SALT LAKE CITY — To be a cowboy means something special to the professional athletes at the Days of ’47 Rodeo. It is their lifestyle, their livelihood, their passion and their chance at glory.
Saturday was the National Day of the Cowboy. According to nationaldaycalendar.com, the era of the cowboy started after the Civil War in the heart of Texas. The draw of riches and adventure gave way to the mythological image of the cowboy.
That is the legacy of cowboys like Cimarron Boardman, a Stephenville, Texas, tie-down roper, who carry on today. He has dedicated 20 years of his life to the sport of rodeo and plans to continue the cowboy legacy.
Boardman competed against the best competitors across the United States on Saturday at the Days of ’47 Rodeo and won the round with a 7.9-second run.
Each night the top two rides or runs qualify to compete in the short round on Monday. Each night competitors get the chance to win around $3,000. During the round on Monday, eight competitors in each event will compete to win $50,000 and earn an Olympic style medal.
“It is pretty prestigious,” Boardman said. “It is the first time since the Olympics that anything like this has happened, and the large purse that we have here is outstanding. It is a pretty cool format.”
Boardman wasn’t sure he was going to be able to qualify for the Days of ’47 Rodeo but got in at one of the more recent qualifier rodeos.
“Tonight my run went flawless,” Boardman said. “It happened to work out good. I was lucky to be at the end of the draw so I could watch and know what I needed to do, and that helped.”
Now Boardman will get the chance to make a run in the short round to compete for $50,000, which would secure his spot to his first World National Finals Rodeo.
“The goal is always the WNFR,” he said. “I haven’t made the WNFR, and that has been a monkey on my shoulder. Everyone tells me that I am one of the better ropers that have never made it, and I get tired of hearing that. WNFR is a huge goal and I try to aim a little higher.”
Although Boardman has never made the WNFR he has placed well in the top 20 about eight times, and he is ready to get a chance to win a world championship title. He is currently placing 19th in the world standings.
“My summer run has been good,” he said. “I’ve been placing a lot. I haven’t won a lot of big checks but I’ve been placing every week. These next few weeks are huge, and (the Days of ’47 rodeo) is obviously the biggest one we will go to all year.”
Boardman doesn’t let the pressure of securing a spot at the WNFR change his game plans.
“Going into the short go I’m just going to try and treat it like another rodeo, even though it is not,” he said. “That is the best for me, I get pretty anxious so I just try to stay low-key and try to just go make another good run.”
Support from family is something that helps Boardman take his mind off of the tough rodeo road. His wife and daughter travel with him to every rodeo, and his parents and brother are also some of his biggest supporters.
“Family is very important in rodeo,” he said. “Western heritage is huge. It is such a family event. Being a cowboy… I don’t know how to describe it, I just love it. I like what it stands for.”
Saturday Night Results
Bareback riding: 1. Mason Clements, Santaquin, Utah, 86 points on Rosser Rodeo's Peppy Bound, $3,200; 2. Jessy Davis, Power, Montana, 84 on Diamond G Rodeo's Young Living Farms Cougar Country, $2,400; 3. Steven Dent, Mullen, Nebraska, 83.5 on Rosser Rodeo Chantelle's Guilty Please, $1,600; 4. Logan Corbett, Las Cruces, New Mexico, 81.5 on Flying U Rio's Edge at Vivint, $800.
Steer Wrestling: 1 Ryle Smith, Oakdale, California, 4.0 seconds, $3,200; 2. Jon Ragatz, Beetown, Wisconsin, 4.3, $2,400; 3. Jacob Talley, Keatchie, Louisiana, 4.7, $1,600; 4. (tie) Riley Duvall, Checotah, Oklahoma and Chance Howard, Cedarville, Arkansas, 4.8, $400 each.
Team Roping: 1. Lane Ivy, Adrian, Texas/Trace Porter, 4.7 seconds, $3,467; 2. Clayton Hass, Weatherford, Texas/John Robertson, Polson, Montana, 4.8, $2,667; 3. Matt Sherwood, Pima, Arizona/Patrick Smith, Lipan, Texas, 14.2, $1,867; no other qualified times Saddle Bronc Riding: 1. Jake Wright, Milford, Utah; 83.5 points on Big Bend Major Cover, $3,200; 2. (tie) Cort Scheer, Elsmere, Nebraska, on Flying U Rodeo Sundance, Isaac Diaz, Desdemona, Texas, on Big Bend Major Huckleberry and Cody DeMoss, Heflin, Louisiana, on Rosser Rodeo Justified 81.5; $1,600 each. *Cody DeMoss advances to the Gold Medal Round due to tie-breaker
Tie-Down Roping: 1. Cimarron Boardman, Stephenville, Texas, 7.9 seconds, $3,200; 2. Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, 8.4, $2,400; 3. Cory Solomon, Prairie View, Texas, 8.8, $1,600; 4. Blane Cox, Cameron, Texas, 10.4, $800.
Barrel Racing: 1. Hailey Kinsel, Cotulla, Texas, 16.94 seconds, $3,200; 2. Kelly Tovar, Rockdale, Texas, 17.16, $2,400; 3. Ericka Nelson, Century, Florida, 17.31, $1,600; 4. Ivy Hurst, Springer, Oklahoma, 17.62, $800.
Bull Riding: 1. Tyler Bingham, Honeyville, Utah, on Diamond G Rodeo's Tawa, and Kurtis Turner, Washington, Utah, on Diamond G Rodeo's Magic Snowball, 81.5 points, $3,067; 3. Eli Vastbinder, Athens, Texas, 55.5, on Diamond G Rodeo's G-Force, $1,867; no other qualified ride.
July 24 Gold Medal Round Contestants
Bareback riding: Tim O'Connell, Zwingle, Iowa; Tanner Phipps, Dalton, Georgia; JR Vezain, Cowley, Wyoming; Tilden Hooper, Carthage, Texas; Steven Peebles, Redmond, Oregon; Wyatt Denny, Minden, Nevada; Mason Clements, Santaquin, Utah; Jessy Davis, Power, Montana.
Steer wrestling: Justin Shaffer, Hallsville, Texas; Nick Guy, Sparta, Wisconsin. Jace Melvin, Fort Pierre, S.D.; Tyler Pearson, Louisville, Mississippi; Dakota Eldridge, Elko, Nevada; Jesse Brown, Baker City, Oregon; Ryle Smith, Oakdale, California; Jon Ragatz, Beetown, Wisconsin.
Team roping: Nelson Wyatt, Clanton, Alabama/Matt Kasner, Cody, Nebraska; Junior Dees, Aurora, South Dakota/Tyler McKnight, Wells, Texas; Brady Tryan, Huntley, Montana/Kory Mytty, Lolo, Montana; Tom Richards, Humboldt, Arizona/Kyle Lockett, Visalia, California; Levi Simpson, Ponoka, Alberta/Jeremy Buhler, Arrowwood, Alberta; Marcus Theriot, Poplarville, Mississippi/Clint Summers, Lake City, Florida; Lane Ivy, Adrian, Texas/Trace Porter, Leesville, Louisiana; Clayton Hass, Weatherford, Texas/John Robertson, Polson, Montana.
Saddle bronc riding: Jacobs Crawley, Boerne, Texas; Zeke Thurston, Big Valley, Alberta; Rusty Wright, Milford, Utah; Ryder Wright, Milford, Utah; Hardy Braden, Welch, Oklahoma; Heith DeMoss, Heflin, Louisiana; Jake Wright, Milford, Utah; Cody DeMoss, Helfin, Louisiana.
Tie-down roping: Marty Yates, Stephenville, Texas; Tuf Cooper, Weatherford, Texas; Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, Louisiana; Hunter Herrin, Apache, Oklahoma; Ryan Jarrett, Comanche, Oklahoma; Ryle Smith, Oakdale, California; Cimarron Boardman, Stephenville, Texas; Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas.
Barrel racing: Kassie Mowry, Dublin, Texas; Stevi Hillman, Weatherford, Texas; Tiany Schuster, Krum, Texas; Ari-Anna Flynn, Charleston, Arkansas; Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, South Dakota; Kellie Collier, Hereford, Texas; Hailey Kinsel, Cotulla, Texas; Kelly Tovar, Rockdale, Texas.
Bull riding: Shane Proctor, Grand Coulee, Washington; Sage Kimzey, Strong City, Oklahoma; Garrett Smith, Rexburg, Idaho; Ty Wallace, Collbran, Colorado; Jeffrey Ramagos, Zachary, Louisiana; Tim Bingham, Honeyville, Utah; Tyler Bingham, Honeyville, Utah; Kurtis Turner, Washington, Utah.