NFR notebook: Steer wrestling almost ends up all in the family

Victoria Sun

Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2001 | 10:30 a.m.

The fourth steer wrestling go-round at the National Finals Rodeo turned out to be a family affair.

Rope Myers and younger brother Cash wound up in a three-way tie with Chad Biesemeyer for first place Monday night at the Thomas & Mack Center.

The threesome finished with a time of 3.6 seconds.

"It's way cool," Rope Myers said, smiling broadly. "Let me tell you. Shoot, I love my brother and I mean, it's just cool to be here together.

"When I got up, I thought it was about the same time, then I could tell by the crowd that I was (right there), then I was like, oh, cool. Then there were three or four guys left and I was thinking, I want to tie this round with my brother."

Cash, 10 years older than Rope, remains first in the NFR average at 14.8 seconds on four steers. He has improved to second in the world standing with $91,997.88, behind Bob Lummus at $105,610.30.

Cash is competing in his eighth NFR and searching for his first world title. Rope is participating in his second NFR, the first in which he is competing in two events (steer wrestling and calf roping).

"We've both had a good week and mine's been exceptional," Rope said. "It's cool, tomorrow I get to run another one and that's what's fun about it. I like bull-dogging."

Cash and Rope are sons of 1980 steer wrestling world champion Butch Myers and cousins of superstar bull rider Ty Murray.

Both have earned Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association overall rookie of the year and steer wrestler rookie of the year honors. Rope did it in 1992 and Cash got the nod in 1999.

They shared their first-place triumph and each pocketed $10,759.60 in front of their proud father.

"He's won a ton of go-rounds here and a gold buckle for average, and I think as neat an honor as those things are, they all go away and get tarnished, but memories like this one last forever," Cash said of Butch being there.

Other Thursday night go-round winners: