PRCA Cowboy Josh Frost Eyes Linderman Award
By Tracy Renck
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Josh Frost appreciates ProRodeo history.
With that in mind, the Utah cowboy is making a concerted effort to try and win the prestigious Linderman Award.
Frost’s main event is bull riding. He also is a tie-down roper and steer wrestler.
“I’ve made the (RAM) Wilderness Circuit Finals (Rodeo) twice (in tie-down roping), I just haven’t steer wrestled a whole lot,” said Frost, 23. “It’s always been one of my goals to try and win the Linderman. I got to practice steer wrestling a bunch this winter with that goal in mind. My brother (Joe) won it (the Linderman) and a guy I went to college with, Trell Etbauer, won it several times. It is a prestigious award. I want to win it this year, that’s my goal. If I win it once, I will keep doing it because it is such a cool award.”
Etbauer won the Linderman in 2008-11 and 2013. Joe Frost, 26, captured the Linderman Award in 2014.
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’m entered pretty much in all my circuit rodeos in all three events (bull riding, tie-down roping and steer wrestling),” the 5-foot-8, 155-pound cowboy said. “I’m quite a bit smaller than a lot of the guys in steer wrestling, so I’m just trying to get that $1,000 won. I’ve steer wrestled my whole life, but the size thing always made it a little harder. I made the College National Finals once in steer wrestling, so I’m not bad at it. I just have to capitalize when I have a really good steer.”
Frost said his opportunity to ride a really good horse that belongs to fellow steer wrestler Chet Boren is a boost.
“He’s a good steer wrestler, and he’s letting me ride his horse, which should help me,” Frost said. “I’m entered up in seven or eight rodeos the next two weeks, and I’m excited to see what I can do, especially in steer wrestling. The No. 1 goal this year for me is to make the NFR in bull riding, and then through June I’m going to the circuit rodeos hard and trying to get some money won in (tie-down roping) and get qualified for the Linderman. Come July, I’m going to ride the bulls pretty hard.”
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).
Kyle Whitaker has won the last four Linderman Awards and a PRCA-record 10 in his career.
As of May 29, Frost was 14th in the PRCA | RAM World Standings in bull riding with $39,092.
Courtesy of PRCA