story by Lily Weinacht
Cash Wilson’s aim was to finish in the top three in saddle bronc riding at the NHSFR. It’s still sinking in for the 17-year-old from Wall, South Dakota, that he’s the 2018 NHSRA Saddle Bronc Riding Champion. “The season couldn’t have gone any better. We had four regional rodeos on two weekends and I won all four of them, and I won every round at state finals,” says Cash, who took home his second consecutive state title. “All three rounds at Nationals I did pretty well too, so I can’t complain at all. I drew pretty good horses.” Last year, Cash finished 5th in the nation in saddle bronc riding, and he tapped even deeper into his skills this season, scoring an 81 with his short-go ride at Nationals. “You’re only as good as your last ride. You can get better on every horse. I want to make it to the NFR someday, so that’s what I strive for and keep working for.”
Prior to the NHSFR, Cash finished 6th in the saddle bronc average at the IFYR and 3rd in the average at the NLBRA finals, even though he left before the short-go for Wyoming. The emotions of those two weeks were even deeper for Cash. He rode for his best friend Pedro James Dennis, who passed away in late June. “We went to his funeral and the next day we went to Shawnee and the Little Britches finals. One of my other friends was using his bronc rein, and I wore a patch on my shirt that said PJD. It was really emotional. There were a lot of bad things going on right before Nationals, and to have this title and do it for his family—there were definitely a lot of special people watching out for me that week.”
Mike Heathershaw, Cash’s uncle, is another influential figure in his roughstock career, helping Cash start riding, and traveling with him and Cash’s mom, Ronda Wilson, to rodeos. “He’s letting me experience it on my own now at amateur rodeos and learn from other people—you take a little bit from everyone you see,” explains Cash. “He has two younger boys, Matthew and Malcolm, so he likes helping us and teaching us to ride broncs. I look up to all those good bronc riders like Billy Etbauer, Robert Etbauer, Louie Brunson, and J.J. Elshere, who’s helped me quite a bit. I’ve wanted to be a bronc rider since I was little.”
Cash also competes in tie-down roping and team roping, heeling for Trista Reinert. The friends came close to the short-go at state finals, and plan to rope together for another season. Cash and his friend Dylan Schofield, an SDHSRA alumni, compete in SDRA rodeos together, along with Jacob Kammerer. He also enters 4-H rodeos, which Cash won in the saddle bronc riding at state finals last year, and the NHSRA World Champion saddle puts his saddle count up to five.
A senior at Wall High School, Cash returns to school in late August but is already in the middle of football practice with the Wall Eagles. He plays wide receiver and outside linebacker, and also enjoys track and basketball. “We won state in the medley relay, and I got 5th in the open 400. We broke three school records this year,” says Cash. He also enjoys boating and going to watch rodeos, but his favorite seat in the house is on a bronc. “Next year, I’d like to do the same thing at Nationals and maybe get my permit. I want to go to some PRCA rodeos and try my luck at that, and I’m definitely going to college rodeo.”
