Cash Robb Keeps Comeback Rolling With Big Victory at the Cody Stampede

After a significant knee injury halted his rookie season, the steer wrestler keeps inching his way back into NFR position with another positive outcome.

After winning Rodeo Celina in June, steer wrestler Cash Robb continues to put together an impressive return to action with a big victory at the Cody Stampede over the Fourth of July week. / Kay Miller of Bunkhouse Blessing Photography/Photo courtesy of Rodeo Celina

Cash Robb takes every steer wrestling run as an opportunity. 

A chance to see how quick he can get out of the box and turn an animal over. A chance to secure a little more money and keep adding to his Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association earnings. A chance to keep climbing the PRCA World Standings and get himself back in position to make the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo for the first time. 

More importantly, it’s a chance to prove he is healed from a devastating knee injury that cut his rookie season short last fall. 

“The first month whenever I came back, I just didn’t trust it, so it was more of a mind thing. But it feels great now,” Robb said. “Everyone asks me, and I say, ‘It feels like a knee. It feels like the other one.’ And we’re just ready to get back at it.”

As the summer schedule hits its peak, the Altamont, Utah native is proving to the rodeo world – and himself – that he is the same cowboy who locked up Resistol Rookie of the Year honors in 2023 long before he was sidelined. 

Thanks to a 3.7-second run during slack at the Cody (Wyo.) Stampede earlier in the week, Robb got his first Cowboy Christmas win of 2024, earning him $7,417 towards his ledger. Coming into the competition, Robb was sitting 19th in the Steer Wrestling World Standings with almost $31,500 earned so far. 

It’s a position many would might have thought impossible less than a year ago. 

Back in early September 2023, Robb tore his ACL and meniscus at the Twin Falls County Fair and Rodeo in Filer, Idaho. Prior to the injury, he was just outside the top 15 in the world standings with a legitimate chance of making the NFR field as a rookie. 

He made the difficult but necessary decision to go ahead and have surgery to repair the damage. The moment turned into a catalyst for what is taking place now. 

“I’ll tell you what – coming up short and watching those guys for 10 days in Vegas on TV really makes you want it real bad,” Robb said. 

Four and a half months after the surgery, Robb began wrestling steers on the ground. Two weeks later, he jumped off a horse for the first time in the practice pen. 

The injury took place on September 1, 2023. On February 12, 2024, Robb returned to action, placing third in his second round go at the Dixie National Rodeo in Jackson, MIss., and walking away tied for second in average at 9.9 seconds on two head. 

“I was ready to be back,” Robb said with a laugh about the five-month recovery. 

And that comeback is just getting started. 

Since his return, Cash picked up winter event money at San Antonio and RodeoHouston, while winning four other rodeos, including Rodeo Celina in Parker, Texas; Strawberry Days Rodeo in Pleasant Grove, Utah; and Cody all since the start of June. 

With a host of summer runs on the horizon and plenty of confidence on his side, Robb is optimistic about seeing his dream of competing at Thomas & Mack Arena in December come to fruition. The latest win at Cody is another piece to make that possible. 

“You know Cody is going to pay real good and it’s always a knife fight every year. I’m glad I could come out on top,” Robb said. 

Other winners from the Cody Stampede

The team roping duo of Kreece Thompson and Cooper Freeman won their event with a run of 4.2 seconds, resulting in a $6,657 payday for each cowboy. 

Saddle bronc rider Chase Brooks nabbed $9,814 in earnings after riding for 89.5 on Frontier Rodeo bucking horse Frontier Medicine to win the title. 

Chance Thiessen captured tie-down roping with a run of 7.7 seconds, resulting in $8,742 towards his ledger. 

Barrel racer Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi was the only cowgirl to finish in under 17 seconds, going for 16.95 to win the event. The result gave her an $11,049 payday.

Breakaway roper Shai Schaefer completed her run in 1.8 seconds to secure the victory, resulting in $6,110 in earnings.  

Bull rider Jeter Lawerence rode Frontier Rodeo’s Bridewater for 87.5 points to easily earn the win and $10,011.  

Blake Ash earned all-around honors after bringing home $2,429 in tie-down and team roping.