When bull rider Tristen Hutchings won the third round of the National Finals Rodeo, he wanted to honor the fight of 6-year-old Casyn Cates, who has beaten pediatric cancer. Casyn and his mom went on the South Point Showroom stage with Hutchings on Dec. 6 to talk about Golden Circle of Champions, the organization that helps raise awareness and funds for childhood cancer. Casyn and Hutchings are pictured with Casyn’s mom, Cashlee, and Hutchings’ girlfriend, Delani Cunningham.
(PHOTO BY TED HARBIN)

 

GUNNISON, Colo. – Flint Rasmussen might have said it best.

“There’s more to Tristen Hutchings than just bull riding,” said Rasmussen, one of the most decorated entertainers in rodeo history and co-host of the nightly Montana Silversmiths Go-Round Presentation at the South Point Resort in Las Vegas.

Rasmussen made that statement at the close of the show Dec. 6 after Hutchings appeared on stage with a small entourage that included 6-year-old Casyn Cates, who is in remission after battling B-cell acute lymphoma. It was a way to celebrate Casyn, his fight and all the children who have suffered pediatric cancer and were part of the Golden Circle of Champions Day at the National Finals Rodeo.

“This is actually my champion today,” Hutchings said on stage while looking down at the youngster. “He’s actually had a hard fight.”

Yes, he has. Casyn was diagnosed in February 2022 when he was just 2 years old. The battle lasted three years, and with every treatment and every rough day, the child went toe-to-toe with the devil. He spent his day with rodeo superstars like Hutchings, team ropers Lightning Aguilera, Travis Graves and Jake Smith, and veteran bareback rider Tilden Hooper.

The six of them did cowboy things, but most importantly, they celebrated a child that was willing to scrap for his life. Casyn and his family also attended Round 3 of the NFR

“He’s finally starting to get his personality,” said Casyn’s mom, Cashlee, who lives in Sheridan, Wyoming with husband Chantz and their two other children, sister Carsyn, 9, and brother Corbyn, 8.

Still quite young and a bit shy, he’s coming out of that shell created by needles and doctors and days of just feeling downright pitiful. The fear is unimaginable, but, as Hutchings pointed out, champions fight past through the anxiety and horror to come out victorious.

“I was in a poor mood, and then I got to participate today, and I know this little one personally,” he said, looking at Casyn. “I’ve been cheering him on for two years. Being there brightened my mood, and it reminded me how blessed I am.

“We know him personally, so we got it lined up to where we got to be with them. Then after I won the round, we called them as fast as we could to get them to the South Point. I was very excited to bring him up on the stage.”

Karla Rundell was on the stage with them, too. The first vice president of the Cattlemen’s Days committee, she has spearheaded the volunteer group’s campaign toward raising funds and awareness in the fight against pediatric cancer.

“Cattlemen’s Days has been with Golden Circle of Champions since the beginning,” Rundell said. “We raised over $11,000 locally and aim to help not only with local kids but also start helping kids in the Mountain States Circuit (Wyoming and Colorado).

“These kids are champions, and it’s a blessing that we can do our part in helping them after they’ve been in this fight. It’s pretty special that our champion got to be a star in Las Vegas.”