CORTEZ – “Family” – it’s the word that immediately comes to mind as the source of inspiration for the hundreds of riders that grace the Four Corners every summer for the Ute Mountain Roundup rodeo.
There’s a kindred spirit among fellow competitors, each cheering for the other’s success, but also recognizing that sometimes that fierce competitive edge within a family can bring out the best in one another.
For Traven Sharon, of Ordway, being one of five brothers can raise that up to a whole new level. The second-eldest of the quintet, Sharon spent enough time wrestling with his brothers that he plans to make a career out of it.
The rodeo arena isn’t the only ring where the Fowler High School graduate plies his trade – he’s a four-time CHSAA state champion in the wrestling circle. After graduating in 2025, Sharon signed on to compete for the University of Wyoming – but rather than pick either rodeo or wrestling for the highly competitive Cowboys program, Sharon opted to do both.
As if that wasn’t enough, Sharon continues to split his energy in rodeo between multiple events – saddle bronc and tie-down roping – and with his strong freshman collegiate campaign, Sharon enters the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyoming as one of the athletes eyeing the all-around title.
The CNFR opened with saddle broncs opening go-round on June 14, with Sharon’s calf roping first run taking place the following day, and action going on throughout the week before crowning the national champion.
“I’m excited to go do some damage in the bronc riding,” said Sharon, who’s rise in the college rankings has even caught him by surprise, “I never expected to be this good, but I’ve been blessed to be able to keep pursuing two sports that I really enjoy.”
While Sharon’s rodeo and wrestling pursuits have taken him all over the country, some of his toughest competition lives under the same roof. Older brother Waitley – a two-time state wrestling champion – is currently a top 30 saddle bronc rider in the PRCA world rankings, while also enjoying a standout career at another collegiate rodeo national powerhouse, Tarleton State University. Waitley won the Prairie States circuit title earlier this year, and continues to pile up top results at high-profile rodeos across the country.
“Waitley ran the roost growing up,” said Traven about growing up with four brothers, “but I learned that I had to be tough and take that spot.”
Once he took down his older brother in an impromptu wrestling match, it turned the tide in their pecking order.
The love and respect that the Sharons have for one another embodies the spirit of rodeo – something that Traven picked up from his very first days of tying goats in junior high rodeos.
His trip to the Ute Mountain Roundup rodeo brings back memories for Sharon to the days when he was first cutting his teeth with the sport. He recalls the fun of three-day high school rodeos, and beating his older brother one year in the saddle bronc average – one of his first moments to grab some bragging rights.
“I saw Waitley start riding broncs – and I don’t think I would have ever gotten into it if it weren’t for him,” said Sharon, who now labels saddle bronc as his favorite rodeo event.
Sharon’s seen plenty of translation from the wrestling mat to tie-down roping, where he’s figured out ways to bring down his calf in a fashion not too dissimilar from his two-point takedowns.
“It’s so much about the conditioning and the ‘no-quit’ attitude – and always shifting positions, no matter how well the last step went, you always have the next step to do,” said Sharon. “There are so many uncontrollables in rodeo, I’ve just had to let go of what I can’t control – and that’s something that carried over to make me a better wrestler.”
While his UMR rodeo debut didn’t go the way he planned, the Wyoming freshman knows that he’ll see plenty more chances if he’s going to eventually reach one of his big goals – making it on the floor of the Thomas Mack Center as part of the NFR in Las Vegas.
In the meantime, the CNFR will bring out the heightened nerves, just like Sharon experienced as he walked out of the tunnel at Ball Arena onto the state championship wrestling mats. He and the ‘Pokes have big aspirations heading into the championships, and Sharon features as a pivotal part of their title chances. “Even though there’s a lot of individual parts of both wrestling and rodeo, it’s pretty dang cool to feel that success as a team, and when one of us goes out and has a good run, everyone feels that.”
However, even with all the pressure, Sharon’s able to keep the whole journey in perspective. “There’s a lot more to life than just winning,” said Sharon, “I was told by my father that no matter the result – win, lose, or draw – you can control the effort that you give.”
And just like the thousands who came to watch him perform on Friday night in Cortez, Sharon knows that regardless of where his rodeo and wrestling careers take him, he’ll have the unconditional support of his family along the way.
