Kyle Whitaker of Chambers, NE is the only cowboy in history to win the Linderman Award 4 years in a row. Kyle is also the only cowboy in history to win the award ten times during his pro rodeo career.
The Linderman award is named for Montana’s Bill Linderman, who was the first cowboy to win three RCA world championships in one year, which he accomplished in 1950. Linderman joined the RCA in the early 1940s, winning his first world championship in 1943 in Bareback Riding before beating out his younger brother Bud for the 1945 unofficial All-Around Cowboy title. In 1950, Linderman won the All Around, Saddle Bronc Riding and Steer Wrestling World titles.
The Linderman Award is earned by a PRCA cowboy by working both the roughstock and timed event ends of the arena and earning at least $1000 in each of the three events.
Whitaker, whose father Chip won the Linderman Award four times himself, competes in steer wrestling, tie-down roping, and bronc riding. Kyle has won the award 10 times with his first being in 1997. He also earned the award in 1998, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018.
The list of cowboys who have won the prestigious award include Benny Reynolds who won the first Linderman Award in 1966, Phil Lyne, Bob Blandford, Lewis Feild (the father of Bareback Rider Kaycee Feild), Marty Melvin, Jesse Bail, Mike Outhier, Trell Etbauer (the son of famed Saddle Bronc Rider Robert Etbauer), and Joe Frost.