UVU’s Sam Carson wins steer wrestling national championship at College National Finals Rodeo
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- Sam Carson of Utah Valley University’s rodeo team competes at the annual College National Rodeo Finals in the Wyoming Events Center in Casper, Wyoming on Monday, June 10, 2024.
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- Utah Valley University’s Rodeo Team poses for a photo at the annual College National Rodeo Finals in the Wyoming Events Center in Casper, Wyoming on Monday, June 10, 2024.
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- Sam Carson of the Utah Valley University rodeo team competes at the annual College National Rodeo Finals in the Wyoming Events Center in Casper, Wyoming on Tuesday, June 11, 2024.
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- Utah Valley University’s Sam Carson of the rodeo team poses for a portraits at the Rodeo Practice Arena on the UVU Campus in Vinyard, Utah on Tuesday, August 29, 2023.
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- Sam Carson of Utah Valley University’s rodeo team poses for a photo after receiving the his championship award at the annual College National Rodeo Finals in the Wyoming Events Center in Casper, Wyoming on Monday, June 10, 2024.
Utah Valley University is proud to announce that Sam Carson, a student at the university, took first place in the steer wrestling competition at the College National Finals Rodeo held at the Ford Center in Casper, Wyoming, in a series of rounds from June 9-15.
Carson’s win in the steer wrestling competition not only earned him the coveted first-place title but also brought home the traditional belt buckle and valuable college scholarships. While the exact amount of scholarship money he won has not been disclosed, it undoubtedly serves as a testament to his exceptional abilities and dedication to his sport.
“Sam, who hails from Pleasant Grove, Utah, stands at six feet six inches tall and weighs 200 hundred pounds plus,” said Shane Draper, Carson’s rodeo coach at UVU. “He rides a horse that is one and one-half hands taller than most horses and has great command over his rides. He is an athletic force to be reckoned with.”
In addition to his remarkable achievements, Carson was honored with the inaugural Spirit of the Cowboy Award. This honor recognizes individuals who embody the true essence of the cowboy spirit, showcasing qualities such as integrity, sportsmanship, and a deep appreciation for the rodeo tradition.
This victory holds a special significance for the Carson family, as Carson’s older brother Ben also claimed the same title in 2012 while representing UVU. The Carson brothers’ shared success in steer wrestling highlights their family’s deep-rooted passion for the sport and their unwavering commitment to excellence.
Steer wrestling, also known as bulldogging, is a classic rodeo event that originated in the late 19th century. Its purpose was to simulate the techniques used by cowboys to control and immobilize unruly cattle. In this thrilling event, the cowboy mounts a horse and chases a steer, leaping from the horse to wrestle the steer to the ground as quickly as possible.
Draper expressed his pride and admiration for Sam’s remarkable accomplishment, stating, “Sam’s victory in the steer wrestling competition is a testament to his exceptional talent and unwavering dedication. At UVU, we believe that college rodeo is not just about excelling in the arena but also about obtaining a first-rate education. Sam exemplifies the true spirit of a student-athlete, and we are incredibly proud of him.”
In addition to Carson, other UVU men’s rodeo athletes also had success, including Jace Hanks and Wyatt Ahlstrom coming in fifth in Round 2 of team roping, Hayden Anderson finishing 11th in Round 2 of steer wrestling, Cooper Duffin ended up sixth overall in tiedown roping and Cooper Mendenhall added a 14th-place finish in Round 1 of team roping.
The UVU men’s team finished ninth in its overall team performance.
On the women’s side, Ashley Barratt came in 10th in Rounds 2 and 3 and goat tying, Skylee Draper finished 11th in Round 1 of breakaway roping, Sadie Mendenhall ended up in eighth place in Round 3 of barrel racing and Maddie Roche notched a second-place finish in Round 2 of goat tying.
