 Robin Burwash has been a cowboy for most of his life. The Calgary-area raised Bareback rider attended George McDougall High School where he and fellow contestant, Jim Dunn, helped start a school Rodeo Club. A successful Junior and High School Rodeo career prepared Robin for competition in several Amateur Rodeo Associations.
 In the fall of 1977, Robin Burwash headed to Montana State University in Bozeman. At his first college rodeo, Robin rode a horse named 'Strawberry' - the "Bucking Horse of the National Finals Rodeo" from the Sonny Linger string. Robin won that event then just about rode a bull that had also been to the NFR. That success let to the offer of a full ride rodeo scholarship to the University. In the spring of his second year in College, Robin filled his Professional permit making him a full fledged Professional Rodeo Cowboy.
What followed was a major rodeo success story:
 Robin qualified for 14 Canadian Finals Rodeos (Edmonton) and earned 4 Canadian Bareback Riding titles. He also qualified for 11 National Finals Rodeos (United States) and earned 2 Reserve World Championships. Robin was named Canadian 'Cowboy of the Year' in 1988 and the talented cowboy won a Gold Medal at the 1988 Winter Olympics in a seven head match between Canada and the United States. (His Dad died the night before the Olympic Rodeo started making the win an extremely emotional one.) Robin was Inducted into the Canadian Rodeo Hall of Fame 2001.
Robin was named Fan's Favorite Cowboy at the 1990 National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. In 1986, he tied the Calgary Stampede with friend and colleage, Steve Dunham, in a four head ride-off which reulted in the pair splitting the $50,000 prize. In 1989, Robin won the Stampede $50,000 title outright.
Robin Burwash had a celebrated career which also saw him win the Denver Stock Show and Rodeo three times, Fort Worth three times, Houston, Reno, Dodge City and Pendleton.
 Robin
retired from an amazing Professional Rodeo career after the 10th go-round at the National Finals Rodeo in 1994. In 2002, he took over as the Rodeo//Ranch Manager of the Calgary Stampede. Robin introduced the concept of 'embryo transfer' to the Stampede bucking horse breeding program. Robin also helped organize the first Million Dollar Rodeo which involved setting up the $1.7 million tournament-style rodeo featuring rodeo's elite athletes.
 Robin established more exposure for the 'Stars' of the Calgary Stampede Ranch taking the bucking stock to rodeos at Denver, San Antonio, Houston, San Jaun Capistrano, Hermiston and many Canadian locales.
Robin promoted the Calgary Stampede's "Grated Coconut" to three World Championship Titles as 'Bucking Horse of the Year'.
In 2006, Robin resigned from the Calgary Stampede. He now resides at Black Diamond, Alberta with his wife and real estate assistant, Sue. The couple has five children, four of whom are on their own; son, Jake is still at home.
Robin enjoys his work as a rural Realtor for MaxWell City Central Realty. |
|
|
