Crown Royal Riders are taking the reins for charity at the American Royal Rodeo in Kansas City this weekend and with them was champion rodeo rider, Cody Whitney from Asher, Oklahoma.
“[While in Kansas City] I’ll be performing in the American Royal Rodeo on Saturday night [October 29],” Whitney said. “For every 90+ point ride by me or one of my fellow Crown Royal Riders this weekend, Crown Royal will donate $1,000 to the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund, which provides assistance to injured cowboys.”
Whitney has been involved and participating in rodeo events since he was eight years old following in his family’s footsteps . . . or bootstraps, as the case may be.
“I’d have to say my brother [inspired me the most],” Whitney said. “I grew up watching him perform in the rodeo and aspired to be like him.”
Whitney said that what he loved most about working the rodeo routes was the camaraderie of all of the people. He said it was not like working with other people but like hanging out with a family.
“I’ve been passionate about rodeo my whole life, and I really love what I do,” Whitney said. “Where else can you go to work for eight seconds at a time and make that kind of money?”
Whitney has become one of the best, as well, achieving the 2005 Lane Frost/Brent Thurman Award (94.75 on Little Yellow Jacket). He rode Mossy Oak Mudslinger of D&H and Teague Bucking Bulls for 93 points in the short-go to claim the event title and more than $40,000 in prize money.
Whitney etched his name in the history books with the highest mark ride of the 2005 Built Ford Tough Finals with a 94.75 ride on three-time World Champion Bull of the Year Little Yellow Jacket of Berger/Taupin and Teague Bucking Bulls. The ride secured second round honors of the Finals and earned him the Lane Frost/Brent Thurman Award.
Traveling the rodeo circuit allows individuals to see very unusual and different things. According to Whitney, he has been able to travel ten months out of the year, across the United States and around the world. With this experience, he has been able to observe many spectacular and remarkable things.
“Probably the most unique thing I’ve ever seen is when I was in Reno for the rodeo a couple of years ago. I saw a motorcycle jump a stage coach with six horses hooked up to it,” Whitney said. “You definitely get to see some interesting things when you travel as much as I do.”
This marks the third consecutive year the Oklahoma native, who currently sits seventh in the World Standings, has qualified for the most prestigious event of the rodeo season, National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.
“We’re looking forward to performing in front of our Kansas City fans,” Whitney said. “[We want to] remind them to drink responsibly while enjoying the rodeo this weekend.”
Click here to learn more about upcoming events for the 62nd American Royal.
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