When Billy Kidd, Steamboat’s Director of Skiing, and Larry Mahan, six-time All-Around World Champion cowboy, decided to invite a few of the PRCA’s ProRodeo stars to Steamboat for a day of skiing, they never imagined it would result in an organized annual affair. But the cowboys had such a great time on slopes that Cowboy Downhill was born, and it’s become one of the most popular events of the year outside the arena. Held in conjunction with the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo, Cowboy Downhill now draws more than 100 cowboys and cowgirls to the mountains each year to compete in the most unique ski rodeo in the country.
“It’s something we think about when we enter [the Denver rodeo],” says bull rider Josh Frost. “There’s always a few guys who get up on, actually today, and have to perform at Denver, and everybody’s always getting phone calls wanting to trade so they can make it up here to the Downhill.”
“We should maybe do this five times a year instead of once,” says bareback rider Blade Elliott. “That’d be better, if we could do that, if we could all get together again.”
But most of the competitors aren’t planning to trade in their Stetsons and saddles for skis and snowboards anytime soon.
When asked if he’d rather get back on a bull or go back down the run, Frost replied, “Definitely getting on a bull again. I at least know what I’m doing when I do that and have a lot more confidence. With this, I’m just expecting the pain.”
