First year Colorado Pro Rodeo Association (CPRA) member, Cole McNamee, threw down in the steer wrestling during the 2013 season and was crowned the year-end champion with almost $5,600 won throughout the year. “I had a very blessed season. I just drew well and had luck go my way,” he said. The 27-year old cowboy was found in the money at 14 of the association’s 29 regular season rodeos, but battled every inch of the way with reserve champion, Kyle Maez. “Kyle and I had been going back-and-forth through the whole season and I was able to pull away after my last two rodeos, but he made a come back with a great finals,” explained Cole.
With a long running steer in the first-round of the CPRA Finals, Cole was unable to pull a check until the second-go, where he took second place to win $354, but a stopper in the third-round caused Cole to go over the top and miss the average. In the meantime, Maez was closing the gap by placing in all three rounds and winning the average title with an aggregate time of 15.4 on three head. “The only thing that saved the year-end for me was my traveling partner [Dan Cathcart, three-time CPRA steer wrestling champion] tied for first with Kyle in the third-round, which helped me seal the deal,” said Cole of the close call and he walked away with the saddle by $12.96 above Maez.
Living east of Pine Bluffs, Wyo., Cole had been a primary member of the Wyoming Rodeo Association (WRA), but had been to quite a few CPRA rodeos through co-sanctioning prior to this season. “I knew the finals were good, but besides that it’s a good all-around association. They put on good shows and try to have everything run smooth,” Cole said of why he likes the CPRA. “On top of having good cattle and good business backing, they treat the contestants right.” His early season goal was to buy both cards and win the year-end title in both associations. Goal accomplished. He was also crowned the WRA steer wrestling champion by approximately $2,300 above Cathcart. “I had a good finals,” he said after finishing second in the average and first in the shoot-out round.
Cole grew up around the sport. His dad (Steve) is a former steer roper and his uncle (Mark) steer wrestled and traveled with Cathcart in his day. Although Cole roped through junior high, school sports soon consumed his life and he got away from the arena. His football talents found him playing at the college level for a year as a running back for Black Hills State University in Spearfish, S.D., before suffering an injury to his shoulder. Knowing that his career on the field was coming to an end, Cole transferred to the University of Wyoming in Laramie, where he graduated in 2010 with a degree in animal science. He currently works for his dad on the family ranch running approximately 100 head of cattle in a cow/calf operation. While his mom (Dawn) never competed in rodeo, she grew up in Colorado and likes the ranching life. “She enjoys watching rodeo and both parents are very supportive,” Cole said. “A special thanks goes out to my family, especially my parents, for all of their constant support and help.” He also included that he would like to thank Dan Cathcart and his family for all of their help and support as well. “I’m very blessed to have such great friends and family,” he said.
He returned to rodeo in August of 2009. “It is action packed and gives me the adrenaline rush that I was missing from sports. I’ve loved it since the first time that I tried it,” he said. An immediate click with his event allowed Cole to purchase his permit within the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) in 2010. By 2011, he had filled his permit and went full force in his rookie year in 2012. “It’s the atmosphere. Everyone feels blessed to be there and it feels like a distant family with the people that you are around all of the time. It’s a community that you become apart of,” he said of why he likes to rodeo.
Starting the 2013 season working for a qualification to the Mountain States Circuit Finals, Cole changed his focus after getting a new horse half-way through the season. In a more settling state with his four-legged companion, he hopes to go at it stronger in the 2014 season and fulfill his goal.
