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It’s known as the “World Series of Rodeos” — the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas — and Willcox will be well represented by native son Colter Todd.
He was born in Willcox on Jan. 3, 1984, and grew up around rodeo with his parents Larrie and Lori Todd, who are Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) members.
Todd was homeschooled, graduating in 2002, the same year he earned the title of Arizona High School team roping champion. He and his partner, Cesar De La Cruz of Tucson, recently won the $50,000 purse in the United States Team Roping Championship (USTRC) in Oklahoma City, Okla.
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“Monday was a real good day for us,” Todd told Wick News Service. “We won the open shoot-out, which is the biggest roping event we can rope in — probably the biggest roping anywhere right now. It’s amazing how fast you can go from broke to having a little money.”
Todd has been roping “as soon as I could swing a rope,” but began roping competitively at the age of seven. He has been a PRCA member for two years.
“My dad roped — my whole family roped — but nobody really rodeoed hard,” Todd said. “That’s what I was going to do — make a living doing rodeo. I’ve been really blessed in the last two or three years to be able to provide for my family by doing rodeo.”
Todd and his wife, Carly, and their two-year-old daughter, Madilyn, live in Marana.
He was in 22nd place in the 2005 world standings, and his earnings that year totaled $32,220. His career earnings are $52,036.
Together with De La Cruz, Todd’s highlights this year include winning co-champion at the Larimer County Fair and Rodeo in Loveland, Colo.; the average title at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo in Wyoming; Pioneer Days Rodeo in Clovis, N.M.; Wrangler Pro Rodeo Tour Round at the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo in Denver; and the Scottsdale Jaycees Parada Del Sol in his home state.
The highlights of his career also include winning the Heart of the North Rodeo in Spooner, Wis., and the Glenwood City Championship and Lincoln County Rodeo Days, in Wisconsin, in 2004.
That same year, he finished second in the first round at the Cheyenne Frontier Days in Wyoming.
Though De La Cruz and Todd have only roped together for two or three years, they are lifelong friends.
“Cesar and I grew up together. He was the best man at my wedding,” he said.
“To share the ups and downs in rodeo with your best friend — to know each other’s dreams and see them become reality together — is awesome,” Todd said.
The two are now headed for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, which begins on Thursday, Nov. 30.
“We have an opportunity to make $15,000 every day for 10 days,” Todd told Wick News Service. “Everybody says that’s where you make your living — at the NFR.”
“It’s been a blessing to watch Colter accomplish one of his dreams that he made when he was a little boy,” his Mom, Lori Todd, told Wick News Service.
Todd is grateful, not only for the support of his family, but also support from Pastor Mike Hudson of the First Baptist Church of Willcox.
“He has been a family pastor who is also a really good friend,” Todd said. “He’s been 100-percent behind me.”
Todd said that rodeo is like any other sport in that it is “all mental.”
“If you don’t win, you don’t make any money. It doesn’t take long to go broke,” he said.
“Pastor Mike can call me and get me back on the right track.”
Todd has advice for other young people who might want to make rodeo their career.
“You can never practice too much,” he said. “If it’s something you want to do, go do it.”
Todd said there are those who will say “you can’t make it in rodeo unless you have money. I’m living proof that’s not true. You can make it if you want to do it bad enough.”
Carol Broeder is a reporter with the Arizona Range News in Willcox, which is owned by Wick Communications. She can be reached at (520) 384-3571, or by e-mail at arnreporter@qwest.net.
TheSilverRose wrote on Jun 27, 2009 10:22 PM:
Thank You! "