. The steer wrestler then grabs the steer's left horn, taking the right horn in the crook of his right elbow. As his feet hit the ground, with his legs extended forward, he slides the steer to a halt. (The steer must be on its feet before being thrown.)

Using his left hand as leverage under the steer's jaw, and the momentum of the running steer, the steer is rolled to the ground. The steer must be flat on its side with all four legs extended on the same side before the official time is taken. This event requires an extra horse ridden by a hazer, who keeps the steer running as straight as possible. Control and speed are required from both horses as they wait for their cue to start, then cover about 46 metres in four seconds from a standing start.

Below is a list of contestants that have qualified for the Calgary Stampede.

Pool A

Baillie Milan

Birth Date:
1982-04-12
Hometown:
Cochrane, Alberta
Career Earnings:
$171,140

Baillie got his start following his dad's footprints. If he wins the $100,000 he plans to pay some bills and rodeo even harder.


PRCA Standings
CFR(3)
PRCA Rookie of the Year 2003
Finished 5th in the 2008 Canadian Standings

Casey McMillan

Birth Date:
1981-01-25
Hometown:
Laramie, Wyo.
Career Earnings:
$323,858

Casey was born into rodeo. His father, Burl, and Uncle Doug McMillen are both members of the PRCA as well as his grandfather, Ken. Casey enjoys hunting and stays in shape when not on the rodeo circuit.
PRCA Standings
Wrangler NFR (2)
Placed in 5 of ten rounds at the Wrangler NFR in 2008.
Finished 11th in the world standings in 2008

Cash Myers

Birth Date:
1980-03-12
Hometown:
Athens,Texas
Career Earnings:
$1,530,141

Wife, Lacey

Brother, Rope and father,Butch are World Champion Steer Wrestlers. In the past year, Cash won 3 all-around titles,8 steer wrestling titles and 3 tie-down titles — this cowboy knows how to rodeo! He and his wife Lacey have one son, Strait Cash. Cash has an interest in pretty much every sport he’s tried.

Enjoys putting on roping schools.


PRCA Standings

Wrangler NFR (7)
Finished 3rd for all around cowboy in the 2008 PRCA

Clayton Moore

Birth Date:
1982-04-12
Hometown:
Pouce Coupe, British Columbia
Career Earnings:
$119,390

Clayton has been steer wrestling since he was 20 years old. Both Clayton’s dad and step-dad are steer wrestlers. Clayton’s fastest run is 3.3 seconds.


PRCA Standings
CFR (2)
Finished 6th in the 2008 Canadian Standings

Cody Cassidy

Birth Date:
1981-06-26
Hometown:
Donalda, Alberta
Career Earnings:
$246,525

Cody works as an outfitter and rancher when he’s not on the rodeo trail. Cody is the 2008 Canadian Steer Wrestling Champion! He is also a six-time CFR qualifier, the 2004 Calgary Stampede $25,000 winner and the CPRA Steer Wrestling 2004 season leader.


PRCA Standings
CFR (6)
2004 Calgary Stampede $25,000 winner
2008 Canadian Steer Wrestling Champion

Curtis Cassidy

Birth Date:
1978-10-24
Hometown:
Donalda, Alberta
Career Earnings:
$826,965

Curtis got started in steer wrestling because of his dad, a former CPRA contestant and president.
When not competing, he works as a hunting guide and rancher.
Curtis’s horse, Willy, was the 2008 PRCA’s Steer Wrestling Horse of the Year.


PRCA Standings
Wrangler NFR (2)
CFR (10)
Finished 12th in the 2008 Steer Wrestling World Standings
Was the Calgary Stampede $100,000 winner in 2006 where he competed in both steer wrestling and tie-down roping.
Canadian Steer Wrestling High Point Champion 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2008
2006 Canadian Steer Wrestling Champion .

Justin Guenthner

Birth Date:
1980-12-31
Hometown:
Vermillion, AB
Career Earnings:
$109,261

Justin was born on New Year’s Eve and in 2008 became the Wrangler Canadian Rodeo Tour Steer Wrestling Champion. When Justin is not on the trail, he also works as a farrier. Justin is currently engaged to his fiancé, Melissa.
PRCA Standings
CFR (2)

CFR Steer Wrestling Champion 2004
Wrangler Canadian Rodeo Tour Champion 2008

Tanner Milan

Birth Date:
1983-09-08
Hometown:
Cochrane, AB
Career Earnings:
$187,682

Ranches in off-season.
Brothers Straws and Baillie are also Steer Wrestlers. Outside rodeo, Tanner also plays hockey.


PRCA Standings
CFR (5)
Finished 2nd in the Canadian Steer Wrestling Standings.
Previous Chinook Rodeo Association SW Champion; Lammles All Star Challenge Champion
and AB Canadian High School SW Champion;

Todd Maughan

Birth Date:
1976-02-15
Hometown:
Airdrie, Alberta
Career Earnings:
$203,870

Todd is a devoted sports fan and resides close by – in Airdrie, Alberta. Todd Maughan has been bulldogging steers on the pro rodeo trail for 10 years and the Airdrie cowboy has had some success on the homefront --he was season leader in 2001 and a four-time Canadian Finals Rodeo qualifier.


PRCA Standings

CFR: (4)

Todd placed 4th in the 2008 CPRA standings

Trevor Knowles

Birth Date:
1980-09-15
Hometown:
Mount Vernon, OR
Career Earnings:
$575,466

Trevor didn’t choose the sport of steer wrestling—it chose him. He’s been competing 9 years professionally, and says his rodeo idol is his father.
His dad and his uncle can be credited with giving him the start in the sport that so far has made him a five-time NFR qualifier.


PRCA Standings
WNFR (5)

Placed fourth in the standings at the end of the 2008 season.
Won Rounds 8 & 10, and tied in Rounds 7 & 9 at the 2008 NFR.
Was the 1999 National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Northwest Region steer wrestling, tie-down roping & all around champion.

Pool B

Dean Gorsuch

Birth Date:
1979-08-31
Hometown:
Gering, Nebraska
Career Earnings:
$507,828

Dean got his start in rodeo on the trail with his dad and grandpa. His fastest run ever is 3.0 seconds and his greatest rodeo achievement was becoming 2006 World Champion.
His rodeo idol is Troy Pruitt.

Dean enjoys playing sports and spending time with his wife, Bekah and sons, Taydon and Trell.


PRCA Standings

World Titles (1)
Wrangler NFR (3)

Won 2008 Cheyenne Frontier Days
Won 2008 Wrangler ProRodeo Tour Championship

Gabe Ledoux

Birth Date:
1980-04-29
Hometown:
Kaplan, La.
Career Earnings:
$327,579

Gabe attended McNeese State University .
His favorite food is his mom's Cajun cooking.
Gabe started rodeo in high school and his favorite part is meeting new people. His fastest time has been 3.0 seconds. His pre-competition ritual is to stretch the same way each time.


PRCA Standings
Wrangler NFR (2)

Won Round 2 at the 2008 Wrangler NFR with 3.5 seconds

Jason Miller

Birth Date:
1974-04-04
Hometown:
Lance Creek, Wyoming
Career Earnings:
$720,650

Jason has been bulldoggin' for nine years since he got "too big for roughstock". He loves rodeo for the people he's met and the friends he's made. When he’s not in the arena Jason ranches. Jason was the 2007 World Champion Steer Wrestler.


PRCA Standings

World Titles (1)
Wrangler NFR (3)

2007 Won Round 3, placed in 7 of 10 rounds at the WNFR overall on his way to winning average title, and first World Championship.

Joey Bell Jr.

Birth Date:
1973-05-26
Hometown:
Athens, Texas
Career Earnings:
$662,590

Joey Bell has a daughter, Davey Jo. Joey was born into the sport given both parents were involved in rodeo and his dad still competes.
When Joey was 16 years old he tried to get his PRCA card but that year the age changed to 18 years and made him that much more eager.


PRCA Standings
Wrangler NFR (4)
CFR (2)

Ken Lewis

Birth Date:
1982-12-22
Hometown:
La Junta, CO
Career Earnings:
$232,371

Ken joined the PRCA in 2003 and played high school basketball back at his hometown school, La Junta High. He stayed in his home state of Colorado to get a degree in Agricultural Business from Colorado State.


PRCA Standings

Wrangler NFR (1)

Qualified for the NFR for the first time in 2008
Finished 5th in the World Standings.

Lee Graves

Birth Date:
1971-05-14
Hometown:
Calgary, Alberta
Career Earnings:
$1,224,668

Lee got his start in high school and college rodeo, and has been a professional steer wrestler since 1994.
Apart from rodeo, he likes to ski, train horses and his favorite team is Calgary’s NHL team, the Calgary Flames.


PRCA Standings
World Titles (1)
Wrangler NFR (9)
CFR (12)

Won Round 5 and shared Round 4 of the WNFR 2007, and placed in 7 of 10 rounds.
Owner of PRCA SW Horse of the Year 2007.
Lee won his first World Title in 2005 and has won five Canadian SW Championships.
Has been All-Around Champion at Calgary Stampede where he set an arena record in 2005, stopping the clock in 3.1 seconds.

Luke Branquinho

Birth Date:
1980-09-17
Hometown:
Los Alamos, California
Career Earnings:
$1,198,035

Luke grew up on a ranch and chose steer wrestling because he “didn’t swing a rope well”. Good thing, because Luke won the 2004 and 2008 World Championship Steer Wrestling titles and in 2007 he recorded his fastest run at a blinding 2.7 seconds.
Luke has one son, Cade.


PRCA Standings
World Titles (2)
Wrangler NFR (7)
CFR (3)
Won 2008 Wrangler NFR average championship
Luke is a past Calgary Stampede winner.

Stockton Graves

Birth Date:
1979-12-05
Hometown:
Newkirk, Oklahoma
Career Earnings:
$724,738

Stockton has a bachelors degree in agricultural business and has been competing in rodeoprofessionally since 1997.
Primary steer wrestling horse is “Chunk", owned since 2001. If Stockton wins the $100,000 he plans on saving it!
Stockton started bulldogging when he was 14 and has never looked back.


PRCA Standings
Wrangler NFR (5)
Won Round 5 at the Wrangler NFR
Canadian Champion 2006
Took steer wrestling title at the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo in 2006.

Todd Suhn

Birth Date:
1973-07-27
Hometown:
Weatherford, Texas
Career Earnings:
$1,394,396

He attended the University of Wyoming and is married to Wendy. Todd grew up on a ranch, learning to ride and rope in the pastures - which inevitably led to arena competition. In 15 professional years he has been to the NFR 12 times. Todd and Wendy have one son, Slate.


PRCA Standings
Wrangler NFR (11)
Placed in five of 10 rounds at the 2008 Wrangler NFR, where he finished 3rd in the average.

Wade Sumpter

Birth Date:
1981-06-22
Hometown:
Fowler, Colo.
Career Earnings:
$398,971

Wade got involved in rodeo as a teenager; his first competition was in 1998. Before competing in rodeo full time, Wade played football at the University of Northern Colorado for four years where he graduated with a degree in communications.
Wade won the $100,000 Steer Wrestling Championship last year at the Calgary Stampede.


PRCA Standings
Wrangler NFR (3)
Made 2008 NFR but withdrew in the first round due to injury. Wade should return to the arena June 2009.
Won RodeoHouston 2008