story by Lily Weinacht
Rodeo has taken the Robertson family to the far reaches of their home state of Arizona, and this summer, they ventured into another hemisphere, rodeoing for three weeks in Queensland, Australia. Tim and Kelly Robertson and their sons, Trey (20) and Trevor (16), traveled to Australia with their longtime friend and fellow GCPRA competitor, Dean McIntyre, and his family. Tim and Trey, both steer wrestlers, entered rodeos every weekend, while Trey and Dean won the first round of team roping at the Mount Isa Mines Rodeo in August. “What I enjoyed the most was the different way of rodeoing,” says Kelly, who started barrel racing when she met Tim. “It’s like they used to rodeo in the old days where they go to rodeo and spend all weekend and hang out with friends and family.” Tim adds, “It was a really good experience and it was a once-in-a-lifetime deal. They start rodeoing at eight o’clock in the morning and go all day long every day—it was really neat.”
Since they returned home to Marana, Arizona, Tim, Kelly, and Trey all qualified for the GCPRA finals, while Trey won the average and year-end steer wrestling titles in the PRCA Turquoise Circuit, qualifying him for his first RNCFR. He and his dad both steer wrestle off the same horse, Glover, and competed together at the Turquoise Circuit Finals. Cody Glover sold the horse to Trey in high school, and Trey seasoned Glover and won the state steer wrestling champion title on him in 2016. He’s also qualified for the GCPRA finals several times since joining the association four years ago. “Dad and I are usually in the same performance, so we try to get spaced out with two guys between us—we ride the same stirrups and everything. Either my dad or Dean McIntyre hazes for me.”
Tim, who grew up rodeoing in the Michigan High School Rodeo Association, which his mom and uncle helped start, is a two-time GCPRA steer wrestling champion and a member of 10 years. He and Kelly open up their arena for steer wrestling practice several times a week, although Tim prefers to save his runs for the rodeos now. “I know at my age, if I was to quit and try to come back, I’d probably be done. Trey keeps me going, and the other kids who come down here and want to steer wrestle.” Except for the year Trevor had a football tournament the same weekend, Tim has competed in the GCPRA finals every year since joining the association. He started rodeoing in the PRCA in 1995 and competed in the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo in 2003 and 2005.
“Every weekend until about Christmas, we have a rodeo or a barrel race to go to. We pretty much haul together as a family to pro rodeos and the Grand Canyon, and if I just go to a barrel race or a jackpot, I go by myself or with a friend,” says Kelly, who was the 2017 Turquoise Circuit Rookie Permit Champion. “I just like going and having fun. I like the Grand Canyon because of the camaraderie—it’s a very family oriented atmosphere, and I feel like I know the majority of the people. I got a new horse two years ago, MerSadies Benz, and she has really brought me along to where I am today. We live right by the Marana Stockyards, so we practice team roping there at least once a week with help from Clay Parsons and Arnold Burruel. Our youngest son, Trevor, just started roping a couple of years ago and goes to local team roping jackpots.”
In between rodeos, Kelly works as a registered nurse at an outpatient surgery center, while Tim does equine dentistry and some construction work, and Trey works at the Marana Stockyards Sale Barn. The entire Robertson family and their friends the Murphys have also been working throughout the year to reopen the Marana Heritage Arena and maintain it for timed events and community events. “It’s an outdoor facility that’s been around forever, and we’ve had a wonderful response—everybody loves that it’s back open,” says Kelly. The Cowboys and Cowgirls Open Barrel Racing Association she’s a member of owns the lease on the arena, which Trey and Tim have been rebuilding.
“It’s different spending time going to a rodeo and doing stuff together as a family than anything else,” says Trey. “I’d like to make a run for Rookie of the Year in the PRCA and possibly the NFR at least once, and I’d like to go to the Iron Man.” The Robertsons plan to continue rodeoing and qualifying for finals rodeos, and most importantly, to enjoy the camaraderie of their family while doing so.
