Olin Hannum

Olin Hannum – Malad, Idaho ($110,951)
2-time WNFR qualifier
4-time RNCFR qualifier

Olin Hannum has always wanted to be known as a cowboy, even when his competitive nature took him to the gridiron.

Even when he was playing football for North Carolina State, they called him “cowboy quarterback.” His competitive nature and background led him back to the rodeo arena where he has now making his second appearance at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

His first was in 2011 where he won a round and finished tenth in the world, the highest since joining the PRCA in 2003. He has come close to being at the NFR since then, finishing 24th in 2012, 18th in 2013, 29th in 2014, 17th in 2015 and then 24th last year.

This year, there were no close calls on a trip to Las Vegas as he finished the regular season in second place with $110,951 in regular season earnings. Just one month into the 2017 season, he was fifth in the world standings. Steady paychecks saw him moving up and he never dropped out of the top five.

It’s this determination that has seen him through the highs and lows of rodeo competition. It’s also helped outside of the arena.

Olin has a brother, Jake, who qualified for the NFR in tie-down roping in 2007. They are fourth-generation rodeo competitors following in the footsteps of their father, Jack Hannum. Jack competed at the NFR once in tie-down and four times in the steer wrestling. In 2015, the Hannum’s lost both of their parents, Jack and Lynn, a day apart.

Olin won’t have those familiar faces in the stands with him at this year’s NFR. But, he will have his wife, Natalie, and their three children cheering him on. And with his family ties, he’ll have a lot of other fans hoping to see him collecting big checks in the Thomas and Mack Center.