LIKE FATHER, LIKE DAUGHTER Cindy Rosser joins father, Cotton, in ProRodeo Hall of
Fame By Neal Reid C indy Rosser was too busy to take the call of a lifetime. Little did she know, but when she returned the call after the work was done, she’d learn she was joining her father, Cotton, as a member of the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. Cindy—whose iconic daddy entered the Hall in 1995—was elated with the news she would be just the second woman, after Florence Youree, elected in the WPRA Notables category. “This is such a great honor,” Cindy said at the July 16 induction ceremony in Colorado Springs, Colorado. “I was just a young girl who wanted to ride horses and run barrels on every horse on the ranch. I am truly honored to be the second honoree from the WPRA following the great pioneer of women’s barrel racing, Florence Youree. She did so much for the sport. The Yuba City, California, native was standing atop a gooseneck trailer, unloading yearling bucking bulls when her phone rang. She would have to call them back, she said.
“To all the honorees and their families, today we celebrate some of the best in ProRodeo. Congratulations to you all today, and thank you to the Hall of Fame and thank you to the WPRA for honoring me today.” The same could easily be said for Cindy, who in 1954 was born into a family led by Cotton and Linda Rosser that would become legendary in the business. Raising livestock and putting on a great show was of
the utmost importance to the Rossers, and Cindy was all in from the start. Association, in 1969 and has been a member ever since. She served on the WPRA Board of Directors for over 20 years and helped secure equal money for the barrel racers during her term. Photo courtesy Cindy Rosser by Brenda Allen Cindy Rosser joined the Girls Rodeo Association, the precursor of the Women’s Professional Rodeo
“I guess you could say I was born into rodeo,” she said. “My parents instilled work and making a difference in our sport of rodeo better for the future generations and giving that paying spectator a great rodeo performance. The rodeo fans and the sponsors are the ones who pay the bills.” Cindy joined the Girls Rodeo Association—the precursor to the WPRA—in 1969 and served on its Board of Directors for more than 20 years. The 1982 California Circuit barrel racing champion, Cindy has competed extensively in the sport and worked nearly every job in the business through the years. In 1986, she was named PRCA Secretary of the Year, earned the Coca-Cola WPRA Woman of the Year honors in 1995 and served as rodeo secretary at the National Finals Rodeo in 1998. She also carried the American flag, trained horses for and produced and designed openings and sponsor flags at the NFR for a decade. In addition, she served on the California Circuit Board of Directors for more than 25 years, helped her parents’ Flying U Rodeo Company gain acclaim and served as a member of the America Bucking Bull Inc. (ABBI) Board of Directors for several years. Cindy was secretary at the 2012 RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo, won the Lenora Reimers Heritage Award from the WPRA in 2015, the 2019 Tad
Cindy Rosser has worn practically every hat in rodeo from a competitor, to flag carrier, to opening coordinator to secretary and stock contractor she has seen it all. As a result of her passion for the sport and specifically the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association, she joined her father, Cotton, in the hallowed halls of the ProRodeo Hall of Fame as a WPRA notable. Photo courtesy Cindy Rosser
26 WPRA NEWS ADUECGEUMSBTE2R022021 26 WOMEN’S PRO RODEO NEWS AUGUST 2022
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