HEBER CITY — Josh Frost has quite a family legacy to live up to these days.
His older brother, Joe Frost, was the all-around champion cowboy at the Utah High School Rodeo Association State Finals last year, when he then went on to win the national high school bull riding title at Gillette, Wyo.
Joe is back competing again this year and comes into the State Finals ranked third in the all-around standings despite missing much of the 2010-11 rodeo season following shoulder surgery.
Their dad, Shane Frost, had a cousin who many rodeo fans might remember, a cowboy by the name of Lane Frost — a world champion bull rider whose rise to fame and tragic death were chronicled in a fine little 1994 film entitled "8 Seconds."
And on Thursday, Josh Frost did his best to make 'em all proud, winning two events to cap the first performance at this year's State Finals rodeo.
Josh finished first in tiedown roping with a time of 11.81 seconds, then came back a little later Thursday morning to tie for first in the bull-riding competition with a score of 77 aboard Bull's-eye.
"It felt good," said Josh, who just completed his sophomore year at Union High School and is a member of the Uintah Basin Rodeo Club. "I came here last year and didn't do so good, but today I was more relaxed and had a good bull to ride and a good calf to rope.
"You've got to be a little more tense up there bull riding, but you've still got to think and stay focused and do what you've got to do. He's a good bull; he's the one I wanted to get."
As for Frost's family ties, the baby-faced Josh acknowledges that having a big brother who's already accomplished so much pushes little bro to do his best.
"It helps having Joe around, and the competition between us keeps us both doing good," Josh said. "Joe didn't get to go to any rodeos last fall because of his shoulder surgery, but if he does really good at the State Finals here, he has a chance at winning it (the all-around title) again.
"Joe only had half a year to get his points this year. But he's got more points than almost everyone else on just a half year and they had a full year."
When it comes to the championship legacy left behind by Lane Frost, Josh admits that he and his brother have seen the movie, heard all the stories and are often asked about their famous cousin.
"Him and my dad were good friends, and he was a good bull rider," Josh said. "Everyone always talks about him and asks us if we're related to him."
And Joe and Josh Frost are certainly doing their part to make sure the family that rodeos together stays together and wins together, too.
Another family that definitely has rodeo in its blood are the Hodsons of Hooper.
Jessie Hodson, a recent Fremont High graduate and the oldest of five sisters, won Thursday's goat tying event with a quick time of 6.73 seconds. She's the daughter of Brad and Karen Hodson, and Jessie's younger sister, Meggen, is also competing in the State Finals this year.
Jessie, a member of the Spikers Rodeo Club, was mighty glad to get Thursday's victory after not doing so well in her other two events, barrel racing and breakaway roping.
"I'm glad goats finally went good for me," she said. "It's crazy. It's almost got to be perfect. Everything's got to run smooth for it to go good.
"My mom's been writing down all the goats to see where they go so I can figure out where I need to get off, or if I need to tie it tighter and what I need to do. So she helps me a lot with that. This makes it worth all the practicing and the long hours.
"My whole family rodeos; my mom and dad rodeo, too, and so do my little sisters," said Jessie, 18. "We kind of help each other out."
Jessie, who took up rodeo at the tender age of 5, formerly played volleyball and softball until she got into junior high school.
"I was really big into both of those sports," she said, "but in seventh grade, I had to pick between the comp teams or not doing them at all, so I decided to go with rodeo."
Well, that decision has definitely paid off, as she'll attend Weber State University on a rodeo scholarship this fall.
Lehi's Shaylee Thacker was also a double-winner on Thursday, capturing the breakaway roping and pole bending events with respective times of 2.91 and 19.994 seconds.
Thursday's other winners following the conclusion of the State Finals' first performance: Bareback riding — Dillon Rydalch, Grantsville, 76 points. Saddle bronc riding — Tyler Baeza, Dixie, 75 points. Steer wrestling — Colten Wright, Oaker Bingham, 5.48 seconds. Barrel racing — McKale Hadley, Spikers, 16.54 seconds. Team roping —Brody Adams, Dixie, and Brady Ramone, Sanpete, 6.63 seconds.
Thursday's results
At Wasatch County Events Center
Heber City
Thursday's top finishers following conclusion of the first performance
Bull riding — 1. (tie) Josh Frost, Uintah Basin, and Dalan Duncan, Oaker Bingham, 77 points; 2. Dalton Dumas, Lehi, 74; 4. (tie) Dakota Adams, Bear River, and Joe Frost, Uintah Basin, 73.
Saddle bronc riding — 1. Tyler Baeza, Dixie, 75 points; 2. McKay Magoon, Dixie, 70.
Bareback riding — 1. Dillon Rydalch, Grantsville, 76 points; 2. Joe Frost, Uintah Basin, 74; 3. Lex Ju, SUC, 72; 4. Weston Wardle, Lehi, 69; 5. Chase Wilson, Wasatch, 62.
Steer wrestling — 1. Colten Wright, Oaker Bingham, 5.48 seconds; 2. Baxtor Roche, Bear River, 5.51; 3. John Carson, Lehi, 5.53; 4. Colton Mooney, Oaker Bingham, 5.90; 5. Tanner Atkin, Dixie, 6.61; 6. Garrison Cannon, Dixie, 6.66; 7. Chanse Poulson, Wasatch, 6.68; 8. Wyatt Caldwell, Lehi, 7.08; 9. Chad Watterson, West Millard, 7.37; 10. Ryli Sutch, SUC, 8.33.
Barrel racing — 1. McKale Hadley, Spikers, 16.54 seconds; 2. Teigan Adams, Emery, 16.725; 3. Kelsie Keller, Sanpete, 16.823; 4. Calli VanTassell, Oaker Bingham, 16.847; 5. Jacee Young, West Millard, 16.864; 6. Whitney Christensen, Uintah Basin, 16.893; 7. Noelle Perkins, Panguitch, 16.896; 8. Cheyenne Wilde, Spikers, 16.901; 9. Madisyn Harris, Uintah Basin, 16.906; 10. Shay Hardwick, Oaker Bingham, 16.931.
Goat tying — 1. Jessie Hodson, Spikers, 6.73 seconds; 2. Whittney Dansie, Oaker Bingham, 7.64; 3. Dally Bundy, Dixie, 7.76; 4. Korinne Balls, Bridgerland, 7.97; 5. Corley Anderson, Sevier, 8.36; 6. Ashley Allen, Lehi, 8.41; 7. Savannah Steed, Spikers, 9.26; 8. Kaeleena Perkins, Tooele, 9.28; 9. (tie) Rylee Dick, South Summit, and Meggen Hodson, Spikers, 9.48.
Tiedown roping — 1. Josh Frost, Uintah Basin, 11.81 seconds; 2. Quinn Kesler, Sevier, 11.96; 3. Garrison Cannon, Dixie, 12.42; 4. Travis Thacker, Lehi, 12.44; 5. Zane Barnson, Dixie, 13.13; 6. Tanner Atkin, Dixie, 13.44; 7. Cooper Larsen, Bridgerland, 13.71; 8. Riley Moosman, Lehi, 14.75; 9. Taylor Winn, Sevier, 15.01; 10. Houston Thomas, Juab, 16.97.
Breakaway roping — 1. Shaylee Thacker, Lehi, 2.91 seconds; 2. Dally Bundy, Dixie, 2.97; 3. Sadie Johnson, Lehi, 3.07; 4. Whittney Dansie, Oaker Bingham, 3.37; 5. Stacy Taylor, Uintah Basin, 3.57; 6. Kylee Mackelprang, Sevier, 3.66; 7. Chelsea Jones, Spikers, 3.80; 8. Sabreena Rasmussen, Lehi, 3.87; 9. Lashae Petersen, SUC, 4.30; 10. Leslie Beck, SUC, 4.32.
Pole bending — 1. Shaylee Thacker, Lehi, 19.994 seconds; 2. Alexa Nielson, Juab, 20.656; 3. Cali Moon, Carbon, 20.684; 4. Teigan Adams, Emery, 20.781; 5. Whitney Wayment, Spikers, 20.829; 6. Whitney Christensen, Uintah Basin, 20.840; 7. Shawnessa Soule, Rich, 20.842; 8. Sammi Trapp, Lehi, 21.000; 9. Carlee Dick, South Summit, 21.121; 10. Kailey Nowell, Sevier, 21.130.
Team roping — 1. Brody Adams, Dixie, and Brady Ramone, Sanpete, 6.63 seconds; 2. Zane Barnson and Dax Barnson, Dixie, 6.75; 3. Paxton Cooper, Panguitch, and Austin Carter, Cedar, 9.22; 4. Colton Martino, Wasatch, and Lex Ju, SUC, 9.41; 5. Dixon Winn, Juab, and Chet Boren, Uintah Basin, 12.59; 6. Jace Mitchell, Dixie, and Houston Thomas, Juab, 12.96; 7. David Lockhart, Bridgerland, and Dylan Oliveira, Cedar, 13.46; 8. Reno Thomas, Juab, and Caide Roberts, Dixie, 14.08; 9. Garrison Cannon, Dixie, and Coby Christensen, Sevier, 14.22; 10. Bret Brooks and Ryan Brooks, Bryce Valley, 14.31.
email: rhollis@desnews.com