Cates won't hold back Rookie has shared first season through blog, now shares first Finals with podcast

LAS VEGAS (October 31, 2008) - It was hours before the sun would rise on the day of the first round of his first-ever World Finals.

But laying on his bed at the Mandalay Bay with the drapes drawn open and the bright lights of Las Vegas illuminating the late night sky, it finally dawned on Reese Cates.

“I told myself, ‘I worked my whole life to get here and now it’s time to shine,’” said Cates, of what he called a humbling moment.

Going into Round 1 of the event, Cates is locked in one of the tightest races for the Daisy Rookie of the Year title along Pistol Robinson, Leonil Santos and his best friend Kolt Donaldson.

It’s been a whirlwind of activities since the 19-year-old from El Dorado, Ark., arrived.

He went through the rider check-in process Thursday morning where among the gift bag of sponsor-related items given to him and the other top bull riders, he received a World Finals qualifier ring as well as a 2008 World Finals jacket.

“Whenever I checked in yesterday it was something that made me wake up and realize I’m in Vegas,” said Cates.

“I’ve seen guys at bull ridings that had on the PBR World Finals jacket and I always looked them as if they were a step above me, like they were on a pedestal. Now that I have the jacket it doesn’t make me feel any different or any better than anyone else.

“It’s just something that I worked for my whole life,” he continued. “Is that all I worked for? No, this is just a stepping stone.”

A season-long blogger who has been a featured contributor to www.pbrnow.com, it’s only fitting that Cates would be among the first riders to have agreed to hosting a podcast at the newly-launched www.pbr.tv.

Cates’ first podcast is a nearly two-minute monologue in which he shares with listeners what it’s been like since arriving in Las Vegas.

—by Keith Ryan Cartwright