Wrestling backgrounds help roughstock riders excel

“You have to be body aware, have a strong core and react quickly to what the other person is doing,” said saddle bronc rider Brody Cress of Hillsdale, Wyoming. “You rely on the other guy to help you keep the flow when you’re wrestling. If you’re wrestling someone who has never wrestled, it almost feels stupid.

“It’s the same with a bucking horse — you can’t fight them. You have to get in time with them and be ahead of them so you can score some points.”

Cress was a three-time Class 4A state champion wrestler at Cheyenne East High. He also was a state runner-up as a freshman. The discipline he learned during his many years in a wrestling room helped him rapidly ascend up the professional rodeo ranks.

“You’re all on your own when you’re on the mat, when you’re cutting weight, running or putting in extra hours,” he said. “That’s all on you. When you crawl into a bucking chute, it’s the same thing. It’s just you against that horse, and there’s no one else who can help you.”

Cress has qualified for the National Finals Rodeo six times and has finished No. 2 in the world twice. Cress is currently No. 11 in the world standings and is in line for a seventh trip to Las Vegas. He knows that spot isn’t guaranteed, which is why he is doing his best to remain positive during a downswing in his season.

“You could be doing great one week and terrible the next,” Cress said. “I’m in the middle of that right now. I went from winning $20,000 over the Fourth (of July) to getting bucked off three horses and not making it back to the next round (at CFD).

“It’s mentally challenging, and wrestling has helped me deal with that. You’re (angry) for a while because you’re competitive and want to win, but then you figure out what you have to do to go win money next.”

Bareback rider Donny Proffit of Diamondville, Wyoming, was the first four-time state wrestling champion in Kemmerer High history. His four Class 3A state titles earned him a spot on the University of Wyoming wrestling team. Cowboys coach Mark Branch also gave Proffit permission to compete as part of UW’s rodeo team.

Proffit made it a semester in Laramie before he chose rodeo over wrestling. He is now No. 40 in the most recent PRCA world standings.

“Doing both would have made it really hard to be good at either one,” Proffit said. “I could have been decent at both, but that’s not where I wanted to be. As soon as I hung up the wrestling shoes, my bareback riding got better.

“… A lot of wrestlers get done with their careers and don’t have something to fill that competitive void, but I’ve had rodeo to channel my killer mentality. That’s been a lot of fun.”

Like Cress, Proffit has seen his wrestling background benefit him after leaving the chute.

“Wrestling creates strength and flexibility in ways working out at the gym just doesn’t,” he said. “You use a lot of those same muscles out there in the arena. The mobility and being able to cut loose and get back into position are the same.”

Local hands

Cole Reiner of Buffalo, Wyoming placed third in bareback riding, posting a final score of 81.5. Hawk Whitt of Thermopolis, Wyoming rode in the first section of bull riding, but did not record a time.

Tanner Butner, who is from posted a final score of Daniel, Wyoming 79 to finish in 10th place, but did not qualify for the semifinals.