You get to meet some pretty cool people when you are a rodeo star.
Rocker Steiner, a bareback bronc rider, and Kade Bruno, a saddle bronc rider, joined the Whiskey Riff Raff podcast ahead of the Music City Rodeo to talk about the upcoming event, as well as their lives as rodeo stars. The two discussed their favorite country artists, why Nashville is the perfect place for a rodeo, and how their lives as touring rodeo competitors aren’t that much different from touring country singers.
The guys also spoke on the risk that comes with their profession, the sport’s largest misconceptions, and how Taylor Sheridan has helped rodeo popularity through shows like Yellowstone. Rocker Steiner has actually gotten to know Sheridan over the years (he had a cameo in Yellowstone), and has become friendly with a number of high-profile people over the years.
Rocker recalls meeting Trace Adkins and being blown away by how tall the country music star was:
“Trace Adkins came up to me. I was doing an autograph signing. I remember I was sitting there signing and there’s a super long line. This big human is just towering over me. I’m like, ‘Who the f*** is this guy?’ I look up and my dad is like, ‘Mr. Adkins wants to get a picture with you.’ I look up and I’m like, ‘Holy s***.’ So that was really cool.”
And that just happened because Adkins is a fan of the young, rodeo star.
Another time, Steiner’s fiery personality in the arena led him to meeting another person who is historically known to be outspoken. When Rocker was younger, he got mouthy with some judges for not giving him the score he thought he deserved. Though it didn’t get his score changed… it did lead to meeting Kid Rock:
“My first year at the NFR was pretty controversial. For anyone that doesn’t know, the NFR is like our Super Bowl. The fourth round, I get off of a horse I had been 91 and 89 on. I was 84 and I was not happy with it. I asked the judges a simple question of, ‘What the f*** do you want from me?’ It got me in a lot of trouble.
The camera was right on my face. It blew up all over social media. The next day, my dad was like, ‘Hey, Kid Rock wants to meet you.’ I was like, ‘No f***ing way. Are you serious?’ The next day, I got to go up and hang out with Bob. That was really cool. I got to meet Kid Rock because of it.”
Sounds like that was enough of a consolation prize for Rocker Steiner.
And just when we thought the rodeo star was out of celebrity stories, he threw out what could be the best of the three. Rocker said that the pop-star-turned-country-artist, Post Malone, once trash-talked him into a rodeo win:
“Post Malone came out to the rodeo in Spanish Fork. I met him like two weeks before with Ernest, so whenever I saw him, I kind of knew him at that point. We just hung out with him. He was on my bucking chute whenever I rode and I won the rodeo. He was actually trying to pull it over me when I was getting on. He was like, ‘Don’t go out there and be short.’ Making short jokes about me. I win the rodeo and I come back and say, ‘Is that f***ing tall enough for you?'”
@whiskeyriff @Rocker Steiner @musiccityrodeo #whiskeyriff #whiskeyriffraff ♬ I Had Some Help – Post Malone
Post Malone has a career as a rodeo hype man waiting for him, if he ever wants to hang up the artist life.
Oh, and speaking of winning rodeos… there’s going to be a lot on the line when Music City Rodeo rolls into Nashville later next month. The event will take place Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena May 28 through 30 (following a sold-out inaugural event in 2025). The Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association (PRCA) is returning to Downtown Nashville for another thrilling event filled with broncs, barrel racing, team roping, and country music.
Music City Rodeo will run across three days, and each night will be capped off by performances from Miranda Lambert (May 28), Charley Crockett (May 29) and Jon Pardi (May 30). Simply put, it’s going to be a can’t-miss event, and Rocker Steiner and Kade Bruno will be there to compete.
You can hear them talk more about it in the full interview below. Check it out on YouTube or make sure to download the podcast on Apple Podcasts by searching “Whiskey Riff Raff” or by clicking here.
We’re also available on Spotify and wherever else you can listen to podcasts.
Cheers, y’all.
