story by Michele Toberer
Cash Corbally is proud to be an American and proud to show his patriotism with every ride he makes in the arena. Although it may not earn him extra points with the judges, there is a beauty in every flap of his flag printed leather chaps that causes hands to clap in the crowds as he rides. As a first-generation cowboy, Cash has blazed his own trail in rodeo, but he’s done it with the help of a village of people that have rallied around him to help him achieve his dreams. Cash spent his first year in the International Miniature Rodeo Association last season, and left the Guthrie, Oklahoma IMFR as the 2019 IMRA Reserve Champion Senior Saddle Bronc Rider.
Cash is the youngest of Andrea and John Corbally’s two children; his 22-year-old sister is Rebecca. His mom is a software analyst, and his dad owns a commercial roofing company. The Helena, Montana family started letting him enter mutton busting events when he was 3 years old, and once he was 8, he moved up to steer riding. Although Cash’s dad was his main help during his sheep riding years, he knew Cash needed more experienced instruction as he moved into the larger rough stock, so family friend, Rick Wock, became instrumental in helping him once he began steer riding. Rick introduced Cash to the world of mini bulls, and after attending a mini bull riding clinic, his passion for the sport grew. However, getting on saddle bronc ponies a couple years ago changed the direction of that passion, and his main focus has switched to riding rank broncs. “I ride full-sized saddle bronc horses now, and I personally think bronc riding is more fun and more challenging. There are not really many kids my age doing it.”
To qualify for the 2019 IMFR, held at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Oklahoma in January, Cash flew to California to compete at 5 IMRA-sanctioned qualifying events. Cash likes to ride as many different types of saddle bronc horses as possible, so his supportive parents travel across the country for different competitions to give him as much exposure as they can. Besides competing in California and Oklahoma last season, he also competed in South Dakota, Las Vegas, and countless arenas in between.
“Competing at the IMRA Finals was an amazing experience. I rode 4 horses there and was blessed to win the short go.” Winning the short-go round gave him the opportunity to ride his final horse during the main show of the IFR50 in front of a packed house. “It was the biggest crowd I’d ever ridden in front of and I really liked getting to be there at the chutes with the older bronc riders.” The final round puts the top two saddle bronc riders against each other, and Cash finished the round as the reserve champion.
Cash recently completed his 8th grade year at CR Anderson Middle School, where his favorite subjects were social studies, Spanish, PE, and shop. He has been involved in 4H, showing steers and swine for several years, and has been a competitive wrestler since he was 3 years old. Although he missed going to regular classes once his school closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, he is ready for a new year and moving on as a freshman. “We’ve been working on a lot of projects around the house and I’ve been practicing on my bucking machine.”
Cash looks forward to the future, hoping to attend college in Wyoming, and would like to continue to grow his own herd of cattle he has started. He bought his first 3 head at a registered Red Angus cattle sale and has built his herd up to 9 now. He’s excited that next year he’ll be able to show his own steer, that he’s raised, at the fair.
For now, Cash is hopeful that the rodeo gates will be opened soon, and that he can once again be on the rodeo trail to qualify for his second IMFR in 2020.
