Cassidy Carlson, a 2007 United South Central graduate, has decided to take the ride of his life.

Carlson, 19, is a high school rodeo champion in team roping and has made the move to earn his Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association card.

Carlson now participates in steer wrestling, and he applied for his tour card in May. Carlson is in the process of competing in rodeos across the Midwest in order to earn enough money to earn his full card. Carlson must earn $1,000 before he is awarded full tour status, and it’s a task that is a difficult journey to embark upon,to say the least.

“I’d like to fill it as quick as I can and possibly make the National Finals Rodeo,” Carlson said.

The NFR is the top PRCA rodeo event and is held in Las Vegas. To begin that process Carlson must first place in a number of rodeos. The top three finishers normally get paid, but after that no money is guaranteed.

He has competed in five rodeos so far and traveled to Mitchell, S.D., to ride in the Corn Palace Stampede. He has not won any prize money.

It’s not an easy route to the PRCA with escalating gas prices hampering PRCA hopefuls.

Carlson says he normally travels with two or three other cowboys to ease the cost of driving a truck with a trailer across the Midwest.

Matt Cook, 26, is one of the cowboys Carlson travels with and together the two traveled to compete in the Corn Palace Stampede. Cook has already earned his PRCA card and also wrestles steers.

Wrestling a steer takes a lot of technique, Carlson said.

“It’s an adrenaline rush,” Carlson said. “It’s a lot of hips and a lot of strength.”

In steer wrestlering the cowboy leaps from his horse to catch the steer and has to bring the steer to the ground, normally by grabbing the steer’s head from behind its horns and turn its head slightly to bring it down.

“It’s not man versus machine,” Freeborn County Stampede organizer Troy Thompson said. “It something with horns.”

Carlson has been involved with rodeos since he was 10 years old and said becoming part of the PRCA is a goal he’d like to accomplish.

“Some of my good buddies talked me into it and my dad always wanted me to get it,” Carlson said. “It’s been OK.”

The travel and lack of success can be a bear to handle. Carlson has traveled to rodeos in Glenwood City, Wis., Isanti, and Hampton, Iowa, to try to fill his card. He plans on riding in the Freeborn County Stampede as well this summer.

“He’s got enthusiasm,” Thompson said. “You can see it in his eyes.”